If 2021 was a colour…

In fact, I am one of those men who carry a label about being “colour blind”, not that the term means anything to me because I see the world just fine. Be honest, who cares if a rose is rose, cherry, crimson, scarlet, candy, lipstick or wine red? And how many people can actually tell the difference between all these shades? As an obnoxious teenager, my mates and I used to have a lot of fun making up names for different colours. One colour I still refer to even to this day is shaki – that horrible shade of brown…

In fact, I am one of those men who carry a label about being “colour blind”, not that the term means anything to me because I see the world just fine. Be honest, who cares if a rose is rose, cherry, crimson, scarlet, candy, lipstick or wine red? And how many people can actually tell the difference between all these shades?

As an obnoxious teenager, my mates and I used to have a lot of fun making up names for different colours. One colour I still refer to even to this day is shaki – that horrible shade of brown that looks something between you-know-what and khaki.

Of course, there was also pinkle – the mysterious hue in the colour wheel between pink and purple. Translorange remains one of my favourites. It’s that colour of an orange lozenge after it has been in one’s mouth for a while. It somehow turns into this bright, translucent orange, like the sun when it slips into the Atlantic Ocean after a day on the beach.

I was reminded of all these different shades recently when I read that the paint manufacturer Dulux had named Brave Ground their colour of the year for 2021.

According to the company, their colour experts describe Brave Ground as “a nurturing shade that connects back to nature and the simple things. A warm, earthy tone, it creates a feeling of stability, growth and potential; and provides a firm foundation for change and creativity in your home”.

Now, most of us are in agreement that the year 2020 has not been one we will remember fondly. We have been locked down, some have lost jobs, some have lost businesses and some have lost loved ones. The ticking over of the calendar to the start of a new year inevitably brings hope, and a sense of starting over.

I just hope 2021 doesn’t turn out to be a Brave Ground year. I have seen that colour, and trust me, it’s very close to shaki.