In typical 2020-style, this week's announcement by colour trend forecaster Pantone of its 2021 Colour of the Year came out of left field - it is in fact not one, but two hues: Ultimate Gray and Illuminating (think sunny yellow).
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The combination is said to reflect something practical and reliable, but with the promise of brighter days ahead.
The annual colour selection makes international headlines, as history shows it dictates what brands, bloggers and everyone in between will be championing for the coming year.
So why does colour matter, particularly when it comes to where we live? When we decorate our homes it not only expresses our style, but also how we want to feel in that room; bedrooms are cosy and relaxing, while dining spaces are social and joyous.
According to Corrine Brown, colour therapist and founder of Institute of Holistic Therapies Australia, while we interpret colour differently depending on lived experiences, there are common associations we all make.
Paula Taylor, colour and trend specialist for wallpaper company Superfresco Easy adds that the walls in any space are its biggest canvas and therefore set the tone in a room.
With that in mind, Corrine and Paula share their thoughts on the most conducive colours to create the right moods in your home.
Greys and neutrals are popular with homeowners, 50 per cent of whom say that they want to feel relaxed in their living rooms.
Get shady
"It's important to understand the composition of your colour, as different shades will combine the effects of their component colours," says Corrine. "For example, cornflower blue is much closer to purple and supporting dreams, while azure leans toward green and its healing and growing affects."
"We're seeing a strong leaning toward statement greys for 2021," adds Paula. "It's a great universal tone that can complement almost any colour."
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Creating calm
"The research shows 94 per cent of people want to create a calming space. Generally, this means different things in different rooms," says Paula.
"For kitchens and living areas, whites are protecting and associated with purity, while greys are neutralising and represent intuition," says Corrine. "Adding blues will imbue peace and support memory.
"In bedrooms, dark reds are conducive to powerful emotions of love and hate. Look for shades that incorporate deep blues, which help to banish unhappiness. Additionally, a dark blue or indigo bedroom may help your quality of sleep."
When it comes to metalics, Corrine says accents of gold symbolise the sun and its healing power, while silver repels negativity.
Finding focus
"With more of us working from home, it's time to help ourselves remain on task," says Corrine, noting that yellow is a natural go-to colour as it supports knowledge, concentration and mental clarity.
Orange also increases mental focus, but due to the additional element of red, also attraction - therefore too much may see you talking to anyone sharing your home office, rather than working.
"Accent blues and purples will help you remain calm and avoid mental exhaustion, however in excess, shades such as indigo can promote inertia," says Corrine. "Greens will support communication, which may be useful to those whose jobs require a lot of calls."
Crafting connection
"Greys and neutrals are popular with homeowners, 50 per cent of whom say that they want to feel relaxed in their living rooms," says Paula.
However as Corrine rightly points out, "whatever your intention in the home, it's vital to remember that colour is a very personal connection to the world and the right combination for you will change with your needs".
