Pantone’s 2021 Featured Colors
Pantone chose not one but two colors for 2021; Ultimate Gray and Illuminating! Pantone describes their color choices for 2021 as “A message of happiness supported by fortitude, the combination of PANTONE Ultimate Gray and PANTONE Illuminating is aspirational and gives us hope. We need to feel that everything is going to get brighter, that there is hope if we keep living, pushing, and working for a better future.” One of the colors, Ultimate Gray, is restrained, neutral, and familiar. By contrast, the second color, Illuminating, is bright, “shiny”, and cheerful; the color looks a lot like the skin of a ripe lemon. The gray color reflects our year of quarantine, a year of many pangs of sadness, but also a year filled with moments of resolve. The color echoes the monotony of many of our days, but it also provides a feeling of dependability and comforting familiarity. Ultimate Gray represents resilience, composure, stability, and strong foundations. Illuminating promises sunshine, better days, levity, and warmth.
It is fascinating that Pantone chose two colors for 2021. Even more fascinating than the choice of two colors, is the fact that the color trend leader did not choose these hues to foretell or predict 2021 color trends. Usually, Pantone chooses colors that will lead the way in fashion, decor, and even car colors. This year, Pantone looks to tell a metaphorical story. Gray is definitely where we have been, where we are, and will indeed probably be for some time in 2021, but the cheery yellow of Illuminating acts as a beacon of hope, the bright light at the end of a very long and dark tunnel. Leatrice Eisman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, explained, “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; this is essential to the human spirit.”
Described simply, Ultimate Gray, provides a firm foundation. It comforts and steadies us while Illuminating uplifts and warms, and encourages us onward. Illuminating, or any lively color in the family of yellows is a fantastic color to choose to highlight the gray that may already be a part of your decor or provide a sunny and welcoming accent wall. You may even be interested in using gray in your home to give your space a feeling of strength and resiliency. Our environments influence our mindsets. Paint colors have been proven to affect our moods and outlook, so it is important to carefully consider the colors you use in your rooms. Give us a call at 508.740.6212 or click here so we can help you get started on your next color adventure.