2020 was the year we all stayed home, and for a lot of us, we realized there were quite a few things about our home that weren’t working or were just plain ugly. The pandemic over the past year has changed the way we view our homes and shaped not only what we want out of them, but what we need. 2021 is going to see big shifts in how we live in, use, furnish and decorate our homes with moves toward creating space were we can relax, recharge, work and feel safe.
Trending Colors
Pantone announced not one but two colors of the year for 2021: Ultimate Grey and Illuminating. Leatrice Eiseman, the Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute says that the “union of an enduring Ultimate Gray with the vibrant yellow Illuminating expresses a message of positivity supported by fortitude. Practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, this is a color combination that gives us resilience and hope. We need to feel encouraged and uplifted; that is essential to the human spirit.” Ultimate Gray is calm and recognizable, evoking distant memories of feet hitting the pavement on a downtown morning, the familiarity of your favorite bed linens or the color of storm clouds rolling in on the horizon. Illuminating is the first beam of sunshine poking through those clouds, giving us hope to see a rainbow on the other side. Happy, optimistic and creative, Illuminating is inspired by our collective hope for 2021.
Sherwin-Williams named Urbane Bronze their 2021 Color of the Year, a richer, earthier shade compared to Pantone’s Ultimate Grey. They state that over the course of the year “our homes have become the backdrop to our lives, reminding us that the moments worth cherishing have always been right in front of us. As we’re looking to create the ultimate retreat for reflection and renewal, we’re turning to a hue whose simplicity and nature-inspired energy cultivate a sense of calm from the ground up.” Urbane Bronze is understated and contemplative, organic and grounded; the perfect foundation for growth in the new year and a warm, inviting backdrop for creating memories.
In addition to Pantone’s and Sherwin-Williams colors of the year, popular colors will include warm hues, soft pastel tones, and calming blues to create a serene space while brighter colors like vivid pinks, richer blues and brilliant turquoise will add cheerfulness and whimsy. The colors that will truly be popular in the new year are those that you imagine when you picture the comforts of home. When you think of comfort, tradition and memories in your home, what color comes to your mind?
Interior Trends
Some of the themes for 2021 as described by Architectural Digest are joy, personalization and self-expression and we think that about sums up all of the emerging trends for the new year perfectly. Most of us are feeling the need to be comforted and a longing for the nostalgic. Doilies, antique furniture with turned legs and ornamental details and flower bud wallpaper are all seeing a rise in popularity but with an updated, chic take. If your home already has architectural details like exposed beams, hardwood floors, wainscoting, decorative trim or lighting coves then the cottagecore/grandmillennial/granny chic vibe will be easily adopted into your home. Achieve the look with antique furniture, reclaimed wood, vintage textiles, florals, lace and ribbons from your local thrift store or flea market.
An extension of the cottagecore trend is a return to a relaxed and cozy vibe. Fewer interiors will be furnished with the sometimes cold and angular mid-century modern vibe that’s been hugely popular for the past several years in lieu of comfy sofas, chunky blankets and lots of welcoming seating options. Sofas, sectionals and armchairs will see a shift into thicker, more inviting backs, cushions and arms, though they won’t quite be the oversized monstrosities occupying the majority of space in our parent’s living rooms. They’ll still be contemporary in shape and modest in size. Living rooms will return to looking lived in. Precious items will fall out of favor and be replaced by items that are durable, organic or second-hand. Suede, wool and bouclè will adorn softer, rounded furniture and the “new neutral” color palette of ivory, rust, pinks, mustards and burnt oranges will reign supreme.
Quite the opposite of these trends, colorful self-expression is another movement we can expect to see a lot of in the new year. Our homes should be a reflection of our unapologetic, unfiltered selves, and if you love color, take a note from Frank’s RedHot and put that sh*t on everything. Expect expressive wallpaper and fabric patterns, bold colors and whimsical shapes to crash into our homes and onto our social media feeds like a parade through town leaving punchy, eye-catching confetti everywhere. Employing expressive maximalism through color and surrounding ourselves with more of what we truly love feeds the soul and fills the void left by 2020.
Part Two Posted Tomorrow 12/31
