by Rooted in nature, Urbane Bronze cultivates calm, connectedness
By Susan Dickenson
Sherwin-Williams, in revealing Urbane Bronze as its 2021 color of the year last month, described the hue as a “rich anchor that grounds the mind in calm and stability with its ties to the natural world.” Bronze-brown with gray undertones, Urbane Bronze is positioned in the company’s Sanctuary palette as part of its 2021 Colormix Forecast, which predicts a need for balance and a return to rich, bold colors in the design year ahead.
“The home is now the ultimate retreat from the world, and color is an easy and effective way to create a personal haven,” said Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams. “Urbane Bronze encourages you to create a sanctuary space for mindful reflection and renewal.”
“Urbane Bronze is a comforting color, drawing from nature for a feeling of relaxation and serenity,” she added. “There’s also reassurance in its sentimentality, with nostalgic ties to the design of the ‘70s and ‘90s, but with gray undertones that give it a distinctly modern twist.”
Clockwise, from top left: Griffin stationary chair, contrasting leather, 8-way hand tie, pewter nails, Bradington-Young; “Le Chat” cast bronze sculpture, 11.5 x 7, Currey & Company; Herringbone sideboard, reclaimed pine, Sarreid; Amadeo area rug, machine woven, Surya; Simple Living monochrome, archival digital print on canvas, hand-embellished, Grand Image Home; Filament duvet, coverlet and sham in ash, 100% washable, Ann Gish & The Art of Home.
The color also works well with elements of biophilic design, Wadden said, and is an ideal accent color.
“Urbane Bronze is just one more way to bring in nature through design and is a great color to accentuate window trim, columns and accent walls in commercial spaces,” Wadden said. “It works well with other elements of biophilic design, including large, light-filled spaces and indoor greenery.”
Wadden, as director of color marketing, leads the Sherwin-Williams global color and design team to research and identify key trends that influence the way people interact with color. From those findings, the team turns emerging themes into the annual Colormix Forecast and zeroes in on a color of the year. The 2021 selection is Sherwin-Williams 11th annual pick.
