Interior designer, artist, and author Justina Blakeney knows how to use color. As the founder of Jungalow, she has spearheaded the movement for bohemian rooms for over 15 years – playing with bold shades and big patterns in a way that feels maximalist yet never cluttered.
But it has been a turbulent year for Justina, as we discovered in our Layered Lives interview with the designer last month. Following the LA wildfires in January, she had to leave her home in Altadena, which wasn't burned down but was severely fire-damaged.
Eight months later, she's back in, redecorating and re-buying furniture – and has noticed that her color palette is changing too. She tells Homes & Gardens ''I'm craving a little more moodiness now,' adding that she has found a paint color that flatters everyone – one that is clearly set to be a major color trend for 2026.
So what is the moody color that Justina thinks works to make everyone look good?
‘Eggplant, or mauve,’ Justina tells us. ‘These darker purples and plums are colors I'm now layering into schemes – and which I've never really considered before. They are the little bit of sophistication that I'm ready for, and as darker colors, they ground the brighter shades I'm more used to using.’
And its sophistication, yet vividness, isn’t the only reason Justina likes decorating with purple – it has another benefit. ‘Eggplant is color, it flatters everyone,’ she says. ‘Especially when you color drench it, and I just love the phrase color drenching. It fills me with warmth and good vibes. It's actually a relief for me, to be able to take one color and fill a space with it. It creates such a feeling of embrace – it has such a sexiness to it. Yes, it's a bold choice, but a comfortable one, too. One that makes you feel confident but cozy, as well.’
So, where and how to use eggplant? As a flattering color, it works well in bathrooms, closets, powder rooms – anywhere you'll be looking at yourself in the mirror. For drenching spaces, it will make small, darker rooms feel cozy and will help to make larger, lighter rooms seem enveloping.
In terms of samples to order, Farrow & Ball's Brinjal is a cult favorite, and its deep red tones will make any room feel sophisticated. Little Greene's Color of the Year 2026, Adventurer(pictured above), is a perfect eggplant shade with deep brown, red, and purple pigments. Benjamin Moore's Chambourd is ideal if you want a deeper, slightly more moody eggplant paint.
And of course, if you're not ready to commit to it on the walls, then seeking out brighter patterns that include swathes of eggplant is a good way to introduce it subtly and see how it contrasts sophisticatedly with brighter hues. Layer dark eggplant throw pillows with ochre yellows for an on-trend fall color combination, or pair eggplant-patterned sheets like these lovely gingham sheets from Piglet in Bed with neutrals or a softer look.
As Justina is behind many interior design trends of the last 15 years – everything from bohemian living rooms to houseplants to rug layering – it's pretty certain that if she's using eggplant now, the rest of us will be next year. You heard it here first.
The Eggplant Edit
If you aren't on the hunt for a paint project, bring in a hit of eggplant and mauve with your decor – a deep red lamp to brighten your bedside tables, a throw blanket to add some depth to your couch, or a tiny trinket dish for the entryway console.
Your choice of bedding color can be as dominant as the color on the walls. So if you are looking to make an impact with eggplant, these dreamily dramatic linen sheets would be perfect.
Another easy bedroom update is to switch out your bedside lamps. Ditch the white shade and go with something more enticing like the scalloped straight empire shade from Pooky.
Eggplant is a particularly fall-appropriate color, and throw pillows are the easiest way to update your living room or bedroom with the seasons. Layer this velvet pillow with some rusty oranges and deep yellows for a colorful fall scheme.
This wallpaper was made for taking over every wall, and then painting the ceiling and woodwork in an eggplant to match.
