Consumers will pick earthy hues for a sense of calm in 2021, experts forecast
These are colours that encourage us to take pause and embrace what’s truly important
It may only be August, but forecasters are already looking to see which colour trends will take off in 2021. The design decisions of next year will inevitably be influenced by life in 2020, and so experts are predicting that people will seek hues that provide a much-needed sense of respite.
While Pantone, the colour consulting company, has yet to declare its shade of the year, American paint manufacturer Sherwin-Williams has released its colour forecast for 2021. The company has shared 40 key shades and the colours are split into four groups of
10: Sanctuary, Encounter, Continuum and Tapestry.
The first set of colours, Sanctuary, reflects the peace and calm that people will be drawn to after a difficult year. Sherwin-Williams says the palette is guided by “the principle of biophilia – bringing nature inside”.
These are colours that encourage us to take pause, the company says, explaining that respite includes “the special role our spaces can embody, helping us slow down and embrace what’s truly important”.
The undeniably earthy colours take inspiration from nature and Scandinavian design, and encourage a “warm minimalism”.
Continuing in the vein of Earth-inspired shades is the Encounter palette.
This set of 10 colours “provides a subtle reminder that beauty often has humble beginnings”. The paint company also describes the collection as inspired by the “hyperlocal” with a “modern Bohemian” feel.
The Continuum group, meanwhile, provides vibrancy, an indication that the new year may not only be about hunkering down and being at one with the Earth.
The company cites the influences of these colours as a balance between the synthetic and natural, sea and space. It is described as an “engineered environment”.
Sherwin-Williams says: “Mid-century modernists set an exhilarating new standard with sculptural architecture and bright, forward-thinking colours. Technology ties into so much of what we see, but we want it to blend seamlessly into the whites, charcoals and pops of colours in our environment.”
The final set of colours is Tapestry, which gives “permission to play,” the company says. “Creative expression – a top influence for the Tapestry palette – is all about personality and authenticity,” it elaborates.
The set offers a warm palette, with pinks and yellows shining through. “Bringing back joy is an important part of the Tapestry palette,” says
Sherwin-Williams. The jewel tones in the Tapestry collection connect the pursuit of happiness with a desire for the lavish.
The 10 colours have been inspired by “security, creative expression, classics revisited and sensory exploration”.
“The recent resurgence of maximalism comes in response to minimalism,” the paint manufacturer says, “but with an approach that is more modern, curated and meaningful.”