What colours will rule home decor and be painted on walls in 2021? Here are 40 top picks

From Jaipur pink to navy blue, experts forecast that shades that reflect nature will bring respite, but that maximalism will return

The 'ethereal spectrum' of Sherwin-Williams's Continuum colours. 

Continuum shade, Crushed Ice SW7647. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Continuum shade, Wishful Blue SW6813.Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Continuum shade, Swimming SW6764. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Continuum shade, Commodore SW6524. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Continuum shade, Great Falls SW6495. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Continuum shade, Limon Fresco SW9030. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Continuum shade, Moonraker SW6701. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Continuum shade, Novel Lilac SW6836. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Continuum shade, Cyberspace SW7076. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Continuum shade, High Reflective White SW7757. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Sherwin-Williams's Encounter palette displays 'rich texture'. 

Encounter shade, Alabaster SW7008. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Encounter shade, Blustery Sky SW9140. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Encounter shade, Hardware SW6172. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Encounter shade, Java SW6090. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Encounter shade, Jubilee SW6248. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Encounter shade, Naval SW6244. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Encounter shade, Natural Tan SW7567. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Encounter shade, Reddened Earth SW6053. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Encounter shade, Rosemary SW6187. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Encounter shade, Tarnished Trumpet SW9026. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

With the Sanctuary shades, Sherwin-Williams aims to 'bring nature inside'.

Sanctuary shade, Antiquarian Brown SW0045. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Sanctuary shade, Bona Fide Beige SW6065. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Sanctuary shade, Canyon Clay SW6054. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Sanctuary shade, Messenger Bag SW7740. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Sanctuary shade, Modern Grey SW7632. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams

Sanctuary shade, Morris Room Grey SW0037. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Sanctuary shade, Oakmoss SW6180. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Sanctuary shade, Pearl Gray SW0052. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Sanctuary shade, Pure White SW7005. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Sanctuary shade, Urbane Bronze SW7048. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Sherwin-Williams's Tapestry collection of colours are 'all about personality and authenticity'. 

Tapestry shade, Aleutian SW6241. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Tapestry shade, Alexandrite SW0060. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Tapestry shade, Cape Verde SW6482. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Tapestry shade, Embellished Blue SW6749. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Tapestry shade, Enjoyable Yellow SW6666. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Tapestry shade, Greek Villa SW7551. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Tapestry shade, Jaipur Pink SW6577. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Tapestry shade, Jovial SW6611. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Tapestry shade, Perfect Periwinkle SW9065. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

Tapestry shade, Tricorn Black SW6258. Courtesy Sherwin-Williams 

It may only be August, but forecasters are already looking to next year to decide which colours and trends will take off in 2021. The design decisions of next year will inevitably be impacted by life in 2020, and so experts are already predicting that we will seek out hues that offer respite.

While Pantone has yet to declare a shade of the year, American paint manufacturer Sherwin-Williams has released its colour forecast for 2021. This is an insight into the colour choices it believes people will make in the coming year.

The company has shared 40 key shades, which you can see in full in the gallery above. The colours are split into four groups of 10: Sanctuary, Tapestry, Continuum and Encounter.

Sanctuary

The first set of colours is called Sanctuary, reflecting the peace, stillness and calm that people will be inclined towards after a difficult 2020. Of the collection, Sherwin-Williams says the palette is guided by "the principle of biophilia – bringing nature inside".

These are colours that encourage us to take pause, it says, explaining that respite is "the special role our spaces can embody, helping us slow down and embrace what’s truly important".

The undeniably earthy colours take inspiration from nature and Scandinavian design, and encourage a "warm minimalism".

Encounter

Continuing in the vein of Earth-inspired shades is the Encounter palette.

This set of 10 colours "provides a subtle reminder that beauty often has humble beginnings". The company describes the set as inspired by the "hyperlocal" with a "modern Bohemian" feel.

Continuum

The Continuum set brings vibrancy, an indication that 2021 may not be exclusively about hunkering down and being at one with the Earth.

The company cites this set's influences as a balance between the synthetic and natural, sea and space. It is described as an "engineered environment".

According to Sherwin-Williams: "Mid-century modernists set an exhilarating new standard with sculptural architecture and bright, forward-thinking colours. Technology ties into so much of what we see, but we want it to blend seamlessly into the whites, charcoals and pops of colours in our environment."

Tapestry 

The final set of colours is Tapestry, 10 colours the company says give "permission to play".

"Creative expression – a top influence for the Tapestry palette – is all about personality and authenticity," the company describes.

It is warm palette, with pinks and yellows shining through. "Bringing back joy is an important part of the Tapestry palette," says its creator.

The jewel tones in the collection connect the pursuit of happiness with a desire for the lavish. The 10 colours have been inspired by "security, creative expression, classics revisited and sensory exploration".

"The recent resurgence of maximalism comes in response to minimalism," the company explains, "but with an approach that’s more modern, curated and meaningful."

Demonstrating how the colours will work in domestic spaces, the company shared the following slides on Instagram: