Pantone Double Dips with 2 Colors of the Year

Whether you're fashion-forward, an interior design fan, or simply looking to stay on trend with your screensaver, Pantone's annual Color of the Year keeps design-centric consumers on the edge of their well-upholstered seats. Pantone flipped through its color book twice this year, committing to two colors to embrace in 2021.

Pantone has named a Color of the Year for the past two decades. The Pantone Color Institute keeps a close tab on international influences from the runway to brand identities to reach its decision, also looking beyond the visual to reference travel, entertainment, and even relevant social media platforms.

This year, Pantone named Ultimate Gray (17-5104) and Illuminating (13-0647) as "two independent colors that highlight how different elements come together to support one another. It is a story of color that encapsulates deeper feelings of thoughtfulness with the promise of something sunny and friendly," according to the company's website.

"The union of an enduring Ultimate Gray with the vibrant yellow Illuminating expresses a message of positivity supported by fortitude," said Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute. "Practical and rock-solid yet but at the same time warming and optimistic, this is a color combination that gives us resilience and hope. We need to feel encouraged and uplifted; this is essential to the human spirit."

Pantone even offers Facebook and Instagram filters to turn your world gray and yellow.

Here's a look at how people are already embracing Ultimate Gray and Illuminating: