Landscape Design
Pantone’s 2021 Color of the Year Looks Optimistic in Landscapes
See 9 ways to use Pantone’s pairing of Illuminating, a bright yellow, and Ultimate Gray in your outdoor space
A splash of sunny yellow in your outdoor space might be just the ticket to lift your mood. This year, the Pantone Color Institute has come out with two selections for their annual Color of the Year: Illuminating, a bright, citrusy yellow, and Ultimate Gray, a neutral granite-gray. While the color combo hasn’t been everyone’s cup of tea for interiors or fashion, it works well for home exteriors and gardens.
Think of a cheerful yellow front door against gray siding, yellow blooms alongside cobblestones, lemons ripening in a gray winter garden or even the flash of a goldfinch flitting through the landscape. Need convincing? Take a look at the following nine ways to adopt this color trend in your garden.
Think of a cheerful yellow front door against gray siding, yellow blooms alongside cobblestones, lemons ripening in a gray winter garden or even the flash of a goldfinch flitting through the landscape. Need convincing? Take a look at the following nine ways to adopt this color trend in your garden.
The Pantone Color Institute describes the combination of Ultimate Gray and Illuminating yellow as being resilient and steadfast as well as aspirational and optimistic.
1. Garden Pottery
Adding a yellow ceramic garden stool or glazed container can be an easy way to try out Illuminating yellow on your patio without too much of a commitment. You’ll get the effect of the Pantone color combo by placing garden pottery close to existing gray-toned hardscape elements such as bluestone pavers, a rock wall, smooth concrete or weathered wood deck or fence.
Adding a yellow ceramic garden stool or glazed container can be an easy way to try out Illuminating yellow on your patio without too much of a commitment. You’ll get the effect of the Pantone color combo by placing garden pottery close to existing gray-toned hardscape elements such as bluestone pavers, a rock wall, smooth concrete or weathered wood deck or fence.
Need a pro for your landscape design project?
Let Houzz find the best pros for you
Let Houzz find the best pros for you
2. Pillows and Throws
Another low-commitment way to try out yellow and gray in your outdoor space is through accent cushions and throws. These swirly patterned cushions in a California garden combine the two hues in one print.
Shop for yellow outdoor pillows and throws
Another low-commitment way to try out yellow and gray in your outdoor space is through accent cushions and throws. These swirly patterned cushions in a California garden combine the two hues in one print.
Shop for yellow outdoor pillows and throws
3. Patio Umbrella
If you already have elements of gray in your hardscape, adding a bright yellow umbrella can be an easy way to have fun with the Pantone color combination on your patio. In this backyard in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the lemon yellow umbrella energizes the neutral white, gray and green color scheme.
Find a landscape designer near you
If you already have elements of gray in your hardscape, adding a bright yellow umbrella can be an easy way to have fun with the Pantone color combination on your patio. In this backyard in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the lemon yellow umbrella energizes the neutral white, gray and green color scheme.
Find a landscape designer near you
4. Fire Pit
If you’re ready to commit to a larger outdoor investment piece, consider yellow for a striking contemporary fire pit. In this patio in Boulder, Colorado, the architects played with a few bright accent pieces against a neutral gray concrete patio and gray upholstered outdoor sectional. Notice how the fire pit really pops against the pale gray hardscaping and darker gray siding of the home. It would be a bright spot in the landscape whether or not it was lit.
Tour more of this hillside yard
If you’re ready to commit to a larger outdoor investment piece, consider yellow for a striking contemporary fire pit. In this patio in Boulder, Colorado, the architects played with a few bright accent pieces against a neutral gray concrete patio and gray upholstered outdoor sectional. Notice how the fire pit really pops against the pale gray hardscaping and darker gray siding of the home. It would be a bright spot in the landscape whether or not it was lit.
Tour more of this hillside yard
5. Front Door
This mood-lifting yellow is a great choice for a front door, as it feels both welcoming and a little unexpected, potentially setting your house apart from others on the block. Gray exterior siding or pale-gray washed bricks help tone down the bright hue.
When to paint your front door yellow
This mood-lifting yellow is a great choice for a front door, as it feels both welcoming and a little unexpected, potentially setting your house apart from others on the block. Gray exterior siding or pale-gray washed bricks help tone down the bright hue.
When to paint your front door yellow
In this traditional-style entry in Southern California, a shade of yellow close to Illuminating pairs well with the home’s neutral gray tones of cobbles and gray accents, including the house numbers on the wall and concrete-style pot by the front door.
The combination of yellow and gray works equally well for this midcentury modern home. The architects kept the original slab doors on the 1950s home, but a fresh lick of yellow paint provides a welcome dose of color in contrast to the neutral gray concrete walkway.
6. Accent Wall
A bold yellow in the form of an accent wall can work surprisingly well in a garden setting with plenty of blues and greens from foliage to help mellow it out. Here, a deep-brown wall and deck help ground the zingy hue of the yellow accent wall and coordinating flower accents.
A bold yellow in the form of an accent wall can work surprisingly well in a garden setting with plenty of blues and greens from foliage to help mellow it out. Here, a deep-brown wall and deck help ground the zingy hue of the yellow accent wall and coordinating flower accents.
7. Citrus Plants
The jewel-like ripening fruits of oranges and lemons can be a welcome dose of color in dull winter gardens. In this San Francisco patio, you can see how lovely two potted lemon espaliers look against a medium gray wall.
Learn about growing dwarf citrus trees
The jewel-like ripening fruits of oranges and lemons can be a welcome dose of color in dull winter gardens. In this San Francisco patio, you can see how lovely two potted lemon espaliers look against a medium gray wall.
Learn about growing dwarf citrus trees
8. Plant Combinations
There are plenty of ways to get in on the gray-and-yellow color combo through plant and material choices. Pair yellow blooms with gray-toned hardscape such as rock walls, slate or bluestone patios, poured concrete and pea gravel pathways. Here, Turkish sage (Phlomis russeliana) grows tall above a chunky, medium gray rock wall.
15 Yellow Flowers That Will Help Your Garden Glow
There are plenty of ways to get in on the gray-and-yellow color combo through plant and material choices. Pair yellow blooms with gray-toned hardscape such as rock walls, slate or bluestone patios, poured concrete and pea gravel pathways. Here, Turkish sage (Phlomis russeliana) grows tall above a chunky, medium gray rock wall.
15 Yellow Flowers That Will Help Your Garden Glow
Picture this button-eyed yellow David Austin shrub rose, called ‘Imogen’, growing in front of a stacked stone wall or trained up the sides of a weathered gray archway.
Waves of lavender cotton (Santolina chamaecyparissus) billow onto a gravel path, softening the transition from garden to hardscape. The button-shaped yellow flowers of this low-water Mediterranean native really pop against the medium gray of the crushed gravel.
9. Visiting Wild Birds
There’s no need to purchase anything new (except maybe some birdseed or a pair of binoculars) to appreciate the beauty of yellow and gray in your existing garden. Just keep an eye out for yellow-feathered birds. American goldfinches are one of the most common backyard birds with yellow feathers, and they enjoy feasting on seeds, especially thistle.
There’s no need to purchase anything new (except maybe some birdseed or a pair of binoculars) to appreciate the beauty of yellow and gray in your existing garden. Just keep an eye out for yellow-feathered birds. American goldfinches are one of the most common backyard birds with yellow feathers, and they enjoy feasting on seeds, especially thistle.
This Northern parula, a small wood-warbler, looks ready for 2021 runways in that Ultimate Gray and brilliant yellow Illuminating plumage.
Your turn: Could you see using Pantone’s choice for Color of the Year in your outdoor space? Tell us in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Read about previous Colors of the Year
Browse and save home design ideas
Find a landscape designer near you
Shop for gray and yellow products
More on Houzz
Read about previous Colors of the Year
Browse and save home design ideas
Find a landscape designer near you
Shop for gray and yellow products
