The Color of the Year -- 2010

Color is very personal. Everyone has a favorite color and can relate to it from the time they were little children. Certain emotions are associated with color, and planners and designers know that using color is very important to create that “bang” or “pop” you are looking for when you walk into a room. First, I'd like to go over the basics of color before I reveal Pantone's Color of the Year for 2010.

As you may remember from elementary school, there are three main categories of color:

1. Primary colors: red, yellow, and blue. These are pure and cannot be created through the mixing of any other colors.

2. Secondary colors: orange, purple, and green. These are produced by mixing of primary colors. i.e. yellow + blue = green; blue + red = purple; and red + yellow = orange.

3. Tertiary colors: A combination of primary and secondary colors. There are six tertiary colors: red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-violet, and red-violet.

Additionally, colors fall into three schematic groups:

1. Monochromatic colors: all colors, tints and shades of a single hue. They go well together, are easy on the eyes, and have a soothing effect.

2. Analogous colors: these are in close proximity to each other on the color wheel and always made up of three colors, the main one being red, plus two neighboring colors. They are similar in hue and saturation.

3. Complimentary colors: usually comprised of two colors that are opposite of the color wheel and are high in contrast.

The Color Wheel
Image courtesy of Northlite

So, who comes up with the color trends from year to year, you ask?

Pantone, Inc. in Carlstadt, New Jersey is the company known for its Pantone Matching System® (PMS), a book of standardized colors in fan format for color-coding. The Pantone name is known worldwide as the standard language for accurate color communication, from designer to manufacturer to retailer to customer, across a variety of industries.

According to Pantone, "PANTONE® 15-5519 Turquoise, an inviting, luminous hue, [is] the color of the year for 2010. Combining the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green, Turquoise evokes thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a languorous, effective escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of wellbeing."

For brides wanting a flattering choice for attendant apparel and accessories on their big day, Turquoise is now one of the nearly 200 PANTONE WEDDING Colors available from Dessy, a leading manufacturer of bridesmaid, social occasion and flower girl dresses, as well as destination wedding gowns under the labels Dessy Collection, After Six, Alfred Sung, Lela Rose Bridesmaid and Sandals Destination Wedding Dresses. PANTONE WEDDING exclusively from Dessy provides a collection of color tools to make it easy for brides to achieve perfectly color-coordinated weddings – from inspiration to “I do.”

Additionally, Turquoise is one of 3,000 colors available in Pantone’s line of superior-quality, eco-friendly paint. PANTONE Paints combine the accuracy of PANTONE Colors with the beauty of high-performance Dutch paints. Perfect for a powder room or bedroom, Turquoise is an evocative, spa-like hue that adds an undertone of warmth and excitement to any cool space. In the kitchen, Turquoise adds a unique flare to tabletop and appliances. I love this years' color!