Dulux announce Colour of The Year 2021: Brave Ground

I have two words to summarise how I feel about Dulux's Colour of The Year 2021 'Brave Ground' ...they are No Thanks.

What possessed one of the leading paint brands in the world to come up with such an ordinary, boring, bland colour, and suggest that this is the shade that we need in our homes next year? Think about it.

This was not the decision of one person, but a team of global experts giving their views, spending money on research, product development and marketing and they have come up with an unoriginal colour that sparks zero emotion. It's So Disappointing.

I am by no means suggesting they should have opted for a technicolour neon to 'brighten things up.' As a Colour Expert I appreciate that we all have different reactions to colours but I'm shocked and saddened that these industry experts don't truly understand what people deserve and need, and it's not this.

When I posted about this colour on my social media I was met with endless comments with the same theme, both on Twitter and Instagram.

Here are some, all the words are from genuine members of the public:

"Beyond bleak"

"Depressing"

"Boring"

"Never.Never.Never"

"Looks like 2021 is shaping up to be a bit grim"

"We need more happy energy. This is not it" ....my thoughts exactly.

I could go on. There were some positive reactions that it's calming and could be mixed with other colours, but the overall consensus is that this a lazy, safe choice, ones that 'landlords' go for: it's not homely.

Colour 100% impacts on mood, and atmosphere, and it undoubtedly has the ability to completely change how a space feels, and is used. By re-branding beige into a 'colour of the year' when beige is pretty much 'colour-less' undermines the power of colour and the potential it has to transform lives.

Such a missed opportunity.

Sorry Dulux, but its a solid NO from me.