Official Colors of the Year!

Pantone's Choices Are All Over Cinnamon Shore -- In Design and In Nature! 

As predictable as fireworks on New Year's Eve, the Pantone Color Institute reveals its Color of the Year with the dawning of a New Year. But for 2021, it selected two colors for the first time in 22 years -- a sun-yellow hue called Illuminating and a storm sky shade called Ultimate Gray. The combination is meant to capture a mood for a much anticipated year -- the stalwart, rock-solid neutral gray that seems reflective and calm united with the optimistic, positive color that cheers and a jolts us into happy thoughts!

And we see these colors represented in the interiors of Cinnamon Shore homes and in the natural, island setting.

From a happy, yellow coverlet in a contemporary bedroom to the abundant sunflowers that thread their way over the dunes, the Illuminating yellow shade makes a cheerful presence.

And as storm clouds brew over the foaming Gulf as a thunderstorm approaches, those Ultimate Gray clouds gather on the horizon. Some people love a rainy day at the beach, and the impending clouds often lead to quiet porch time and reflection during a beach getaway. 

Soothing gray and white make a lovely combination for interiors of beach houses, as well, recalling slate gray sands and soothing lake waters in late afternoon light at Cinnamon Shore. Gray seagulls wings and foggy beach days also offer quieter joys during a stay at Cinnamon Shore, bringing you in touch with Pantone's Ultimate Gray.

"The union of an enduring Ultimate Gray with the vibrant yellow Illuminating expresses a message of positivity supported by fortitude," says Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute on its web site as it introduces the 2021 hues. "Practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, 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."

How Pantone Makes Its Choice

According to the website, the respective team at the Pantone Color Institute does research and undergoes a rigorous process that analyzes a broad array of influences. It describes the process this way:

"The Pantone Color of the Year selection process requires thoughtful consideration and trend analysis. To arrive at the selection each year, Pantone’s color experts at Pantone Color Institute comb the world looking for new color influences. This can include the entertainment industry and films in production, traveling art collections and new artists, fashion, all areas of design, popular travel destinations, as well as new lifestyles, playstyles, and socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from new technologies, materials, textures, and effects that impact color, relevant social media platforms and even upcoming sporting events that capture worldwide attention."

Illuminating and Ultimate Gray Swatches via Pantone

From the yellow beach towels to a yellow wall in a guest bedroom, you'll see Illuminating used frequently at Cinnamon Shore. One family chose a bold yellow hue for the front of its high-end oven in a gorgeous kitchen. It makes a happy statement amid mostly all-white cabinetry.

In another South home, calming, gray tile work in a bathroom offers sophistication and style for a serene, spa-like look and feel. 

The homeowner, Amanda Lowry, brings the gray-and-yellow look to her primary residence, too, as the New Year begins. She placed a vintage, yellow molasses bottle atop a bright runner in her dining room, where shiplap walls and gray wood table complete the coastal look.

Indoors and out, these two colors have their place at Cinnamon Shore. And whether you have a beach home to decorate or a vacation to book at the beach, here's hoping this empowering color combo brings you happiness in 2021!

Lead dining room image: courtesy Amanda Lowry; Pantone Images: Via Pantone; Beach/Gray Clouds: Amber B., Cinnamon Shore photo contest submission; Gray Shower Tile and Yellow Jug on Table: Courtesy Amanda Lowry; sunflowers: Megan Harris

Published by Jennifer Chappell Smith
Thursday, January 7, 2021