...or, the Emerald Isle!! ( Ireland )

I used to think Pantone set trends, but this color has been growing in popularity for 2 years now. Pantone slackers.

Irsh Eyez... I'm with you!

I like it as an accent color. Light and airy if used with discretion.

Love it, a real Dorothy Draper color!

YUCK! Can't we keep orange for another year?

"Color of the year" just means that lots more home decor items will sport that hue for a while, then on to the next push to "freshen" your tired home. Hey, I like a new pillow or accent piece--whether I buy it or redo something thrifted or owned--but the hype does grow tiresome. This isn't to carp at AT for pitching something relevant to this site and of interest to its readers, just a fit of pique at the endless flogging of new-improved-bigger-smaller-easier-smarter that is, I suppose, inevitable in our consumption-based culture and economy. <le sigh>

@gillianne Definitely, thanks for stating it so succinctly.

That said, I do love the color! I wouldn't call it emerald by any stretch, but whatev's...

Exciting, although I have to say, I'm a bit disappointed as I think this color has been popular for awhile now.

Funny, I don't recall seeing a whole lot of orange this past year. No more than any other color, anyway. I wonder about these "color of the year" dictates.

agreed!

Last year, a Sephora salesperson was trying to convince me to get a blush in Tangerine Tango, saying it went with all skin tones. I told her, "Perhaps, but I don't wear makeup" (I go to Sephora for skin products). She didn't seem convinced by this argument. I wonder if they'll try to sell me an eyeshadow or nail polish in Emerald next year.

Pompelmo, every women's fashion forward retailer pushed orange all year long, right up until October, and then it was green green green. You couldn't walk into JCrew, Ann Taylor, or Talbots (I think I hit every age demographic) without seeing orange in a major display. This year I bought a scarf with orange poppies from JCrew, a black dress with orange, colbalt and ivory flowers from Boden, an orange sweater from Talbots, and I tried on about 5 or 6 orange dresses but didn't buy any. I bought tangerine and tan sandals, an orange t-shirt, and was sorely tempted by an orange handbag, but got a turquoise bag instead to rock all those orange clothes and accessories. Oh, and I got some orange pants. I call them my "safety pants"....

I think if you think you missed orange this year, you have either forgotten or weren't paying attention!

I'm still in therapy trying to resolve my issues with the color green. I'm a child of the 1970's avocado green that left me deeply scarred and tramatized.

@the cubby, I guarantee Sephora will have Pantone Emerald eye shadow, nail polish, and lipstick next year. OK, I can't guarantee the lipstick but it's a strong hunch.

I knew it would be a green, but I love the shade choice... goes so well with the colors of the last few years, but adds that nice pop, but still subtle. Well Done!

I'm not so sure Pantone tries to SET a trend color on their own so much as identify and promote one.

As was said, this mainly has to do with various design industries coordinating their efforts. If you like the color as a base or an accent in home decor, clothing, cars, or whatever, you are all set. If not, well, lots of other colors are still out there, and the previous year's special colors will show up in Home Goods and other discoutners soon! ;^)

Wow, urbancricket, you must like orange! Perhaps I wasn't paying attention—but I do a lot of shopping (looking and buying), and I just didn't see it. And I tend to notice those sorts of things. Maybe San Francisco wasn't so much on the bandwagon. In any case, I find this color-mandate thing a bit goofy.

meh - 2010 and 2011 were much more pleasing colors.

Like it. Especially with teal blue.
But man oh man, is green hard to get right. I can't tell you how many times I've dreamed of a green room. I just can't get it right. Colors of the year are fabulous, but a little worthless in that color only exists in light. It's very possible that 90% of the people reading this won't be able to use the color of the year in the light they live in.

I really liked last year's color, but not so much on this one. It really doesn't matter what Pantone says, I like the colors I like. I'll admit though, I get excited when I hear that they've chosen something. Maybe it's the surprise element? It doesn't mean I'm going to go get some green pants or a green throw pillow. I'm not much of a fad follower.

Isn't emerald green the green associated with St Patrick's Day? This one has too much blue in it and looks like toothpaste. I hope we won't see any clothing in this sickly color. I'll stay in 2012 with Tangerine Tango.

Love it! I have been liking this color more and more! Although it might be a hard sell if it really becomes main stream in the interior design world. I have a lot of clients who specifically request NO green!

That color is aqua, not emerald. Emerald is the color of emeralds (not light going through the stone), a solid green like grass after a summer rain.

Pantone and Wikipedia need to take a trip a jewelry store or a trip to Ireland...the Emerald Isle isn't aqua.

Don't get too hung up on whether Pantone is a merciless dictator, or late to the emerald party, or whether emerald really is the appropriate color of right now. The practical takeaway is that if you like emerald, now is the time to keep your eyes open for things you might like. Buy them while they're available, and you'll be able to enjoy your emerald for years to come, after Pantone and everybody else has moved on to ... mahogany? maroon? aubergine?

Bee for Brian - That is the point; thanks for making it so well. If you like the "it" color, whatever it is, congratulations: you'll have many options for scattering it about your premises and person in the months ahead. On the other hand, if you're trying to find tones that have been out of favor for a while, your best bets may be thrift and second-hand stores. Towels are a good barometer of currently promoted colors and the latest subtle variations in classic neutrals.

I'd already chosen this as a main wedding color for Oct 2013, so I'm excited that there will be a lot of decor to chose from this year! I am disappointed though that I'll be super trendy! I like to think I'm ahead of the curve with trends based on other similar "but I chose that first!" situations, but I'm too slow putting plans into action to prove it more often than not. ;-P

Yes it has been growing in popularity... i already have those accents in my home and fashion from years ago... but the emerald is nice

I like greens; maybe browns second. I prefer Sherwin Williams' choice posted here not long ago. Not quite a true celadon, but ok; although some did call it school room or Drs. office green & not in a flattering way. Seems a few years ago Z Gallerie was full of white & orange; looked fresh then, but now it's time for orange to go back to a small amount.

As long as a blue blue and any yellows stay away for another few years, we're good.

We seem to be fully enmeshed in the '80s right now, but I'm already dreading the inevitable 1990s comeback. Burgundy and hunter green were bad enough the first time around! I don't want it back! Not that I'd buy anything with that colorway, but I'll have to look at it again and that's just a no.

Pantone's most on point prediction was definitely 2010 (the year of turquoise), but I started an emerald green project a couple of weeks ago...

Won't ever be in my house! I'm not impressed with any of the colors shown for past years either.

@tracie_middleclassmodern:

I *so* agree with you. I still haven't gotten over those horrible burgundy/hunter green Eddie Bauer-inspired interiors. So dreary. Actually, much about the 90s was dreary.

love. more for clothes or small accents in rooms rather than a whole wall, but still... love.

Is it just my computer, or does 2010's turquoise look awfully similar to 2012's emerald?

My husband and I were walking through Ikea and my husband told me "What's up with all of this green furniture?" They must leak the color to designers in advance, no?

My husband and I were walking through Ikea and my husband told me "What's up with all of this green furniture?" They must leak the color to designers in advance, no?

Me no likey. Tangerine Tango forever.

I'm still obsessed with turquoise — I actually kind of forgot about honeysuckle. Love Pantone's color of the year announcement every year!

AzureSong there people who are paid to set trends, companies even. I took a decorating class this summer and a color consultant for a BIG paint company told us that this color would be the next to watch. She is literally paid to go to exotic places to scope out and set color trends.

Is this the color that has been around for the past two years in the fashion world by the name of "minty green."?? I have a pair of minty green jeans, a minty green chiffon top, and a minty green chevron striped serving tray. Pretty cool. I am faster than Pantone and all set for 2013. Yayyyyy....,.

Emerald was in my predictions short list (http://homeofbambou.blogspot.be/2012/09/color-week-pantone-predictions.html). I like it as accent color in some interiors, but it just doesn't work for me. I would have prefered a softer shade like mint.

well hell, it appears my living room is cemented in 2009. pretty sure i prefer it this way.

I don't remember the 2008 and 2009 colors being as big in fashion and home decor as the more recent ones. Were they?

One the one hand, I hate this color. On the other, I love the photos AT used to show it off. My hunch is that it only looks good in a room with a variety of greens.

I love it (especially b/c it's my birthstone). ;-}

Love green! Teal and mint green have been my favorite colors for years.. good to see they're getting some love!

Too bad. Green is good in gardens and food, but green walls? green clothes? green hats? green sheets? green shoes? I vote for orange for another year or two.

Just looked up at my TV and the news anchor is wearing that shade of green, funny, exactly matches the swatch on my laptop screen. I'm not a fan of green, also from the horror of avocado in the 1970's, refrigerator, stove, kitchen accessories. yuck.

@SelfridgeDesign, you are correct. Emerald green has been trending up since last year in Europe. Looks great for accessories, although I'm not sure I would use it for more than an accent color. Although I have a cashmere sweater that color that I absolutely love....

I agree with williamsweyr ... this will always be very far from me! Cannot stand it. It looks like a barbie dress color.

Yes I have been seeing a ton of emerald in the latter half of 2012. Well, more of a deep forest green which was nice. This color seems a little overdone to me but it could look nice. I did love Sephora's collaboration last and their tangerine line! (I have skin that works well with oranges).

I must be still in 1980s mode...I love all these colors, and I especially love the tangerine tango...want to paint my door that colour. Wonder if that would be very "2012" then?

I love it. It's fresh.

Love this color! But I do agree that's it's already been everywhere for a while...

I HATE GREEN ANY SHADE OF GREEN I HATE,

YESSSS! GO GREEN. {Pumps fists in the air with excitement}

I love love love green. And this particular green has been very hard to find. There have been other greens - neutral greens, mossy greens, and all shades of yellow greens and sagey greens, some aqua and blue greens but true emerald green has been almost impossible to find, apart from some Josef Frank textiles which feature it.

I am super thrilled.

That's not emerald! Pantone's new pick should go by number only. Or try my name: "A color no women should wear."

stuck at the beach

Emerald green, huh. I think was really thinking it was going to be burgundy/ maroon. I can still remember getting extremely car sick in the backseat of my Aunt's maroon car as a kid which probably explains why I get a headache everytime I see that color. If history is repeating itself and it is, my predictions for the coming years are as follows:
2014- burgundy or maroon
2015- navy
2016- dirty-powder-country blue
2017- "a lovely mauve," as my nanny called it.
UGH!

One too many thinks.

Lark, I concur. The cool tones are on their way back. I've been seeing some interesting pale, cool lavendar & blue interiors lately.

I think these colors are pretty accurate of trends in clothes and accent furniture, but not wall paint. In 2008, every room was painted robin's egg blue. Then it was wasabi/chartreuse. Now it's dark gray/black.

I totally agree. I've thought it was the hottest color in design for the last two years.

Ay Ay I scrolled down with so much anticipation but that's not really "emerald" is it?
Having said that, the photos of the green themed room are so lush and beautiful!

I love it, but it's not emerald. I'd call it verdigris before I'd call it emerald.

Like all of the past 5 years colors, but really don't care for this Green for my home accents, clothing, etc. I sure was hoping for Fuscia/ Purple.

I loves me some color but the idea that they can tell us the "it" color for the year makes me roll my eyes. If they said it was literally a color called "crap brown", people would flock to the stores and buy it in droves. I don't like "Emerald" so I won't be buying anything that shade. Go one with your bad self if you do, but not cause a printing/color space company says to. We're not that big of sheep are we?