Trending Paint Colors
I LOVE talking paint and am always interested to see the colors that the leading paint companies choose for their color of the year. While some years the trending colors have a lot of similarities, for 2021 we’re seeing a little bit of everything. Sherwin-Williams’ color of the year is Urbane Bronze which they describe as a “hue whose warmth and comfort breathe down-to-earth tranquility”. It’s a stunner in this room don’t you think?!
It might be a little much on all four walls in a room (for my taste at least) but I love the rich feel on this accent wall when paired with lighter colors.
Benjamin Moore’s 2021 color of the year is Aegean Teal which they describe as “intriguing, balanced, and deeply soothing”:
I’m not sure what I think about this color – it’s definitely a beautiful shade and I can see myself loving it in someone else’s home but probably not my own… what do you think? There are an additional 11 colors in Benjamin Moore’s 2021 Color Palette that you can check out {here} (I’m smitten by Gray Cashmere!).
PPG Paints didn’t select a single color of the year for 2021 but rather a trio of colors including Transcend (a midtone oatmeal-colored hue), Misty Aqua (a watercolor cerulean blue), and Big Cypress (a shaded ginger with persimmon undertones). While I can often appreciate new colors even if they aren’t ones I would use in my own home, I’m having a hard time getting on board with this trio…
Behr’s also didn’t chose just a single color of the year but instead a Color Trends Palette of 21 hues that represent “elevated comfort” – they include all sorts of different colors and saturations that you can see {here}. A few of my favorites are Jean Jacket Blue, Nocturne Blue, and Barnwood Gray which is the color of the siding on this beautiful home:
Grandmillennial Style
At a time that we all crave comfort and reassurance, design styles from the past are making a comeback including granny chic floral patterns, embellishments like pleats, ruffles, and fringe, and heirloom furniture. While all-out grandmillennial style that combines all of these things in one room isn’t my thing, I’m totally on board with adding some features of this style to a space. As an example, I LOVE how the fringe on {these sofas} is a nod to the past but in a fresh, new & stylish way:
Sources: Pendant | Sofas | Ottoman | Console table | Swirl pillow cover | Tasseled edge pillow | Striped pillow | Woven tray | Bone inlay mirror | Braided rug
And I love small doses of granny chic florals like the pattern of {this blue floral wallpaper}:
Double Duty Decor
With so many kids getting home schooled and parents working from home, versatile furniture that does double duty will continue trending in 2021. A favorite example is using a small desk such as {this one} instead of a traditional nightstand so that it can function as both:
Sources: Desk | Black sconce | Mirror | Chair
Sources: Desk | Bed | White heron art
There are so many small but stylish desk options out there right now if you’re on the hunt – these are a few favorites:
Sources: 1. Mid-Century Mini Desk (3 finish options) | 2. Livingston Writing Desk (4 finish options) | 3. Chelsea Small Space Desk | 4. Zane Mini Desk | 5. Simple Parsons Desk (multiple color options) | 6. Haywa Desk (4 color options) | 7. Alexandra Marble Desk | 8. Homfa Writing Desk | 9. Parsons Mini Smart Desk | 10. Tilden Small Space Desk | 11. Burkittsville Desk (4 color options)
Performance Fabrics & Washable Rugs
Another result of having the whole family at home all day, every day is that it’s become more important than ever to have your entire home be livable and usable – no more off-limits living rooms! This means using more and more performance fabrics like Sunbrella and Perennials that are stain resistant and can withstand the spills and stains that come with family life. Using performance fabrics doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style – there are so many that look and feel exactly like the rest of your fabrics in your home.
I actually used {this Sunbrella Canvas fabric} in Flax to upholster the settee in our kitchen eat-in area and all it takes to get any spills or stains out of it is some mild soap and water. You can even use bleach on Sunbrella fabrics without staining them!
Sources: Kitchen bench (DIY) | Capiz pendant | Indoor/outdoor rug | Dining table | Tassel stripe pillow cover | Cream tassel pillow cover | Tassel table runner – no longer available but {this one} is similar | Blush abstract art piece | Blue floral art piece | Pint floral art piece | Slipcovered dining chairs (similar)
Washable rugs are becoming increasingly popular too. One of the biggest washable rug brands is Ruggable which is a two-piece rug where the top piece can be removed and thrown in the wash – you can see how it works {here}. When Ruggable first started selling rugs the product selection was pretty limited but now they have a ton of rug options – one of my favorites is {this Moroccan Diamond plush rug}:
I love the look of these Ruggable rugs too:
Sources: 1. Moroccan Diamond Plush Rug | 2. Terali Natural Clay Rug | 3. Damali Blue Overdye Rug | 4. Damali Black & White Rug | 5. Buffalo Plaid Black & White Rug | 6. Moroccan Ornate Plus Rug | 7. Almana Cobolt Blue Rug | 8. Hudson Stripe Black Rug | 9. Moroccan Zig Zag Plush Rug
Shelfies Are the New Gallery Walls
Pinterest tracks trending search terms on their platform and then publishes the top trends they predict will be big in the upcoming year. For 2021, one of their predicted trends is that “shelfies are the new gallery walls” with kitchen shelves being predicted to be the new favorite corner of the house. The trend isn’t as much about the shelves themselves as about what’s displayed and stored on them. Pinterest predicts colored glassware, clay dishes, and copper cookware to be trending shelf decor in 2021:
Sources: 1. Periwinkle dinnerware | 2. Colored glassware | 3. Wood & marble fruit bowl | 4. Patterned dipping bowls | 5. Blue glass pitcher | 6. Pink tumbler glasses | 7. Copper saucepan | 8. Decorative snail | 9. Glazed serving bowls
I guess I need to up my game on the decor on our kitchen floating shelves 🙂
Sources: Floating wood shelf details {here} | Shelf Accessories: Glass hurricane vase | Brass & glass pitcher | Recipe tin | White ceramic pitcher | Faux peonies | Faux hydrangeas | Marble salt cellar | Spiral salad servers | Oil & vinegar bottles | Striped planter | Decorative snail | Countertop Accessories: Round woven tray | Marble utensil holder | White bowls | Kitchen towel
Other home design trends that Pinterest is predicting for 2021 include a design style they describe as “Japanese design meets Scandinavian minimalism” along with the creation of home “cloffices” (closets turned offices).
Outdoor Entertaining
With socially distanced outdoor visits being the safest way to socialize in person, people invested more money than ever in their outdoor spaces in 2020 from pools to fire pits, outdoor heaters, and new outdoor furniture. Once we are back to socializing like we used to with family and friends (fingers crossed), people are going to be putting those prettied up outdoor spaces to use and we’ll see an increase in outdoor entertaining:
Sources: Dining table | Dining chair | Outdoor dining bench | Striped pillow cover | Shell lanterns | Indoor/outdoor rug
From outdoor string lights to decorative lanterns, indoor/outdoor rugs, and outdoor dinnerware and serveware, backyard entertaining will be more elevated than ever.
So now that we’ve hit the last of my 2021 trend predictions, tell me what you think! Are there any trends you look forward to incorporating into your home or any that you think need to be added to my list?
Your comment about the new nonstick cookware prompted me to comment. I purchased a complete set of the Carroway cookware a couple of weeks before Christmas. Like you, I was concerned about avoiding any cookware that wasn’t healthy to use. The complete set was about $365, and I purchased it in the creamy white. It comes with magnetic pan holders, and a canvas lid holder. It definitely is nonstick, and easy to wash. I do like it very much with one issue. The lids are flat and when you lift them up any moisture that has gathered inside will drip all over the stovetop if you are not careful. The space between the top of my stove and the microwave/fan above it is not that great, so it’s hard to tip the lid to avoid the moisture issue but with practice it’s OK. Even though the set contains 2 sizes of fry pans, a larger saucepan, and a dutch kettle size you would still need other pans. I also have 2 cast iron pans, a couple of All Clad pans, a nonstick griddle and a small sauce pan. If you do a lot of cooking like I do, it might be more cost effective to buy a complete set as opposed to paying a premium price for just one item.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience with Caraway because that’s another one I’ve been looking at too! So helpful!
Great post!
Loved the black wall…but at approaching 69 …
…and having dogs , wouldn’t want to dust it !
But Ohhhhh so attractive !
A word on the “Always Pan”….. I was looking to replace 3 different older Teflon pans as the finish was quite marred. I decided to try this new pan and got it on sale for $99. There are many things to like….it’s a good size for most things you would do in a pan for 2-6 people, it literally cleans up in seconds, it has replaced my 3 Teflon pans and my steamer. Its very attractive but takes up a lot of space because the handle is longer than most. Although the inside is easy to clean, the outside is not. The bottom picks up as much grease and discolorations as most pots but you cannot easily clean it off as the finish comes off. I have a few foods that happened to drip down the side and I cannot remove these stains. A non-scouring sponge doesn’t budge it and powdered cleaners tend to take the finish off. If it wasn’t for that one thing, I’d say its a near perfect pan.
I do not want to pay for – Home on a Budget 5 Emails –
Please just sent Free ones !
Then Cancel!! Thank you
Hi Renee – All of my emails are free – there are none that cost anything. If at any time you want to unsubscribe from them, simply click on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email I send out. Hope that helps!
Kris, your kitchen shelves are perfect. You don’t need to change a thing.
I enjoy your emails and look forward to reading them. You are practical and informative. Thank you, and Happy 2021!
Your shelves in your kitchen are always perfect and inspiring. I was looking at your cookbooks and wondering if you are following @onceuponachef by Jenn Segal? I think you would love her recipes. Just sharing. ❤️
I really like the trend in paint, especially the top two. And the fringe on the sofas is a nice change!! Thanks for the info.
I look forward to all your posts! I have them all in a special folder on my laptop so they won’t get deleted by mistake.
Thank you for doing this! It is great!
Took a leap before Christmas and painted our morning room Aegean Teal and haven’t looked back. It pairs well with multiple accent colors including traditional holiday decor. Trim is SW Extra White adjacent to open concept room painted SW Agreeable Gray. Love it.
I used Urbane Bronze SW in my home office on an accent wall with decorative mill work. I think it turned out beautifully.
Hi Kris,
There’s always one or two trends that I fall in love with. I really love the granny chic blue and white floral wall paper in the Serena & Lily room—I am a grandma to 3 darling kids so I guess that’s no surprise. Haha. I really like your styling of your kitchen shelves best.
xo,
Karen