A lot of folks wait an entire to year to celebrate the leaders in their favorite fields. The Oscars. The Grammys. The Tonys. The Super Bowl – if football is your thing. But, in the decor and design worlds, everyone wants to know what’s trending in colors and now that 2020 is finally wrapping up, the style experts are making their official pronouncements.
Some trend predictions are based on things we’re already seeing in malls and magazines. Others are more aspirational, being guided by economic factors or world-changing events. The color trends being predicted for 2021 seem to be following both paths.
Neutral Gray and Sunny Yellow for a Year with Big Expectations
The design world’s most respected color experts have named a neutral gray and sunny yellow as the colors of the year for 2021 so we can certainly expect to see them absolutely everywhere. Gray (an extremely basic choice on its own merits) represents strength, they say, while yellow projects optimism. We can all use good doses of both, so here’s hoping they deliver on those characteristics all year long.
If you’ve browsed a modern apartment community or toured a renovated home over the past few years, grey is obvious as a trend. It’s become ubiquitous as the neutral wall color that doesn’t make anybody too unhappy without getting them overly excited either. Gray is more interesting than stark white and hipper than a dingy off-white. It pairs with nearly anything and that may be its real strength. Pair gray with sunny yellow and the high-contrast hues create an unexpected and positive energy from every room in the home.
In rentals where painting is either too labor intensive or a management no-no… Instead of frowning about gray walls, floors, and cabinets, let’s embrace them! Use that gray as a foundation for happy accessories that can work for both masculine and feminine interiors. Living room furniture and dining room furniture can be easily brightened up by affordable yellow floral arrangements, artwork, serve ware, and centerpieces. Yellow can also personalize a fun, kid-friendly bedroom that will grow with kids of all ages – from babyhood all the way through to teen years – without the constant need for decorating overhauls.
If yellow isn’t your primary color choice, it doesn’t have to do all the heavy lifting at home. Give the trend a nod by including it as one accent color among many. For 2021, design experts are also naming paprika, aqua, teal, bronze, and earthy natural greens as coming trends, so it should be easy to find accessories in a modern palette without having to make a full commitment to a single accent color.
Whether you go with the trendiest colors or not, accessories are an easy and affordable way to add your personal style to more neutral interiors and change up your decor anytime you need a refresh.
