Unprecedented times reflected in an earthy ‘Palette of the Year’
Color experts talk about hues and tones in terms of stories: what shades of reds, blues, greens and a variety of other colors say about us and the world around us.
So what would the color story be right now, amid protest, turmoil, political upheaval and a global pandemic that has sickened more than 25 million people and killed more than 850,000 worldwide?
Color experts at PPG — who sell paint as well as coatings for airplanes, automobiles and all kinds of other consumer goods — say that it’s a complicated one.
Amy Donato, senior color marketing manager at PPG, said the 30 or so PPG employees who meet to decide on their major color trends and to pick an annual Color of the Year, started their conversation before the coronavirus was in full swing.
Their initial decision was to pick “Transcend,” a beige with pink undertones, as their Color
of the Year for 2021 — a pick that is meant to both make a statement about the state of the world and set the tone for what’s ahead.
As the pandemic struck full force in America in March and then the killing of George Floyd launched protests worldwide in May and June, they knew that this would be no ordinary year.
In other words, “Transcend” alone couldn’t cover the story of this tumultuous year and how we move for
ward from it. They added “Misty Aqua,” a modern, pale green for freshness, and “Big Cypress,” a rusty terra-cotta, for warmth, and their 2021 Color of the Year became a Palette of the Year.
“‘Transcend’ is a major shift from gray to beige. When we saw the world needing additional comfort to make homes a different environment … we needed the other two colors,” Dinado said. “‘Transcend’ is like a comfortable, warm latte; ‘Big Cypress’ is like a big hug; and ‘Misty Aqua’ is a watercolor blue that brings freshness to the overall palette.”
Many people think of paint when they think of PPG, but the company’s reach is broader than that, and its color forecast speaks to what we’ll see — colorwise — in a variety of consumer products.
If the “beige is back” slogan shocks you, keep in mind that this new beige isn’t the beige that makes homes decorated in the 1980s and 1990s look dated. It’s a fresher beige, with pink undertones, rather than the yellow undertones you may be used to seeing.
PPG is the first paint/color company to announce its Color — or Palette — of the Year for 2021, and more are likely to follow through fall.
PPG, Sherwin-Williams and
Pantone all went big with dark blue for 2020, with PPG choosing its “Chinese Porcelain,” Sherwin-Williams choosing its “Naval” and Pantone picking its “Classic Blue.”
PPG’s 2021 Palette of the Year and its broader forecast for what’s ahead is driven by social factors — wellness, resiliency, compassion, nostalgia and optimism — for a greener, kinder, smarter and brighter year, Donato said.
“When the year turned upside down, we looked back to make sure we covered everything that will go into 2021, adding colors that would represent comfort and compassion, nostalgia and a connection to nature,” she said. “One thing I want to point out is that it was unanimous that we see a shift from gray to beige. It’s interesting to see how everyone saw that shift coming.”
Sherwin-Williams’ Colormix Forecast for 2021 includes 10 hues in each of four categories with a similar trend. All include earth tones — beiges, browns, greens and rusts, such as “Bonafide Beige,” “Antiquarian Brown,” “Rosemary” (olive green) and “Reddened Earth.”
Sue Wadden, Sherwin-Williams’ director of color marketing, said their 40 colors are about a connection to nature, smart/tech living, creative expression and personal experience.
The mix of bold colors includes shades as bright as “Jaipur Pink” and as soft as “Perfect Periwinkle.” “Moonraker” is a dark charcoal gray, and clean “High Reflective White” will satisfy those who still want white walls.