The Top 2021 Paint Color Trends

After a grueling 2020, we’re hoping 2021 will both comfort us and lift our flagging spirits. And what better and easier way to begin that process than surrounding yourself with colors that will do just that. The 2021 paint color trends we are seeing will aim to do just that.

The paint colors for 2021 call us back to calmer times and are also functional in a changing world. Better than that is that colors are beautiful and will make your space feel homey and elevated. We asked some of our partners and color experts what color trends we will see in 2021.

PPG’s Color Palette of the Year

“In an era where normal is no longer, and mental and physical well-being have become more important than ever, consumers are craving simple comforts and a slowed-down lifestyle,” says Amy Donato, director of color marketing for PPG Paints.  PPG’s 2021 Color Palette of the Year‘s colors, Transcend, Big Cypress, and Misty Aqua, “emulate both the optimism felt in nature and soothing nostalgia.”

ppg 2021 paint color palette of the year
Shop PPG Trandscend |Shop PPG Big Cypress | Shop PPG Misty Aqua

Transcend is a mid-tone oatmeal-color hue that draws on earthy influences and nostalgia, grounds the palette. “The antidote to an era of cool grays, this cozy neutral emulates the feeling of a warm latte on a cool morning or warm sand on a sunny summer day.”

Big Cypress, a shaded ginger with persimmon undertones, is the equivalent of a big, comforting hug for your home.

Misty Aqua, a watercolor cerulean blue, provides an unexpected pairing of freshness against the other warm, earthy tones.

In such a chaotic year, these colors are “for the consumer who wants to fully embrace mindfulness and intention,” says Donato. “The color trio celebrates beauty of all kinds and relates to those who want to prioritize wellness in mind, body, and spirit.”

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Video Hues

Our daily lives are different now because of last year’s chaos. One major change is that many people no longer go into the office. And that is what Carly Rose of Rose Design is thinking about in 2021.

“A trend in almost all of Rose Design‘s residential interior design projects has been designing for the on-camera experience at home. Today we are spending much of our lives online at home, connecting with our loved ones and friends or the office via video. An important question to consider when designing your living area or home office is-Will this design support me in having effective communication on camera?”

Before you say action on your next video call, take into consideration the “combination of lighting and atmosphere,” says Rose. “Paint color and lighting are intimately connected, so selecting the right color background for your video can have a massive impact on how you look and feel in a Zoom meeting.”

Rose provided a few 2021 paint color trends that are both functional and beautiful!

Traditional Soft White Colors

soft white paint color trend
Shop PPG Delicate White | Shop PPG Gypsum

Soft Neutrals

neutral 2021 paint color trends
Shop PPG Whiskers | Shop PPG Elemental

Earthy

2021 trending paint colors
Shop PPG Photo Gray | Shop PPG Discover

Never Boring Pop of Color

Yummy Earth Tones

Shannon Frappied of One Kings Lane sees 2021 as a year that celebrates earth tones.

“Color is an expression of emotion, and so it comes as no surprise that with the changing of seasons or a new beginning, we become enlivened to update our interior color palettes,” says Frappied. “For me, this new year is about celebrating earth tones, seen near and far, and I believe we will be seeing a lot of this movement globally.”

2021 paint colors according to designers
Shop PPG Babbling Brook | Shop PPG Citrus Sachet

PPG’s Babbling Brook is an example of something that has her eye. “I adore the soothing pigment…It has a classic foundation. Its coloring is like when fog settles in the valleys of mountain ranges – you have a blend of sky meets trees.”

For something a bit more earthy, she like Citrus Sachet. “It’s another color I am drawn to for its terra cotta like hue. I love its soft pigment, reminding me of a plastered façade that’s been weathered over time.”

“While these colors are lovely on their own, I can also envision them pairing well together,” she says. “Perhaps as you transition from a dining room to a living room.”

Grounded Colors

“After a year of isolation and uncertainty, we want to remember the places that made us the happiest,” says Paintzen’s Meghan Stewart, senior color consultant. “I predict that we will see a lot of dark, neutral tones that will ground us in our happiest memories.

PPG Dark Woods | PPG Stolen Rock | PPG Bashful | PPG Kiss Me Kate

PPG Dark Woods and Stolen Rock are beautiful earthy hues. And the purity and calmness of Bashful and Kiss Me Kate cannot be denied.  “These colors bring us back to our favorite places,” says Stewart.

We already see this trend in the Paintzen samples portal. PPG Lost at Sea and Chalky blue were two colors that, combined, accounted for 9% of color interest. These colors are the perfect combination of the airy blues and the dark neutrals.

If you love these 2021 paint color trends as much as we do, get more at PPG Paints. And if painting isn’t in your schedule this year, let us give you a free estimate to do it for you.

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