Pantone, the people who rule the world of color, has announced that the 2012 color of the year is…..

Tangerine Tango, Pantone 17-1463.

What does this mean? It means that this color will play a big role in home furnishings and fashion in the coming year.  This is why one year, you deck out your master bath in a beautiful color palette, but the following year, when you want to replace your towels, there is nothing on the market that will work with it.

If you have agreed to be a bridesmaid in 2012 (especially for a trendy bride), chances are you’ll be strutting this down the aisle.  When you log into Pinterest, you’ll see splashes of this across your screen, each one with a comment like “LOVE!!  SOOO different! Maybe for the [master bedroom/bridesmaids/next mani/birthday banner]?”

I’m not sure how I feel about it.  Being a die-hard Florida Gator fan, I’m happy to see an orange shade dominate.  I like that it’s deep, with a bit of spice and sultriness, not like a halloween orange or thankfully anything reminiscent of Tennessee Vols.

But tangerine?  It seems so in-your-face.  The trend with Pantone the past few years have been bold and bright colors – the past few have been honeysuckle (toned-down hot pink), turquoise, and mimosa (remember how everything all of a sudden was yellow? this is why).  Much of the reasoning involves the need for cheerfulness and hopefulness given the current state of the world, hoping that powerful colors will lift us up.  I can see that.  And I can see how Tangerine Tango fits that.

I’m curious to see what comes out in the marketplace with Tangerine Tango for home accessories, clothing and fabrics that I’ll have available for my shop.  I am getting some ideas about how I’d like to play a little with it. We’ll see.

What do you think about Tangerine Tango? Do you incorporate trendy colors into your home and fashion or stick to your favorites regardless of trends?