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When Farrow & Ball released its color trend predictions for 2021 last week, the British brand did the hard work—aka the palette creation—for us, grouping the hues into four chic combinations that take the guesswork out of what actually goes together.
“The breadth of our palettes allows people not to be too constrained by a singular color, [especially] as we reconsider our new way of living,” says Patrick O’Donnell, an international brand ambassador for the company. “Multiple areas of the home have gained increased importance, so we wanted to offer a versatile selection that allows for different ambiences, from the home office to calm spaces that take us away from work.”
In the spirit of spending more time living and working indoors, we asked O’Donnell exactly where he would use each of the color schemes to make them pop. May his shade-pairing skills be your guide.
In a Workspace
There’s nothing calming about sending emails from your living room. But O’Donnell says that these three sophisticated chocolaty tones would define a library or bookshelf as a more official workspace, and we say they’d all make great Zoom backgrounds.
In a Bedroom
O’Donnell recommends a soothing range of midrange blues wherever you sleep. The shades aren’t just a forever-cool choice—research shows that the color of the sky on your walls can increase relaxation and calmness. And who among us couldn’t use a little of that these days?
In an Entryway
A tight edit of army greens, like the olive and mossy ones Farrow & Ball suggest, are a smart choice for hallways or an entryway because they evoke nature, which makes the transition from the outdoors to inside less of a shock to the system, says O’Donnell.
In the Kitchen
O’Donnell loves to imagine turmeric-colored cabinets in a warm and inviting kitchen. Next to copper pots or a stoneware pitcher, any of these earthy hues set a serene scene.