{"id":112435,"date":"2021-02-02T00:01:56","date_gmt":"2021-02-02T08:01:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/?p=112435"},"modified":"2026-04-01T01:33:51","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T08:33:51","slug":"decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Tips for Decorating with the Colors of 2021: Illuminating &#038; Ultimate Gray"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A new year, a new year-defining color from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pantone.com\/eu\/en\/\">Pantone Color Institute<\/a>! Actually, after the year we just had, the trend-forecasting company thought we deserved <em>two<\/em> colors in 2021: <strong>13-0647 Illuminating<\/strong> \u2014 a vibrant yellow \u2014 and <strong>17-5104 Ultimate Gray<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Pantone\u2019s annual picks influence multiple industries, from high fashion and beauty to interior design and social media. And, the reasoning behind the choice of these two as the joint colors of the year is simple: balance. The positivity exuded by the sunny yellow contrasts the strong, neutral gray, while the combination of the two has a calming effect and radiates hope \u2014 something we all need a little more of in our lives right now. Plus, the colors go together and offer endless possibilities when it comes to incorporating them into home decor. Curious about how to do that? Here a few quick tips on how to make the most out of 2021\u2019s trending colors:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CKZt1azMZ8A\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"13\">\n<div style=\"padding: 16px;\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CKZt1azMZ8A\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by IT HOME (@revistaithome)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>1. Pick a dominant hue<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Vibrant yellow hues around the house work best in an otherwise gray-colored background. Similarly, pops of strong grays catch the eye if the rest of the decor is mostly yellow. Therefore, choosing either one to be the dominant color in a room depends on what type of ambiance you want to set. For example, if you\u2019re decorating the living room and have plans to entertain there, consider using gray as the primary color with pops of yellow here and there. Alternatively, if you\u2019re decorating the kids\u2019 room, the sunny yellow is definitely the way to go, with a bit of gray here and there for balance.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Furthermore, Ultimate Gray, in particular, can be a successful addition to a textured wall \u2014 regardless of the part of the house you use it in \u2014 whereas Illuminating works best on statement pieces, from small photo frames to couches.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CKgFtw-AwJU\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"13\">\n<div style=\"padding: 16px;\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CKgFtw-AwJU\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by Fabric and Wallpaper Designer (@lornasyson)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>2. Use them as accent colors<\/h3>\n<p>Granted, too much of either of these two colors would be overkill for one room. For instance, too much yellow can be difficult on the eyes and an abundance of gray can quickly go from calming to gloomy. That\u2019s why using them as accent colors is the easiest way to go, regardless of the room size and whether you live in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/sitemaps\/studio-apartments-for-rent\/\">studio<\/a> or a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/sitemaps\/3-bedroom-apartments-for-rent\/\">3-bedroom<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Specifically, throw pillows, rugs, various knick-knacks and\/or blankets are enough to give your living space a dynamic feel when you pair up these two colors. And, although contrasting, the two colors complement each other nicely and can work well even for finishes \u2014 cabinet finishes, light fixtures, you name it.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CKeG4TzFBLW\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"13\">\n<div style=\"padding: 16px;\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CKeG4TzFBLW\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by Bethany Schwanke (she\/her) (@inkandwandercreative)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>3. Make a statement<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Both Illuminating and Ultimate Gray also work great on statement pieces, but with different effects, as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.plumguide.com\/journal\/living-colours\">every color boasts a unique identity<\/a>. Namely, gray pieces tend to have a more calming effect and are suitable for common areas like living rooms. For example, gray pottery gives off a sophisticated air to any space and would work wonderfully in a home office.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the other hand, yellow statement pieces are more eye-catching and can go wherever you think a pop of color or warmth is needed. For instance, yellow textiles \u2014 such as rugs, throws or even wall art \u2014 give off a cozy vibe. And, because yellow is a color that makes a statement regardless of the size of the item, even tiny yellow teacups placed in the right kitchen corner can liven up the whole place.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CGxzoQrH92v\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"13\">\n<div style=\"padding: 16px;\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CGxzoQrH92v\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by Interior design (@the.interior.design.life)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>4. Pull in color through functional items<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, even though we might love a certain color, there are cases in which it doesn\u2019t exactly go with the theme or vibe of the rest of the house decor. Fortunately, if you find yourself in this situation, fear not \u2014 2021\u2019s colors also work great for non-decor functional items that you plan on using often. In fact, there are many other ways to incorporate these trending colors around the house, whether you go for yellow coffee mugs and plates or slick gray bedding. In this case, think storage bins, bath towels, shower curtains, glassware and everything in between that you use often and could use a color upgrade.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CKDz9Qglf23\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"13\">\n<div style=\"padding: 16px;\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CKDz9Qglf23\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by B&amp;B Italia (@bebitalia)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>5. Pick either one<\/h3>\n<p>The best thing about Pantone\u2019s 2021 colors is that, although they complement each other, one can easily stand without the other. Both Illuminating and Ultimate Gray can hold their own if you\u2019re looking for a timeless color palette. In other words, you can build your home decor around either one without feeling like something is missing.<\/p>\n<p>To that end, most shades of gray are practical and pleasant to work with when decorating, and Ultimate Gray is no exception given its sedate tone and calming effect. Conversely, the sunny Illuminating is perfect when you\u2019re looking for a warm color that brings an extra <em>oomph<\/em> to your daily environment.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Trends come and go, but this year\u2019s colors can be truly timeless when used properly. Pantone Color Institute believes the fusion between Illuminating and Ultimate Gray means \u201cstrength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting.\u201d And, seeing how well the two go together, we can\u2019t help but agree.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A new year, a new year-defining color from the Pantone Color Institute! Actually, after the year we just had, the trend-forecasting company thought we deserved two colors in 2021: 13-0647 Illuminating \u2014 a vibrant yellow \u2014 and 17-5104 Ultimate Gray. Pantone\u2019s annual picks influence multiple industries, from high fashion and beauty to interior design and&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":112442,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[38973],"tags":[38994],"class_list":["post-112435","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-living","tag-organizing-your-apartment","gallery-content-unit"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v23.4 (Yoast SEO v24.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>5 Tips for Decorating with the Colors of 2021: Illuminating &amp; Ultimate Gray - RentCafe rental blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"After the year we just had, the Pantone Color Institute thought the world deserves two defining colors in 2021: Illuminating and Ultimate Gray\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"5 Tips for Decorating with the Colors of 2021: Illuminating &amp; Ultimate Gray\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"After the year we just had, the Pantone Color Institute thought the world deserves two defining colors in 2021: Illuminating and Ultimate Gray\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"RentCafe rental blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-02-02T08:01:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-01T08:33:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2021\/01\/Illuminating-Ultimate-Gray.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"890\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"395\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Alexandra Ciuntu\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Alexandra Ciuntu\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray\/\",\"name\":\"5 Tips for Decorating with the Colors of 2021: Illuminating & Ultimate Gray - RentCafe rental blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2021\/01\/Illuminating-Ultimate-Gray.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-02-02T08:01:56+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-01T08:33:51+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/4c76007557cc34ca15b098430ca4d25a\"},\"description\":\"After the year we just had, the Pantone Color Institute thought the world deserves two defining colors in 2021: Illuminating and Ultimate Gray\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2021\/01\/Illuminating-Ultimate-Gray.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2021\/01\/Illuminating-Ultimate-Gray.jpg\",\"width\":890,\"height\":395,\"caption\":\"Illuminating Ultimate Gray\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"5 Tips for Decorating with the Colors of 2021: Illuminating &#038; Ultimate Gray\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"RentCafe rental blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/4c76007557cc34ca15b098430ca4d25a\",\"name\":\"Alexandra Ciuntu\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2023\/12\/Default_profile_pic.png?w=96\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2023\/12\/Default_profile_pic.png?w=96\",\"caption\":\"Alexandra Ciuntu\"},\"description\":\"Alexandra is a Senior Real Estate Writer for Point2Homes. She holds a BA in Language and an MA in Journalism and Cultural Studies. With over five years of experience in covering and interpreting housing market trends, she has written extensively on various real estate topics, including renter demographic shifts, residential development, the dynamics of house rentals, market reports, and industry news. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Bloomberg, Barron\u2019s, Inman, Forbes, Architectural Digest, and MarketWatch, earning her bylines in various other industry publications. Alexandra can be reached at Alexandra.Ciuntu@Yardi.com.\",\"sameAs\":[\"Alexandra.Ciuntu@Yardi.Com\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/author\/alexandra-ciuntu\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"5 Tips for Decorating with the Colors of 2021: Illuminating & Ultimate Gray - RentCafe rental blog","description":"After the year we just had, the Pantone Color Institute thought the world deserves two defining colors in 2021: Illuminating and Ultimate Gray","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"5 Tips for Decorating with the Colors of 2021: Illuminating & Ultimate Gray","og_description":"After the year we just had, the Pantone Color Institute thought the world deserves two defining colors in 2021: Illuminating and Ultimate Gray","og_url":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray\/","og_site_name":"RentCafe rental blog","article_published_time":"2021-02-02T08:01:56+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-01T08:33:51+00:00","og_image":[{"width":890,"height":395,"url":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2021\/01\/Illuminating-Ultimate-Gray.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Alexandra Ciuntu","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Alexandra Ciuntu","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray\/","url":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray\/","name":"5 Tips for Decorating with the Colors of 2021: Illuminating & Ultimate Gray - RentCafe rental blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2021\/01\/Illuminating-Ultimate-Gray.jpg","datePublished":"2021-02-02T08:01:56+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-01T08:33:51+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/4c76007557cc34ca15b098430ca4d25a"},"description":"After the year we just had, the Pantone Color Institute thought the world deserves two defining colors in 2021: Illuminating and Ultimate Gray","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2021\/01\/Illuminating-Ultimate-Gray.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2021\/01\/Illuminating-Ultimate-Gray.jpg","width":890,"height":395,"caption":"Illuminating Ultimate Gray"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/decorating-with-the-colors-of-2021-illuminating-ultimate-gray\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"5 Tips for Decorating with the Colors of 2021: Illuminating &#038; Ultimate Gray"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/","name":"RentCafe rental blog","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/4c76007557cc34ca15b098430ca4d25a","name":"Alexandra Ciuntu","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2023\/12\/Default_profile_pic.png?w=96","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2023\/12\/Default_profile_pic.png?w=96","caption":"Alexandra Ciuntu"},"description":"Alexandra is a Senior Real Estate Writer for Point2Homes. She holds a BA in Language and an MA in Journalism and Cultural Studies. With over five years of experience in covering and interpreting housing market trends, she has written extensively on various real estate topics, including renter demographic shifts, residential development, the dynamics of house rentals, market reports, and industry news. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Bloomberg, Barron\u2019s, Inman, Forbes, Architectural Digest, and MarketWatch, earning her bylines in various other industry publications. Alexandra can be reached at Alexandra.Ciuntu@Yardi.com.","sameAs":["Alexandra.Ciuntu@Yardi.Com"],"url":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/author\/alexandra-ciuntu\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2021\/01\/Illuminating-Ultimate-Gray.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112435","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/68"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=112435"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112435\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":115589,"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112435\/revisions\/115589"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/112442"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=112435"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=112435"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=112435"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}