With a new year on the horizon, we reckon it's time for a bit of reflection and celebration. And what better way to do that than by looking back over our most popular Instagram posts of 2021?

Here at COAT, we love sharing what you get up to when you get your grubby little mitts on our paints! Let's face it, you've got some cracking ideas, and we all need a bit of Insta inspo when it comes to decorating. 

But which of those gorgeous little squares excited you the most in 2021? And what does this mean for decorating trends as we head into a bright and shiny 2022? ✨

Here, we reveal the Top 10 COAT Instagram posts over the last year. The greatest hits of 2021, if you like. Drum roll, please 🥁🥁🥁

DARK & MOODY

You can't get enough of our dark and inky colours and we totally get it. Even though we made these little colour babies with our own bare hands, we're pretty crazy about them, too! 🥰 

One of your favourites from our 2021 Top 10 is this gorgeous living room from  @thenorthernterrace_  Amber and Cal from North Shields chose The Drink, transforming their living room by wrapping this inky green around the space to create a cool, welcoming vibe with vintage finds and lovely pops of contrasting colour 🌈

The rest of our dark greens have been flying off the shelves, too, at COAT HQ this year with Ditch The Tie and Nomad proving to be seriously big hitters. But it was dark teal Adulting that really took the biscuit when we showed you @tiny_victorian_home's super cosy living room. 

Alex from Cheshire showed us how to create a cosy, cocooning effect in a small lounge by wrapping Adulting around the space and adding lots of greenery and natural materials. A perfect example of the trend for 'bringing the outside in' 🍃

For a deliciously dark boudoir, look no further than Leila's gorgeous bedroom painted in our Swoon Editions inky black Forever and Ever. This share from @zephs_house made it into our Top 10 thanks to its super cool gold accents and bold, night club vibe 😎

LIGHT & AIRY

Who knew? The guaranteed way to win your heart is to present you with a light and airy space filled with texture and character. That's certainly what happened when you set your little beady eyes on The Brixton Boys' A-MAZ-ING kitchen/living room. Those likes and comments came flooding in, and we can absolutely see why 💫

David and Andrew, aka @the_brixton_home_boys, have done an incredible job transforming their ground floor flat in south London. They whacked on a rear extension and added Crittall-style glazed doors to flood the room with light. The couple used Coat's handy Peel & Stick swatches to test out different paint colours before they took the plunge.  

“Sweatpants came out top and we absolutely love it," says David. "It reflects light around the room, and it always feels warm and relaxed in here, even though it’s a north-facing room.”

Another one getting all the love over the last 12 months was @gareth_at_31's light-filled hallway with walls painted in our warm, off-white Pampas. This achingly cool space had you at 'hello' with its herringbone floor, dramatic chandelier and monochrome details. What a way to make an entrance! ❤️

COLOUR BLOCKING 

The orange ceiling at @design_at_52's gaff caused quite a stir and it gave us all the feels, too. Painted in our tropical orange My Island, the ceiling colour has been brought down to picture rail height to create a dramatic effect for this colour pop dining room. Genius idea, huh? 💡

This bold look is teamed with colourful artworks and lots of lovely, natural texture in the form of the herringbone table and highly grained flooring 👌

Kirsty from @k__k_g also got your hearts racing with her stunning window transformation featuring a combo of Low Salt and Adulting. This clever colour blocking technique mirrors the two halves of the sash window and no doubt inspired loads of you to follow suit. Kirsty, we salute you 🙌

Over at serial renovator Dan Lovatt's place, you went a little giddy over his full-on colour wash alcove. Shelves, cupboards, mouldings and walls were all drenched in our dusty green Darlington – the colour Dan developed with us back in August. Paired with an oak floor and stripped pine shutters, this look quite rightly caught your eye and secured its rightful place in our Top 10. 

ALL THINGS SCANDI

Keep it pale, but then add dark accents with the woodwork, we hear you say? Yep, that's one of the looks you lot have been loving in 2021. This Scandi-inspired vibe is simple, easy to achieve and effortlessly cool 🇸🇪

Just look at this stunning hallway shot from Mel at @my_neutral_place and you'll see what we mean. It ended up in our Top 10 because you guys loved this combo of Sunday Soul and Darlington, along with lots of texture and black accents.

Another huge hit on the Gram was @design_at_nineteen's beaut of a spare bedroom with Duvet Day gracing the walls. This colour was developed in conjunction with @design_at_nineteen's Justin Coakley to create a warm and timeless beige. Paired with black details such as the headboard, artwork and architrave, Duvet Day brings a sense of calm serenity to this restful bedroom 💤

Feeling inspired to transform your gaff for 2022? ✨ Check out our curated range of on-trend paint colours.