Think positive; think honeysuckle: the colour of the year for 2011

The Pantone Colour Institute has unveiled the 2011 colour of the year and it is...honeysuckle. (Which I always thought was yellow. But apparently not.)

"While the 2010 color of the year, PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise, served as an escape for many," says the Pantone release, "Honeysuckle emboldens us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor. A dynamic reddish pink, Honeysuckle is encouraging and uplifting. It elevates our psyche beyond escape, instilling the confidence, courage and spirit to meet the exhaustive challenges that have become part of everyday life.

“In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Honeysuckle derives its positive qualities from a powerful bond to its mother color red, the most physical, viscerally alive hue in the spectrum.”

In case you were keeping track, here are the recent colours-of-the year:

• 2010 Turquoise
• 2009 Mimosa
• 2008 Blue Iris
• 2007 Chili Pepper
• 2006 Sand Dollar

Pantone says that honeysuckle is guaranteed to produce a healthy glow when worn by both men and women and a lively flair to interior spaces. Watch for it in layouts in the leading shelter magazines.