At the start of 2021 I thought it would be helpful to share my thoughts for colour schemes for this year. My chosen colours are Treron, Oval Room Blue, Citron, Shaded White and Preference Red.
Green as a paint colour has been growing in popularity throughout 2020 and this trend is predicted to continue. The consensus for 2021 is that warm, earthy colours will replace some of the cooler grey tones of the previous years. We will continue to bring the colours of nature into our homes to create a calming environment. Green is so strongly associated with nature that this is the basis for my first colour scheme for 2021.
Farrow & Ball’s Green Smoke, with its smoky green blue colour, has been one of the more popular colours chosen by my clients last year. I feel that this will continue to be a strong contender for 2021, but my green colour scheme is based on the more ‘sludgy’ coloured Treron. For those familiar with the colour Pigeon, Treron is a greener, less blue version.
My green 2021 colour scheme is Treron and Off White; with the addition of French Gray if a third colour is required. French Gray tones well with Treron, but is lighter so the colours would work in harmony. Off White is one of Farrow & Ball’s traditional neutrals; it has a green base and a warm feel. This is a highly versatile scheme and would create a relaxing, warm and elegant space.
Blue is the colour for my second colour scheme of 2021. This was a difficult choice – I was really torn here between Stiffkey Blue and Oval Room Blue. Stiffkey Blue is one of Farrow & Ball’s colours for 2021 and it is one of my personal favourites. It has been another very popular colour from last year and I am sure it will continue to be just as well loved in 2021.
However I have chosen Oval Room Blue as the basis for my blue colour scheme. Oval Room Blue has considerable depth, although it is not a particularly dark colour. This is due to the addition of black; it is Farrow & Ball’s “most blackened blue”. Oval Room Blue has a strong green undertone so I feel it fits in with the return to nature trend of 2021.
My blue colour scheme for 2021 is Oval Room Blue and Wimborne White. This scheme could be used in a lounge, with Oval Room Blue on the walls and Wimborne White on the ceiling and skirting for a bright, fresh look. Or, for a more tonal scheme, paint the walls and skirting in Oval Room Blue and the ceiling in Pale Powder.
Yellow is the colour for my third colour scheme for 2021. Over the last couple of years yellow, particularly strong or mustard coloured yellows, have become increasingly popular. India Yellow in particular has been a favourite choice for many last year and this will, I think, continue.
But as we are at the start of another lockdown I have changed my choice of yellow for 2021 to Citron. I just think that we need to bring some sunshine and joy into our homes and Citron certainly makes me happy. It may not be for everyone, but isn’t that the great thing about colour? You get to choose the ones you like! I am going to team it with the very pretty, yellow based White Tie for a bright, sunny, uplifting scheme.
Neutrals are often the hardest colours to choose as it can sometimes be quite difficult to identify their subtle undertones. This can make it difficult to visualise the effect over a large area, but choosing the right colour can make a huge difference to the finished appearance of a room. Over the last few years cooler, grey neutrals have pretty much ruled the roost but this is changing. The colour predictions for 2021 are to move towards warmer, earthier colours.
My neutral colour for 2021 is Farrow & Ball’s Shaded White. This is such a difficult one to describe; it is a truly chameleon colour. It could be painted in every room in a house and every wall in every room would look different. I feel that this is a great colour for people who want to move away from the cool greys but still want a totally neutral colour that will work with everything. Farrow & Ball describe it as “Neither too warm nor too cool, this neutral takes its name from the soft tone created when many of our whites are used in deep shade”. It makes up part of a small neutral group with two of F&B’s newer colours, Shadow White and School House White.
For my fourth colour scheme for 2021 I am going to keep it simple and team Shaded White with Wimborne White (or All White for those that don’t like the slightly yellow undertone of Wimborne White). This colour scheme would look elegant and sophisticated anywhere. The photo does not do the colour justice - it is definitely worth a look!
Red is the colour for my final scheme for 2021. This can be a difficult colour to work with; different tones of red can create entirely different sensations and feelings. Think of a the brash red of the McDonalds logo, encouraging everyone to rush, rush, rush; and then compare to the deep blood red of a drawing room in an historic house, creating gravitas and warmth.
Preference Red, Farrow & Ball’s deepest, richest red is the perfect colour to create a cosy, relaxing environment. If you have a dark, formal lounge or dining room that you use in the evenings, don’t just go for a feature wall. Be bold and paint it on all of the walls; it will feel like the room is giving you a hug!
My red colour scheme for 2021 is Preference Red, complemented by two colours from Farrow & Ball’s contemporary colour family - Elephants Breath and Skimming Stone. The red undertones of these two neutral colours work well with the deep, rich Preference Red.
