How to Use Trendy Colors in a Reading Nook

The trending colors 2021 per Benjamin Moore are perfect to create a calm and restorative space, such as a quiet reading nook. Here’s how!

Benjamin Moore Paints has just released their trending colors 2021. Each year, in fact, all of the major paint brands put out a palette of highlight colors but Benjamin Moore happens to be my brand of choice. So I’m paying close attention!

When each brand puts out its colors, there’s a lot of fanfare and woohoo about it. Major decorators and bloggers are hired to create sponsored posts in which they create beautiful rooms or vignettes using the highlight colors.

Now, I’m not to that level yet (stick with me, I’ll get there) so I’m doing my own completely UNSPONSORED design board using the colors that Benjamin Moore is calling attention to for 2021.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

The Trending Colors 2021 per BJP

So, without further ado, here they are!

The focus, our star for this event, is TEAL! Hmm. This kind of surprised me at first.

Teal is a color that I really love BUT I don’t generally decorate in it. Yet as I thought about this color palette, shown below, I think it makes a lot of sense.

2020 has been a rough year. A lot of people are stressed out and trying to find ways to create an escape at home. The challenge is that we’re AT HOME so much. How can we create a sanctuary within the place we’re working, schooling, entertaining, and living in all at once?

To me, that’s the point of Benjamin Moore’s trending colors 2021. They are calming and restorative. All of them are pulled from nature. They call on blue skies, rich soil, and natural neutrals.

Where to use the trending colors 2021?

If I were to create a sanctuary for my family members, it would have to be a place that we would all want to use. So, for example, creating a meditation room or yoga space wouldn’t work as my daughter wouldn’t be keen to share that space.

Then I thought about the one room, yet undecorated, that we all love to use (even in its current state). That’s our “library”. I put that in quotes because there is really nothing making it a library YET, in fact, I don’t have a single book in there. BUT one day, there will be bookshelves and reading lamps and … A SANCTUARY!!

JACKPOT! I found how to use these colors!

The only problem is that I’m not decorating the library yet, so I’ve created a design board to pull together ideas.

How to use a design board

Using a design board is a really smart way to begin a decorating project. It often begins with clippings from magazines, catalogs, and printouts from websites.

From there paint and fabric swatches are added.

Eventually, this IMAGINARY board evolves to become the blueprint for your project.

Let’s take a look at what I’ve created as our starting point. (Each image is a clickable link, btw.)

Here are the pieces for you working across in rows:

1. Marble Coaster Set
2. Archaeo Textured Linen 52 95″ Curtain Panels
3. Martha Stewart’s Organizing: The Manual for Bringing Order to Your Life, Home & Routines
4. Mendocino Stoneware Mugs, Set of 4
5. Voluspa Maison Candle
6. NuWallpaper Tibetan Grasscloth Teal Peel & Stick Wallpaper
7. Hugger Knit Throw Blanket
8. Brass Floor Lamp
9. Lyla Accent Chair
10. Round 9.5″ Metal Cocktail Table
11. Nourison Life Styles Stonewash Drum Clay Pour
12. Indoor/Outdoor Throw Pillow

Here’s what I love about this collection:

• There are natural elements such as the grasscloth wallpaper.
• Lots of texture comes through in the fabrics.
• The colors aren’t straight-forward, such as the stoneware mugs, marble coasters, and pouf.
• It’s a functional space, but only what is needed.
• No need for taking up a huge space as this can be set up in a corner beautifully!

Want to try one of the colors out without making a mess? I just recently discovered Samplize. They sell 12″x12″ paint samples that are peel and stick. How awesome, right!!?? You can move them around too in order to catch the various light patterns in your space. I’m not an affiliate (although I have reached out to them) so I’m mentioning this just because I think it’s so smart!!

Finding ways to live life better

The focus of all of our posts is to live better, feel better, and do better each and every day. I think this space encompasses all of that at once.

Here, you can find a pause in your day to still your mind and release any stress that has built up.

There is no clutter and big overtones of noise that can create mental anxiety.

Reading is the perfect way to expand your mind, even if you’re staying home. One common link I’ve found in researching high performers is that they are almost 100% avid readers. Even if it’s just for 10 minutes here and there, they make time to get through as many books as possible!

Here’s a snapshot of our pieces in boutique form. I’d love to hear what you think of them in the comments below!

If you enjoyed this post, you may want to take a look at some of the other decorating posts available:

5 Key Strategies for Decorating in Any Style

13 Fall Decorating Finds You’ll Love for Your Home

If you need some reading suggestions, here’s a page I put together of some Books to Change Your Life. If you want some lighter reading, check out these home favs:

That’s it for today, my friend!

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