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Global color authority Pantone has been forecasting the Color of the Year for over two decades. Imagine the task of finding a color to reflect this unprecedented moment in time. The choices for 2021, Ultimate Gray and Illuminating, paint a story that is “practical and rock-solid but at the same time warming and optimistic," says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. "This is a color combination that gives us resilience and hope. We need to feel encouraged and uplifted; this is essential to the human spirit."
Each year, the Connect team reaches out to industry experts to learn how to use Pantone’s Color of the Year in meetings and events. Since many of us are spending more time at home, we also inquired how to use the colors to infuse strength and hopefulness into a planner’s home office. “Pantone has done it again with Illuminating and Ultimate Gray because harmony and balance are needed this year,” says event designer Lisa Cini of Mosaic Design Studio.
Keep scrolling for seven inspiring ideas on how to add this dynamic duo into your work and life.
Tabletop
“Gray and yellow is a beautiful color combination for social and corporate events," says Lisa DeSantis, sales manager at Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel in New York. "Illuminating yellow can be found in nature during the fall when foliage is at its peak. We try to incorporate natural, organic elements into table settings whenever we can, and gray linens serve as a soft, neutral foundation."
Meetings
“1000 Islands Harbor Hotel uses Illuminating yellow both outdoors and in, no matter the time of year. It’s integrated into bright floral arrangements, food styling and even enhanced lighting," says Ann Marie Angus, General Manager of 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel. "This color works especially well for meetings as it brightens up spaces and boosts creativity and positive energy among colleagues during networking events."
Home Office
“Pantone’s 2021 colors are the perfect fusion of function and joy, and a great inspiration for any home office. Adding a few subtle hints of Illuminating in an art print, your planning supplies or a throw pillow will have a big impact and bring brightness to your work,” says Tonia Misvaer, CEO of Erin Condren. The brand's crowd-favorite LifePlanner features a cover that can be customized in any colorway, including the Pantone Colors of the Year, to bring in the perfect amount of strength, motivation and hopefulness we all need when planning out each day in 2021. The Wall Organization Center featuring the Neutral Kaleidoscope insert incorporates gray tones to bring a solid place to hang or write important notes—not to mention it easily complements any home office space.
Organization
“By implementing color-coded systems into your home office, you can streamline your routine and stay on top of things," suggests Jen Robin, founder of Life in Jeneral. "In your planner, your files and even your e-cal, using Pantone’s Colors of the Year to compartmentalize different categories of work and play makes it easy to remember what you have to do and when you have to do it. If you’re feeling extra organized, you can even go by year. Use 2021's Ultimate Gray for the most pressing needs, 2020's Classic Blue for things to be done this week and 2019's Living Coral for longer-term to-dos."
Space
“Yellows and grays not only complement each other perfectly, but the combination also allows for endless interpretation as it applies itself so well to many elements," says Danu Kennedy, design director of Parts and Labor Design. "For example, yellows, oranges and warmer colors are often on soft furnishings and textiles, while gray can come through on harder surfaces such as concrete countertops, floors, etc. We love to add color into our spaces, and yellow is always a feel-good option."
Florals
“Fresh flowers add a natural and bright element to your corporate event or home office," says Interflora’s in-house florist, Vicky Wilson. "Gray and yellow are the perfect pairing and just what we needed after such a tumultuous year. Illuminating fills you with optimism while Ultimate Gray evokes a sense of dependability—like old buildings that have weathered the storm. Yellow posies will be forever linked to springtime, but the wonderful thing about Pantone’s Illuminating hue is it transcends the seasons. The narcissi and tulips that bloom during the first few months of the year soon give way to the more dramatic yellow stems of antirrhinum, sunflowers and dahlias in the summer. Even in winter, you can choose to add a little pop of sunshine to your tablescapes or common areas with warming yellow hellebores or ranunculi. Flower-wise, Earl Grey roses are perfect for this color trend. Their light gray petals give way to a slightly lavender center."
Hotel Rooms
You will most likely find the hues in your hotel room this year. Joe Capalbo, area director of operations for Kimpton Hotels of New England and general manager of Kimpton Marlowe Hotel in Massachusetts, notes that the property’s new guest rooms and suites, which debuted in fall 2020, feature Pantone’s Ultimate Gray palette throughout. Capalbo says the gray palette—showcased on the textured wall behind the beds and select soft goods—provides a firm foundation in the room. “It’s warm and inviting yet provides a backdrop for accents of color to infuse energy and vibrancy. There's a sense of assurance and a can-do attitude radiating from the room as a result of the color selection used in the redesign,” he adds.
See more on BizBash.com, Connect's sister site: 12 Event Design Ideas and Rentals Inspired by Pantone’s Colors of the Year for 2021
