Each year, design specialists like to announce their ‘colour of the year’ for the following season. Pantone, the company behind the colour matching system universally used in design and print, is one regular contender, usually producing a whole palette of colourways; Dulux, the paint company, is another. It’s often instructive to see how widely different the various predications can be.
This year, for instance, for 2021 Pantone has gone for a ‘cheerful palette’ it calls Vivify.
“If ever there was a time when we needed to surround ourselves with colours that infuse feelings of positivity into our environment, it is now” the company says. “As we continue down this path of uncertainty, a time marked by a global pandemic and social distancing coupled with social unrest demanding action on equality and sustainability, a cheerful palette expressing a sense of playful freshness and uplift gives us energy, helping us to recharge as we chart our path forward.”
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Sunny and cheerful
The Vivify palette is “A story of sunny and cheerful colours symbolic of the brighter future that lies ahead. Displaying a youthful spirit, this decidedly upbeat palette expresses a sense of playful freshness and optimism that brings a smile to our face as it takes us forward. Innovative materials combine with more familiar ones as functionality and pleasure come together for 2021 and beyond.”
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“In an adventuresome exploration of newness and originality, Vivify highlights the dichotomy of an intense black with a sugary white and the dramatic impact made by this classic pairing when contrasted against a more vibrant sunny yellow, bold hot pink, delectable raspberry and tangy lime. Adding to the liveliness is a periwinkle blue, a watery turquoise and a cool spearmint green.”
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The PANTONEVIEW home + interiors 2021 guide (a hefty £284 plus VAT) gives guidance to these colour innovations, saying: “In this era of technological and social transformation, change continues to accelerate at a rapid pace. Familiar habits morph before our eyes into new ways of seeing, doing, buying and communicating.
“Vital to the concept of innovation is originality. PANTONEVIEW home + interiors 2021 provides guidance through this transformation, where freshness can come from Terra Cotta, whose ruddy hues fascinated our most ancient ancestors. It can also arise from the sci-fi metallic tones emblematic of intergalactic travel or from the rich, multicultural influences at play in the worlds of fashion and art.
“A mythic take on nature might coexist in a mellow rainbow of hues right alongside the intense glamour of botanicals bred to bloom brightly. Traditional architecture might guide us to organic materials and natural hues, even as vivid colours and synthetics shape new interior and exterior experiences.”
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To beige or not to beige
Meanwhile paint specialist Dulux has gone for a perhaps rather less ambitious tone, with its choice of colour trend for 2021, which it calls Brave Ground, and which anyone else might be tempted to call ‘beige’.
Brave Ground is described by Dulux as a “warm, natural neutral, which brings a bolstering, balancing feel to any room.”
This, Dulux says, is “one key colour that reflects the mood of the moment – a tone that’s set to have an impact on homes all over the world.
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“What has emerged from our trend forecast this year is that we’re all reassessing what really matters in our lives. We’re taking stock and finding a new and positive way forward by having faith in ourselves, working together, building on the past and planning for the future. It takes courage to embrace change and our homes can help provide a solid and supportive foundation, as well as giving us the scope to be creative.
“Brave Ground is warm, natural neutral that’s an enabling and stabilising colour. It’s also a versatile shade that lets other colours shine.”
Dulux has created four colour palettes, all centred around the Colour of the Year, so you can express yourself in any number of ways and be brave enough to take that first step.
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- Timeless Tones creates a balanced backdrop for entertaining, matching colours such as Spiced Honey with artisanal materials
- Warm Shades uses bold pinks and reds ideal for modern furnishings and wood floors
- Natural Shades uses earthy colours working with rich finishes such as copper and marble
- Earth Connections uses exterior shades of blue and green ideal for use with natural wood and reclaimed furniture
Kutlu’s Beige Mix Tiles capture the tone with a colourful medley of captivating Moroccan Arabesque patterns, suitable for both walls and floors. There are four tile designs dispersed randomly, and each design contains four different patterns – totalling 16 different patterns.
And the Coco three-seater sofa from Sofology is available in a choice of three different fabrics or in a warm 100% leather finish, and a choice of solid wood or chrome feet, which easily adapt the look of the sofa to fit your interior decor scheme.
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Read more here about how each year, design specialists like to announce their ‘colour of the year’ for the following season, and Pantone, the company behind the colour matching system universally used in design and print, is one regular contender, usually producing a whole palette of colourways while Dulux, the paint company, is another and it’s often instructive to see how widely different the various predications can be.
