Imagine a burst of vibrant sunshine with its warm feel-good glow. Or a bunch of freshly-picked daffodils warming up your kitchen table. That exquisite bright yellow, called “Illuminating”, is one of two shades (the other being “Ultimate Gray”) named as the two shades of 2021 chosen by the Pantone Color Institute, the global colour authority.

Every year the Institute picks one shade - or occasionally two - that embody the mood of society. The shades help guide industries as diverse as furniture and fashion to tech and florals. At Fleurs de Villes, we love the idea of sunny optimism of “Illuminating” flowers poking through the concrete durability of “Ultimate Gray”.

“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 in a press release. “Practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, this is a colour combination that gives us resilience and hope. We need to feel encouraged and uplifted, this is essential to the human spirit.”

Mid-winter is the perfect time to send an “Illuminating” bouquet of blooms to cheer someone up. Colour us happy!