Ban the beige - My thoughts on the Dulux Colour of the year 2021
It’s not often I get compelled to write a blog, but today I really did.
This morning I was eagerly awaiting the announcement of the DULUX Colour of 2021. I admit , I don’t eagerly await the announcement normally but I was very curious this year as to what it would be - given the kind of year it has been.
Well I have to admit to being hugely disappointed at the light brown/deep beige that is BRAVE GROUND.
If you know me or follow me you will know I’m a huge colour lover but I’m really not adverse to neutral colours at all.
We need great neutral tones in our lives and homes but this shade just doesn’t do it for me at all. Dulux says ‘warm and grounding’ I say ‘Dull and boring’
I think my main bug bare for this choice of colour is where we are in the world. What we have all been through and how much we have all had to change/adapt/take on/miss out on……….With all this in mind - this dark beige tone was the colour that DULUX chose to be ‘Colour of the YEAR’???
Dulux description of the colour reads -
It’s a warm neutral shade, characterized by its beige profile and earthy undertones. The experts at Dulux say that the colour will enable people to draw upon the strength of nature to help them find courage to embrace the future.
Someone today said to me this should have been the colour for 2020 not 2021 and I complete agree- It would be a little bit more fitting!
I kind of get where DULUX and their team were going but when I look at that colour I feel nothing. I’m not a colour forecaster or trend specialist but I feel that now more than anytime we could do with a bit of colour, something that makes us feel happy when we look at it, makes you feel lifted in some way. A bit of positivity. A bit JOY. For me that would have been so welcoming and wonderful instead of a colour that is quite so ………..well BEIGE
I’m not here to bad mouth Dulux at all. I have looked at the colour schemes that Dulux have created to go with their new Colour of the year and I they are lovely but I am just not convinced that this BRAVE GROUND is a colour that deserves to have such high praise as ‘Colour of the year 2021’
Maybe I’m reading to much into it…. Dulux is of course a business that needs to sell paint. A simple neutral tone that can be used with numerous colours and that can be suited to lots of people styles is simply going to speak to far more people than a more uplifting colour. Its just feels a little sad to me that this is how it has to be.
I’d love to know your thoughts on this colour – LOVE it or HATE it I’m up for hearing it all. Colour is completely personal so I’m sure we will all have different views. If you’re off to buy a tin then do tell me where you are using it and with what colour accents .
Love Sarah
