At the end of last year Pantone announced their color of the year 2021: Ultimate Gray + Illuminating: a marriage of color conveying a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and up-lifting.
In those uncertain times people are looking for something that gives them energy, clarity, and hope. PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating is a warming yellow shade imbued with solar power. PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray will ensure a firm foundation.
“The union of an enduring PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray with the vibrant PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating expresses message of positivity supported by fortitude. Practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, this is a color combination that gives us resilience and hope. We need to feel encouraged and uplifted; this is essential to the human spirit"
Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute
For over 20 years now Pantone is proposing their color for the coming year. They work with a team of experts to analyse trends all over the world, to see what is happening in the art world, on design fairs, movies and much more, to define the color that will influence all industries in the coming year.
You have a preference? Gray: respect for wisdom, experience, and intelligence. Yellow: a feeling of happiness, hope for brighter future, the promise of something sunny and friendly. I can’t choose, can you? I like grey tones, and I like yellow tones, not really in this combination. But I’m always in for a challenge, so I took a look on how I could see them work together and came with some beautiful mood boards.
train via We Heart It - beach via Pinterest
Gray, the colors of pebbles on the beach. Ultimate Gray quietly assures, encouraging feelings of composure, steadiness and resilience. Gray needs a color, to bring it to life, if not it gets boring. Gray will tone down the yellow, if not we would get over-excited. So it is a perfect combination; one of strength and positivity. So let’s speed up 2021 .
‘hi-pop’ tea restaurant in foshan via Designboom - drawing Ruth Allen
Yellow is a sunny color to brighten up our gray city life. It will bring you in a good mood, just think of the summer months where everybody is in a much more positive mood than during the cold and gray winter months. A perfect color when you meet with friends, a color for communication. Need some new ideas and plan to brainstorm? Yellow is the color to go for, you will be focussed and make progress.
bathroom via Faktorstudio - terrazzo Terrazzo Tiles - grey bathtub Sobin via Destock Design - pendant light Litfad
What about your bathroom? Color is taking over the neutral colors in the bathroom, grey will be a perfect option if you want something out of the ordinary and to be sure that it will not get out of trend to quickly. Adding yellow to the bathroom or kitchen is not such a bad idea, those are the rooms you enter first in the morning and the yellow will bring you in a good mood, even when it rains outside.
image on the left via Archiproducts - Vintage Modern Italian Glass Disc Chandelier by Vistosi via 1stDibs - Painting by V Lishko via Saatchi Art - sliding window panels Heytens - Fat armchair B&B Italia -standing lamp Baker and Stonehouse
Ultimate Gray and Illuminating can be a very stylish and elegant combination for a contemporary interior. Minimalist interiors are often in gray tones, add such a sparkling color to brighten up the space.
printed fabrics Fabric Worm - Twiggy art print Red Bubble - artist studio via Freude von Freuden - phone Urban Outfitters
Back to the 60’s with Twiggy and printed fabrics. This Ultimate Gray and Illuminating is a perfect combination for a Scandinavian Mid-Century interior. It has the freshness, we are looking for. A new start.
so how to use it in your interior
gray as the base, yellow to brighten it all up
yellow will bring sunny feeling in your home
gray for wisdom - yellow for innovation
add yellow to your bathroom and kitchen to bring you in a positive mood
perfect for a vintage look
You decided now for Ultimate Gray or Illuminating? Let me know!
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