I wouldn't put that on my walls, but some of my design clients might like it, especially if they have beige furniture, which seems to be the key to that look in the pictures. The complimentary purple in the 3rd picture is a little much.

Ask even the people at Pantone to pick a single color that would represent a whole year and they would not agree. Color forcasting is a difficult process. Color trends also trickle down different markets at different times. European fashion is usually the genesis of most trends. Mass market clothing and home furnishings follow. About one year later the colors make it to the United States in the form of high end clothing and slowly trickle from the high end retailers to the mass market merchants. This is why you will see what Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel are doing this year at Bed Bath & Beyond and Linens and Things next year.

Pantone's and Gliddens focus is on two completely different markets. Pantone looks at Paris, right nownow. Glidden's focus is on the customers in Columbus, OH and Minneapolis, MN and what they feel comfortable with. Trends selling in Barneys today will not sell at Target for a while.

Also, compiling color trends is a complicated process since there are so many sources of color inspiration. In the past it was more common to name a single color for an entire year. This never meant that all colors go away, it just implied that this color would be prevelant. Todays forecasting is a bit more realistic as it focuses on the entire spectrum. Each color will exist in some form at all times, just in different hues and values. One year blues could be dark royal navy, the next they could be light aqua. Certain color trends will never trickle to some industries. Last fall we all saw great turquoise blues but we'll never see this color make as strong appearance in cars or home furnishings.

For Pantone to get bent out of shape about this issue is a bit silly especially since they are not looking at the same markets. Do people throw a fit when Motor Trend names 'the wrong' car as its car of the year?. Glidden accomplished exactly what it set out to do: they got people talking and they showed that they are at least tuned in and interested in doing research and bringing it to their customers. I think its a fun and brilliant idea.

the color of year 2007