As this year slowly comes to an end, Pantone Color Institute has proceeded to release the forecasted color to best represent the upcoming year 2021. In a fairly unusual manner, Pantone CI has selected a two-color combo: Ultimate Gray and Illuminating [Yellow]. The forecast occurred much later in the year than expected compared to previous cases.

At Design Land NYC, we attended the official Online Webinar presentation of Pantone Color Institute, focused on the Pantone Color of the Year 2021 and the way this color trend is affected by the ongoing events. During the Webinar held on the Pantone Color of the Year 2021, Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of Pantone Color Institute, expressed that the delay was a result of perpetual consideration of current events, in areas of social, political and economic change. Working in forecasting color often has much more to do with the social and political climate in understanding what people will engage and react to most, than will mere aesthetic. Both colors picked each represent two different aspects of our recovery from 2020, and offer a peaceful rejoice for the year that is about to begin. 

Ultimate Gray: Gray stands for resilience, strength and emotional encouragement. It forms fortitude, a firm foundation and creates hope and clarity for the human spirit. Gray is our solid piece and commonly composes gravel, stones, everything that our feet stand on. 

Illuminating: This hue of yellow represents brightness, brings a cheerful attitude into the future picture, adds optimism and brings light after the darkness. 

The combination of Grey and Yellow is a splendid blend in its natural state. The two colors can be observed in nature together, in pebbles in the stream, bumble bee jasper stones, and sunlight radiating in changing leaves. Together these colors offer the much awaited reset and new beginning, reflecting the wanted strength to overcome past hardships and joyful attitude to the future. 

Leatrice Eisemen pointed out that 2021 is not the first year that the Pantone Color Institute selected a pair combo, something that occurred once before in 2016 “a marriage between soft blue and pink”. During the 20 years the Pantone CI has been announcing their color forecast, this year is the first that is partially represented by a neutral color, something that has never happened before. Yet, although some colors of the year are derived from the same family they are always reinvented and Pantone CI has never repeated the same hue. 

Application: In application, we can expect the colors to appear in combination, or on their own. They can be incorporated in prints, fabrics textures and accessories, in accent walls for interior, and in monochromatic creations. 

The major telling factor in the decision making, was considering all major events occurring in 2020 to understand what emotions people are looking to find in the near future. This year, the Pantone Color Institute had a clear idea that the color should convey hope and resilience as to affect change in the ever less pleasant current reality. 

It is generally accepted that one of the colors most people associate with feelings of joy and happiness, or perceive as bright and positive is within the family of Yellow. Yellow alone seems too happy and bright, and would not accurately reflect a recuperating and recovering society. Knowing how difficult and challenging it is too pair yellow with any other color that clashes, or adds on to the cheerfulness, the only best alternative was to pick a mute or neutral color that balances out the positivity with some physical grounding. Gray is one of the most common neutrals used in design, easily found in capsule wardrobes, interior decoration, and is simultaneously modern and timeless. 

Our conclusion

After a year of a major global crisis, we are all in need for some bright colors in our environment. This color pairing, sparks a newfound affection for parts of nature that are fleeting, as the combination appears in instants of time that we can only catch a glimpse on, such as the first moments of sunrise, and certain reflection of light on still-water. This pair is also present in industrial elements, in the solid structure of cement and constructed roads foundations, in contemporary interior and futuristic raw designs. 

We feel that this color combination is a proper one that will spark joy this year. How do you feel about this color after reading on the reasoning behind their selection? We hope you are healthy and happy and may your world be Illuminating next year!

Xoxo Lori / Design Land NYC