In an annual early fall ritual, paint companies introduce new color palettes that they anticipate will be popular with consumers as they refresh their homes or buy new homes. Unsurprisingly, the paint color forecasts focus on creating an environment that provides comfort.
PPG brand paints, which are available at Home Depot, independent retailers and at PPG Paints stores, introduced the “Be Well” 2021 color palette, which offers softened hues, including paints names “Transcend,” “Big Cypress” and “Misty Aqua.”
“With the world sheltering in place for the better half of the year, we have begun to crave human connection and embrace simple activities, including walking, hiking, baking and gardening,” Dee Schlotter, the senior color marketing manager for architectural and industrial coatings for PPG, said in a statement. “This organic and hopeful palette represents what we have been longing for after decades of over-stimulation and over-consumption — simplicity and restfulness.”
Transcend is described by PPG as a “mid-tone oatmeal-colored” hue, a warmer tone than the cool gray tones so prevalent now. Big Cypress is a “shaded ginger tone with persimmon undertones,” and Misty Aqua is a “watercolor cerulean blue.” The colors are meant to work well together and pair with a variety of greenery, fabrics and textures as well as blond or natural brown-toned woods.
Behr Paint Co.’s Color Trends 2021 Palette includes 21 colors ranging from neutrals to a few bold tones that are meant to be both energizing and comforting. Behr Paint is available at Home Depot.
“This has been a year of unpredictability, and 2020 has significantly changed our relationship with home,” Erika Woelfel, the vice president for color and creative services at Behr, said in a statement. “When our color team began exploring a palette for the coming year, we knew it needed to be grounded in what we’ve been craving: comfort and personalization. A new, ‘elevated’ articulation of ‘comfort’ goes beyond traditional beige, gray, and green hues and embraces color in a way that can redefine and enhance any type of space inside or outside the home.”
The 2021 Behr color palette has six themes, each with several colors. The themes are:
- Casual comfort, which includes light neutrals with warm tones such as “Almond Wisp” and “Sierra.”
- Optimistic view, with a mix of bright Mediterranean colors such as “Saffron Strands” and “Kalahari Sunset.”
- Subtle focus, with soft pastels such as “Seaside Villa” and “Wishful Green.”
- Calm zone, with blues and greens such as “Jojoba” and “Voyage” to create a restorative space.
- Quiet haven, with darker colors such as “Royal Orchard” and “Broadway” for traditional and maximalist houses.
- Outdoor escape, with colors that work indoors and outside, such as “Barnwood Gray” and “Cellini Gold.”
