Since the year 2000, the Pantone Colour Institute has been selecting Colours of the Year to reflect our ever-changing social landscape and aspirations in the world of interior design. For 2021, and for only the second time since this tradition began, Pantone selected two colours to share the spotlight: Ultimate Grey and Illuminating.
You can find images of these celebrated tones below, along with their CMYK values. As you will see, these recognisable hues work particularly well in contrast and look distinctly striking when placed side by side.
With many of us looking to the future – a future characterised, we hope, by a move beyond the many hardships created by the COVID-19 pandemic – Ultimate Grey and Illuminating form a blend that signifies both hope and rejuvenation. Ultimate Grey offers a grounded, practical and contemporary feel, while the vibrant cheer of Illuminating signals a more positive outlook.
To commemorate these choices, we’ve put together a guide on using shades of grey and yellow to bring a similarly inspiring touch to your interiors.
Using Grey and Yellow in the Home
The benefit of these colours is that yellow stands out vividly against grey. Grey is often regarded as a soothingly neutral colour, but the sheer variety of tones available means that pairing different shades can add real depth to a room. Combine this versatility with the brightening effect of yellow, and it becomes easy to create focal points or introduce transformative accents of colour throughout a space.
Particularly dark greys are especially striking when juxtaposed with bright colours, which means that accenting fixtures with yellow furnishings can be very effective. Yellow, with its bold overtones, can be used to foreground certain items while more neutral shades provide balance. For example, a row of colourfully upholstered stools at a bar readily draws the eye and emphasises comfortable places to sit.
Alternatively, lighter greys can be used when designing an airy living space, helping to prevent yellow surfaces from creating too much saturation. Again, the most effective approach tends to be using a cool, paler shade as the background, with pops of colour then providing visual interest and a playful influence.
One of the most appealing aspects of this pairing is how contemporary it can appear in situ. An obvious example is its use in Scandi-inspired interiors, often synonymous with stylish modern homes. The combination of sunny yellows, bold greys and rustic wooden textures and finishes creates a welcoming, seasonal interior.
Drift Oak And Yellow Bar Stool
If you’re feeling particularly daring, the modernity of grey and yellow combinations also lends itself to urban-themed décor. Concrete, distressed or patterned textures contrasted with vivid yellow can produce a distinctive industrial look in a kitchen or dining area. Experimenting with metals or metallic tones alongside this blend can also be very effective.
On the other hand, the classical associations of certain gold or mustard tones allow for a more sophisticated impression where required. A traditional setting that uses these colours can be enhanced with touches of soft fabric or velvet, or with dark greys for a striking contrast.
For even greater originality, you can incorporate other colours alongside a grey and yellow scheme. Black is famously adaptable, and an interior where black furnishings sit between vivid yellow surfaces and lighter grey accents can create greater definition. White is also a fantastic choice, with the grey and yellow combination helping to soften the more clinical aesthetic that white walls and fixtures can sometimes create.
Histories of Grey and Yellow
While the combination of Ultimate Grey and Illuminating may be considered a sign of the times, it’s interesting to look at the changing historical connotations of grey and yellow, particularly given the reasons behind their Colour of the Year status.
In the Middle Ages, grey was the colour typically worn by the peasantry as well as certain religious orders, including the Franciscan friars of England and Scotland, who eventually became known as the Grey Friars. As this was the colour of undyed wool, it became associated with humility.
During the 17th century, however, the use of grey became increasingly common in portraits such as those by Rembrandt, due to how useful it was as a background for gold pigments and skin tones. An oil-painting technique called grisaille, derived from the French word gris, meaning grey, involved composing a painting in muted shades before adding thin glazes on top. This allowed the shading beneath to remain visible through the layers of coloured paint and created greater detail while emphasising brighter tones.
By the mid-19th century, grey had also become established in commercial fashion, with light grey business suits becoming popular among men in summer and darker grey suits becoming more common during winter. This was due, in no small part, to perceptions of grey as a disciplined and sensible colour, an association that continues today.
Popular Grey Bar Stools
Meanwhile, yellow pigments have been observed in some of the oldest known paintings in the world, including a French cave painting estimated to be around 17,300 years old. It is a colour that has long been linked with feelings of warmth, humour and light-heartedness.
In contrast with grey, yellow is also commonly associated with wealth and fortune. In Ancient China, guests of the imperial household were welcomed on a yellow carpet, while the Ancient Egyptians frequently used shades of yellow, and particularly gold, in decorating tombs.
Popular Yellow Bar Stools
With this context in mind, we can see that grey and yellow, despite having very different meanings throughout history, are also highly complementary. Grey works as a reliable, understated choice, while yellow acts as a more outgoing and effervescent partner, making the most of both colours and their subtle effects when used in fashion and design.
Ultimate Grey and Illuminating may have been Pantone’s favourites for 2021, but our range of bar stools and dining chairs includes many different shades of grey and yellow, with a wide choice of styles and materials available. Why not take a look through our extensive selection and start planning a fresh new look for your home?
