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?!
Image courtesy of Sherwin Williams
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”:
Image courtesy of Benjamin Moore
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…
Image courtesy of PPG Paints
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:
Image courtesy of Behr
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:
Image courtesy of Serena & Lily
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}:
Image courtesy of Serena & Lily
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:
Image courtesy of West Elm
Sources: Desk | Black sconce | Mirror | Chair
Image courtesy of Ballard Designs
Sources: Desk | 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. Beadboard Classic Desk | 4. Quinn Fluted Desk (2 finish options) | 5. Simple Parsons Desk (multiple color options) | 6. Haywa Desk (4 color options) | 7. Folsom Writing Desk with Drawer (2 finish options) | 8. Homfa Writing Desk | 9. Parsons Mini Smart Desk | 10. Tilden Small Space Desk | 11. Casada 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: DIY banquette seating | 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)
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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}:
Image courtesy of Ruggable
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:
Image courtesy of Serena & Lily
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?
