Pantone's 2011 Color of the Year: Honeysuckle

2010 was all about turquoise but next year, things will get a lot rosier. Pantone welcomes Honeysuckle into the Color of the Year hall of fame.

We recently shared Pantone's cheerful picks for the 10 hottest colors for 2011, and now, a winner has been crowned: The girly, glowing Honeysuckle. You've seen the color in nature, of course, on the Lonicera hispidula honeysuckle (other types of the bloom are white or pale yellow), but it's also the color of sweet, but not cloying, lipgloss or the brightest spot in a rare pink sunset. And get ready to start seeing it everywhere, from high end boutiques to your local big box store. The color of the year has historically influenced product development, from wall paint to nail paint.


So why are we so excited about this color? (Aside from its beauty benefits -- late socialite Nan Kempner was a huge proponent of pink bathrooms, claiming that white walls are too "brutal for the face.") But the color stands for more than bright throw pillows and curtain trim. It has an uplifting quality that Pantone's Executive Director Leatrice Eiseman says will elevate our spirits in times of stress. "Honeysuckle is a captivating stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going -- perfect to ward off the blues."

If you're out to get some honeysuckle in your home -- and fast! -- check out some of our favorite product picks. You'll see that we love mixing it with orange, industrial style and yes, leaving it on its own. And remember: Come 2011, everyone will be calling it by its rightful name. But for now you'll just recognize certain shades of pink.


Clockwise from top left

Orange/Pink Mosaic Coasters, Set of 4, $13, World Market

Tapestry Double Old Fashioned Glass by New Acadia, $22, Barneys

Smoldering Hues Shower Curtain, $118, Anthropologie

Baroque Frame, $20, Target

Pier Side Table, $98, Urban Outfitters