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Behr’s 2021 Color of the Year Is Such a Warm, Cozy Choice

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Danielle BlundellExecutive Director of Home at Apartment Therapy
Danielle BlundellExecutive Director of Home at Apartment Therapy
As Apartment Therapy's Executive Home Director, I head up our decorating, trends, and designer coverage. I studied Media Studies at UVa and Journalism at Columbia and have worked in media for more than a decade. I love homes, heels, the history of art, and hockey — but not necessarily in that order.
published Feb 9, 2021
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Behr's Canyon Dusk 2021 Color of the Year in a Kitchen
Credit: Behr

After releasing their 2021 color trends palette last August, Behr announced their color of the year this morning, and it’s Canyon Dusk, a cozy, warm light terracotta shade. This color hones in on that pinkish-orange beige that you see where the sky meets the earth just before darkness sets in.

“There is something so reassuring about dusk, the moment just after sunset, which brings the promise of a new day,” says Erika Woelfel, vice president of color and creative services at Behr. “The illuminating, free-spirited Canyon Dusk is a color that can be found in a variety of places, from an awe-inspiring desert landscape to the color of sunbaked clay.”

Credit: Behr

In a year when so much is still uncertain, the Behr team landed on this shade because of its “centering capabilities,” says Woelfel, particularly when used inside the home. Whether covering walls, highlighting an architectural feature, or coating a piece of furniture, this soft shade whispers rather than shouts, but can still make a decorative statement. This shade also speaks to overall color trends — colors have been warming up, and neutrals have continued to stay popular, so this is a color that feels both fresh and comfortable.

Canyon Dusk is also versatile. According to Sarah Fishburne, director of trend and design at The Home Depot, this color can play in any style of home. “It’s all about how you pair it with other colors,” says Fishburne. “[Pair it] with black and white, and it can be modern or classic. Or pair it with something airy and light, and you create a spa-like, coastal atmosphere.” Boho more your preferred design style? Canyon Dusk also looks great when in a home with plants and the cane and rattan furniture that’s been so popular lately.

Credit: Behr

To celebrate the 2021 Color of the Year launch, Behr and The Home Depot are partnering on a contest that challenges people — artists, photographers, DIYers, and everyday color enthusiasts — to share images of where they find their Canyon Dusk. Photo entries can be submitted on Instagram by tagging @behrpaint using #2021CanyonDuskContest or uploaded at 2021canyondusk.com. Five winning images will be included in Behr’s first-ever, limited edition Canyon Dusk curated gallery wall photo collection, and the winners will also receive a set of the framed winning photos and a gift card to The Home Depot, together valued at $1,000.

Credit: Behr

If you want a little Canyon Dusk or any of the other shades in Behr’s 2021 Color Trends Palette in your life, the collection is available exclusively at The Home Depot stores nationwide now. You’ll find exterior and interior formulas and a variety of finishes, so there’s surely something for whatever home project is next on your list.