From today's Las Vegas Review-Journal once again we hear from those Pantone people but guess what, no mention of Mimosa Yellow, supposedly THE color of year - according to last Saturday's paper, now Pantone has allegedly selected a blue shade. Several months ago I quoted a news item from a different part of the country that said Dutch Blue was the color trend, so I suppose Blue Iris isn't a total departure.

"This season reveals two bold new colors that are not for the faint of heart. Pantone, one of the world leaders in selecting the hottest colors, has chosen Blue Iris 18-3943 tcx as the color of 2008. If blue is too bold, ICI Paints' Dulux has chosen a yellow, Sunshine Surprise, paired with Namadji, Antique White, Chalk and Hot Lips at the annual Dulux Colour Awards. Yellow is said to be both inspirational and intellectual.

Accent paints for trim, furniture and doors can make or break a room, according to Kevin Sharkey with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.

"For us, black (French Bulldog MS025) is number one, and I think it's because it shows off other colors so well. People are probably using it for trim or for painting furniture. On the Big Island of Hawaii, there's an active volcano you can explore. I think of this as lava black, rich and earthy. I see it with khaki or tang ... great with gray ... beautiful with chartreuse and powder blue."

Behr claims Swiss Coffee 1812 to be its largest seller.

"You know how Navajo White was big in the 1970s? Now it's Swiss Coffee -- lighter, more airy, an off-white with subtle taupe undertones. It's really popular for trim because it has that little bit of color, which means it blends easily with colored walls. Bright white can be too intense. This is so much better alongside the muted, more sophisticated shades, " comments Quinn Larson of Behr."

Speaking of Mimosa Yellow (the paint color, not the pink trees) this is our downstairs bathroom that was painted like this when we bought the house in 2003. It is a sponge technique of yellow underneath with bright orange sponged on top and the effect is similar to Pantone's Mimosa Yellow. See Donnamarie's recent post for a color chip of Mimosa Yellow.



In case you are wondering, the ceiling in that bathroom is a deep blue/purple that I don't know the name of. You may wonder why we haven't repainted it because those sponge techniques are so passe now: a. I like the ceiling as is but not the walls, Mr. Troutbend likes the current walls but not the ceiling and we can't agree on new colors; b. I never go in there so out of sight out of mind; c. the art print on the wall goes with it; and d. if we wait long enough the fashion will swing back, and I think it just has for now anyway but of course by the time we took action, whatever we picked would be wrong.

What you must think of me for even paying attention to these 'news' items about color trends. No, I don't redecorate all the time or fret over how my house looks. We go for comfort rather than style, and are very indecisive about paint and carpet colors. It's just fun to read these articles and fantasize about giving a rat's ass.

Tip - also from today's paper: If you must clean silver in a hurry and can't find silver polish, try toothpaste or hot sauce, or rub it briskly on a piece of carpet.

I have not tried this. The carpet idea sounds particularly iffy, but maybe it works. Not that either Crest or Tabasco sounds much better.