Call Us Today!
Call Us Today!
I believe in the magic of color. Color influences and highlights cultures, the food we eat, our mood, imagination, and creativity and expresses who we are. Each year holds new hopes, dreams and goals and as a society, we move through the ebbs and flows of trends within the color world. Every year at Kind Homes, we sit down and create a prediction of color trends for 2021 to help our clients express who they are and their vision for their homes. This forecast will include trends we are predicting will be a hit, and also the tried and true classics that never go out of style. Our prediction for this year is that soothing, fresh, calm, muted colors will overtake the boldness of last year’s palette to invoke tranquility and creativity.
In a day and age where everything is at our fingertips, it’s easy to see why trends are so fundamental to expressing our style in not just our wardrobe, but in and on our home. In 2020, we saw a lot of high contrast colors at the forefront of the trends. This boldness, along with all the uncertainty and hardship in 2020, really set the tone for what the 2021 color trends would be.
Sherwin William’s Urbane Bronze really set the tone for the 2021 color forecast. It’s dark and moody, and demands consideration without being overly dramatic. 2020’s color of the year, Naval SW 6244, has a special place in my heart, so I was happy to see an equally bold but softer, chic, color come to the forefront of this year’s color trends. Urbane Bronze is the perfect, organic, khaki olive color that can be both timeless, inviting and modern.
To say I am obsessed with this color is an understatement. Benjamin Moore knows exactly what we all need, and that’s a fresh perspective for 2021. This color brings the outside in in the most delicate, tasteful way. It reminds me of what I would see accented in a gorgeous Parisian flat filled with velvety French blues, modernized and updated to bring an enlightened, cheery, organic perspective to your space.
We believe that the color trends for 2021 will bring colors that are similar in family, but drastically different in boldness from the color trends we saw in 2020. We are seeing softer, more organic, cozy tones that are influenced by the simplicity and the monochromatic tendencies of Scandinavian design. These colors make for spectacular results for interior painting projects. On the organic side of the spectrum, we are predicting soft whites and neutral creams to be huge. That may sound boring, but the softness of this year’s color palette allows your color to enhance your style instead of dictating it. One of my favorites this year from Benjamin Moore’s top color picks for the year is Atrium White OC-145, it’s a beautiful off-white that is in their words, “endlessly versatile, tranquil and serene”! If you’re considering a neutral but don’t want a white or off white, SW Alpaca 7022 is a wonderful neutral greige!
Another big trend we are predicting is neutral, organic green tones, like the khaki influenced mid-tone green-gray, SW 6172 Hardware. It is a neutral green gray, making it a soft and elegant choice if you wanted to bring a little of the outside in, without being blinded.
For 2021, we are noticing that many of the bold color combinations of 2020 are being replaced with their softer counterparts. For instance, this year’s color of the year, Urbane Bronze, is still dark and moody but softer compared to one of the most popular colors of 2020, SW 6258 Tricorn Black.
Although we still think dark, imposing grays will be a popular choice, it feels like this year will be focused on shifting to soft, neutral grays with beige and green undertones. Some of the forecasted tonal grays that we love for 2021 are Kingsport Gray HC-86 from Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams Worldly Gray SW 7043. They are soft, velvety grays that are both modern classics that remind me of a cozy blanket by the fireside.
Shag green and orange carpet! Wall tapestries! Bad casseroles… Ok, maybe not the bad casseroles, but 70’s influenced paint colors will be huge in 2021. We are absolutely loving this side of the 2021 color trend forecast. It’s playful, it pays ode to the past and we love how warm and inviting these hues are. If you’re thinking about a groovy orange, I would consider checking out Benjamin Moore’s Potters Clay 1221.
Another major part of the 70’s trend are neutral greens and chocolatey burgundy reds. For these colors, we recommend looking at Sherwin Williams Messenger Bag SW 7740 and Canyon Clay SW 6054.
You know the drill! Whites, classic Americana, colors that are tried, true and remembered no matter what state that you live in. Let’s dive into these classic hues!
Contrary to popular belief, all white colors are not created the same, so dont ask your painter to paint something white without knowing a bit more about what you want out of the space first! A good white paint color is irreplaceable, it can make a dark space feel bright, open and new, but it can also make a space feel cold and clean which is why picking the right white for your space is so important.
Some of our favorite classic white’s are SW 7005 Pure White which is a neutral white that goes with both cool and warm colors and is a wonderful white to consider if you want something basic with virtually no undertones. SW 7008 Alabaster and SW 7551 Greek Villa which are both warm white with yellow undertones, so they are perfect options if you wanted a white color, but wanted something a bit softer. And if you’re looking for the most classic Benjamin Moore whites, look no further than Simply White OC-117 & White Dove OC-17, Chantilly Lace OC-65, they are all house favorites.
A seaside cottage in Maine with green cedar shake shingles, a bright Americana blue as a backdrop to a summer barbeque is what I think of when someone says that they want a blue home. When painting a house exterior, blue represents serenity, stability and wisdom and is a staple hue when talking about classic colors. There are greens and blues that fit both the bold and serene look which makes the options endless. A few of our favorite, classic blue’s are SW 6244 Naval, SW 7602 Indigo Batik and if you want a beachy sea foam green, try out SW 6204 Sea Salt.
Sherwin Williams Naval is an absolute classic if you’re looking for a bright, bold navy for a classic color scheme. We saw Naval paired with creamy whites like Alabaster SW 7008 for a crisp contrast that won’t overwhelm. If you were thinking you’d like a soft green, a fan favorite that I recommend to our clients is Sea Salt, it’s soft, understated seafoam green that will give you classic north eastern cottage vibes without being
Grays are a tried and true part of picking a classic color. There are so many ways that a gray can lean and that starts with which undertones are in it. There are many classic grays and we’d like to highlight a few from all sides of the spectrum. One of the most tried and true classic grays from Sherwin Williams is Light French Gray SW 0055 which is a neutral light gray that has both cool and warm tones, making it extremely versatile. If you were looking for a light gray that was a little warmer, we suggest looking at fan favorite, Repose Gray SW 7015.
If you were looking for something a little darker, we suggest Dovetail SW 7018, it’s a medium toned charcoal greige that is all chic. Dovetail works with both darker and lighter accents, making it a very versatile medium gray.
If you are still on the fence about what you might be looking for, please see our blog posts about both the Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore colors of the year for 2021 on www.KindHomeSolutions.com to get our hot take on what we think are the most worthwhile colors trends for 2021. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow us on Instagram at @KindHomeSolutions for all the best color content, color inspiration and product information!