2021 Colors Of The Year

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And what they can represent in your life

Written by Abigail Crneckiy, Contributing Writer

Paint companies chose a wide variety of colors to highlight in 2021, with a wide variety of reasons for doing so. Some companies choose colors that are optimistic for the new year, while some choose colors that encourage peace and tranquility as we continue our virtual and home-centered lifestyle.

Pantone chose to focus on optimism and strength for the new year. 2020 was difficult, tiring and wearisome. It would be easy for us to move into the new year with fear, resentment and hopelessness. But Pantone doesn’t want this to be the case, and chose two colors for 2021, Ultimate Gray and Illuminating, to lend optimism and strength to the new year. Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, said that the “union of an enduring Ultimate Gray with the vibrant yellow Illuminating expresses a message of positivity supported by fortitude.”(Pantone Press Release). These colors can be incorporated into your life through decor, wall color, apparel and design (Pantone), as Pantone wants these colors to inspire us in all areas of our lives in the new year.

Many other companies, like Benjamin Moore, Farrow and Ball, Sherwin Williams and Valspar chose to focus on colors that are cozy, calming and inviting. These companies curated collections with warm and cool colors that encourage mindfulness and a shift towards ″[turning] home improvement into self-improvement,” as Valspar color marketing manager Sue Kim said in a press release (bhg.com). Benjamin Moore’s Aegean Teal is meant to encourage reflection and rest and Farrow and Ball’s color trends try to “convey a sense of ease and familiarity,” as color curator Joa Studholme stated. Along these same lines, Sherwin-Williams’ Urbane Bronze is a warm grey-brown that recognizes our need for “serenity and stability” since our home has become such a center in our lives.

Over winter break, I opted to paint an accent wall in my bedroom at home using the calming and inviting ideology. I’ve been living at home due to the pandemic, which wasn’t my original plan, so it felt good to reclaim the space and make it my own. I chose a color that was inspired by Farrow and Ball’s “ Green Smoke”. It’s a nice medium, leafy green that is inviting and grounding and creates a necessary newness to my room as I continue with another semester of online classes.

I’m not a huge participant in New Year goals/resolutions/changes. The “New Year, New Me” ideology has never felt relevant to my life. However, within the pandemic where many of us feel like our lives have been on hold for close to a year now, being intentional about creating change is important as we move into the new year. With so many of us stuck in our homes and apartments nearly 24/7, the smallest changes can be extremely refreshing. If you can’t paint, consider getting a new bedspread or art for your walls. Make a physical change in your surroundings to cultivate the feeling of newness. As they say, there’s nothing like a fresh coat of paint.