Taken down the December decorations and fancy a home refresh? Sick of staring at the same walls for the past nine months during lockdown? I’ve said it a million times before, but the biggest impact that you can make in a room at the lowest price is to paint it a different colour. Set aside two days (do one coat one day, the second coat the next) and for the price of a decent roller and a tin of emulsion, you’ll get a whole new look. With that in mind, I went to some of the UK’s leading paint brands and asked their colour experts what shades will be popular this year. The unanimous feedback was that the pandemic will dictate the colours we gravitate towards in 2021, resulting in three key paint colour trends: green & natural, warm neutrals and colour confidence.

With shops, bars, gyms and restaurants closed, many of us have discovered or rekindled a joy of nature as we’ve headed out for long walks, or for a run, as part of our allocated allowance for exercise during lockdown. Shades of green and natural, earthy tones are revitalising and reassuring, so many of us will bring these colours indoors in 2021. According to Judy Smith, Crown Paints Colour Consultant, “the outdoors has been an escape, somewhere to go to recharge our batteries or even just take a break from everything. We now want to channel that feeling in our home too, with warm, cosy shades inspired by the natural world.”

Ruth Mottershead, Creative Director at Little Greene, agrees. “With us all spending an increased amount of time at home, the yearning to bring nature indoors is certainly playing out in colour choices and green is the true colour of nature, one that we feel comfortable within the home,” she says. “It is a shade that we associate with the tranquillity of the outdoors.“

So, is there a particular shade of green that surpasses others and what room suits the colour best? The advice is that any green is good - from punchy emerald greens to more sage and olive tones. There are no rules with green, so just embrace the shade you are naturally drawn to. Try ‘Fleurie’ by Craig & Rose for a bolder hue, while Crown’s ‘Botanical’ colour stories from their ELLE Decoration by Crown range have a multitude of green tones to choose from, ranging from cool to warm.

In regards to location, Farrow & Ball’s Colour Curator, Joa Studholme, would advise the hallway. “All greens reinforce our connection to nature and create the perfect welcoming start to the journey through your home,” Joa says. “This makes greens a particularly popular choice for use in hallways, where they cause the rooms off it to feel bigger and lighter.”

Contemporary, warm neutrals have been fashionable in interiors before the pandemic reared its ugly head, but they are here to stay due to their cocooning effect that turn our homes into our refuge: a place where we feel safe and warm. Warm neutrals also retain their popularity due to their versatility and ability to work so well when other colours are placed in front of them (a neon table or a white bouclé sofa both pair well with warm neutrals.) “Warmer neutrals will be very visible as we move through the year,” says Rebecca Craig, Lead Designer at Sanderson. “They offer more depth but still work perfectly with an accent colour.”

At the end of this month, Little Greene launches their Stone collection - a new palette of natural colours offering warmth, tranquillity, timelessness and harmony. ‘Stone’ includes a number of warm neutrals such as ‘Portland Stone’ and ‘Travertine’. “I see the creation of cocooning, intimate and relaxing spaces being the focus in 2021,” says Ruth, Creative Director. “There is a shift away from the cooler greys that have been so popular previously and warm neutrals will become the go-to colours, as they are perfect for creating restful interiors that bring a sense of comfort and cosiness to the home.”

Bright, vibrant colours are good for the soul and can make us feel joyous and optimistic. Therefore, it is no wonder that the experts predict we will be using stronger colours in our homes like never before. According to Earthborn Paints, brighter colours “will bring the joy we are all missing and craving.”

Using bold tones often takes confidence, but as we all live a lot more in the ‘here and now’ and appreciate the moment, people will get braver with colour. There will also be a more individualistic approach to decorating with brighter shades and people will get more creative. ”In 2021, we will be seeing a lot more bright colours as a reflection of a more positive and optimistic mindset following the events of the last few months,” says Judy Smith, Colour Consultant at Crown. “This trend will showcase a grown-up way of using primary tones - bright red, blue and yellow look wonderful used in a graphic way with black and white.”

It is a trend prediction that is echoed by Craig & Rose, who believes that “people will begin to realise their hopeful and optimistic aspirations for the year ahead by introducing more colour into their homes. As we've seen with the recent trend for graphic blocks and wall murals, colour is no longer confined to just the walls nor indeed defined by strict palettes. We expect to see more confident colour combinations and creative use of paint too!”

Out of the three primary colours, it is yellow that is expected to be the most popular choice. “We believe yellows will flourish this year,” says Rebecca at Sanderson. “They offer us optimism, hope and happiness. Pairing with blues and greys will really help to transition from winter into spring.” Nelly Hall, Brand Director at M&L Paints feels the same way, believing that people will be drawn to pairings of bright yellow and blue to “bring some much-needed Mediterranean sunshine to the home.” For sunny yellows try ‘Gladio’ by M&L Paints, or ‘Grandiflora’ or ‘Woodland Yellow’ by Sanderson.

So, three colour trends, all in some way a result and reaction to the pandemic. What do you make of them? Will you be adding them into your home? What colours have you been gravitating towards since the pandemic began? Let me know in the comments box below!