Two colours – Ultimate Grey and Illuminating – has been announced as the Pantone Colour of the Year 2021, providing a practical colour combination that helps us feel optimistic and uplifted.
Grey and yellow come together to create an 'aspirational colour pairing', conjoining deeper feelings of thoughtfulness with the 'optimistic promise of a sunshine filled day', describes Pantone, the global colour authority and provider of professional colour language standards
The 2021 colours reflects what is taking place in our global culture, expressing what people are looking for that colour can hope to answer, explains Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Colour Institute.
Illuminating is a bright and cheerful yellow sparkling with vivacity; it's a warming yellow shade imbued with solar power.
Meanwhile, Ultimate Grey is emblematic of solid and dependable elements which are everlasting and provide a firm foundation. The colours of pebbles on the beach and natural elements whose weathered appearance highlights an ability to stand the test of time, It encourages feelings of composure, steadiness and resilience.
'The selection of two independent colours highlight how different elements come together to express a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting, conveying the idea that it’s not about one colour or one person, it’s about more than one. The union of an enduring Ultimate Grey with the vibrant yellow Illuminating expresses a message of positivity supported by fortitude,' says Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Colour Institute.
'Practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, this is a colour combination that gives us resilience and hope. We need to feel encouraged and uplifted, this is essential to the human spirit.'
How to use Ultimate Grey and Illuminating in the home...
A marriage of strength and optimism, Ultimate Grey and Illuminating do not have to be used in equal proportions, as either colour can take precedence in home furnishings.
The colour pairing can set the mood in any room in the home adding a dose of sunshine and positivity. Specifically, juxtaposing Illuminating with Ultimate Grey in table linens, bedding and home accessories infuses vitality and liveliness. It's the perfect combination for the exterior of your home too: painting a front door in bright yellow Illuminating conveys a warm and welcoming message when supported by the solid and dependable Ultimate Grey in exterior finishes.
But you can also use this colour well for any home office or study space, with Ultimate Grey providing the firm foundation for Illuminating, a vibrant yellow that heightens awareness and enhances intuition.
About the Pantone Colour of the Year
To arrive at the selection each year, Pantone’s colour experts at the Pantone Colour Institute comb the world looking for new colour influences. The colour selected as the Pantone Colour of the Year 2021 was taken from the Pantone Fashion, Home + Interiors Colour System, the most widely used and recognised colour standards system for fashion, textile, home, and interior design.
The Pantone Colour of the Year for 2020 was Classic Blue, a reflective blue tone evocative of the vast and infinite evening sky. Discover past selections for Colour of the Year here.
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13 yellow home accessories for a bright and bold update
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Mustard Yellow Plain Seat Pad with Button Straps 100% Cotton
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