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The colors we loved in 2009 were right in line with color company Pantone's predictions: yellows, pinks and fuschias, greens (in citron, lucite, vibrant), purples (a holdover from 2008), grays, and palace blue &mdash in anticipation of 2010's turquoise, cobalt, teal. We mostly saw the bright colors in splashes with neutrals.

Color company Pantone reassured us that everything would be okay, despite our "complex world," with Blue Iris in 2008. In 2009, Pantone gave us hope with Mimosa, another color of reassurance. For 2010, Pantone predicts Turquoise: an "effective escape from the everyday troubles of the world." Seems like Pantone considers this a tumultuous time.

Even though our colors were gem-toned and peppy, we noticed that they were used on neutral backgrounds (black, brown, gray, beige, white) more often than not. Even if we saw bright yellow or blue walls, they were accent walls, and not a room's four sides.

Whether or not you think color science is bunk, we followed the predictions. The evidence is on the walls.

2009 PREDICTIONS
• 1 Pantone chose Mimosa for 2009, and Turquoise for 2010. We saw both of these colors, and also saw them in combo.

• 2 Pantone's Colors for Spring 2009 Note the colors Pantone predicted, and the ones we loved, below.

• 3 Color Therapy: Color Forecast 2009

MIMOSA
• 4 Color of the Year 2009: Goodbye Blue Iris, Hello Mimosa!

• 5 Pantone's Most Influential Color of 2009

• 6 Finding Paint in "Mimosa"

• 7 If Mimosa Isn't for You, Try Sparkler

YELLOW
• 8 Retro Yellow and Turquoise

• 9 Yellow and Teal

• 10 Yellow and White

• 11 Gray and Yellow

• 12 Yellow and Black

GOLD
• 13 Gold and Gray

• 14 Green and Gold

ORANGE
• 15 Pink and Orange

• 16 Orange, Charcoal, Gray and Cream

• 17 Burnt Orange

• 18 Orange and Blue

PINK
• 19 Hot Pink, Orange and Light Blue

• 20 Warm Pink and Beige

• 21 Black, White and Peony Pink

• 22 Hot Pink and Red

GREEN
• 23 A Variety of Greens

• 24 Green on Green

• 25 Gray, Black and Lime Green

• 26 Olive Green

PURPLE
• 27 Purple and Gray

• 28 Mauve and Chartreuse

• 29 Purple Rooms

• 30 Black, Gray and Purple

GRAY
• 31 Gray

BLUE
• 32 Teal and White

• 33 Jewel-Toned Blues and Neutrals

• 34 Chartreuse and Turquoise

• 35 Blue and Silver

• 36 Coastal Hues

• 37 Turquoise, Black and White

2010 PREDICTIONS:
• 38 Pantone's Fashion Color Report for 2010: violet, turquoise, tuscany, tomato pureé, fusion coral, aurora, eucalyptus, amparo blue, pink champagne, dried herb.

• 39 Pantone's 2010 Home & Interiors Color Trend Forecast

• 40 Turquoise Named Pantone's Color of 2010

From bright, hopeful Mimosa, to tranquil, sleepy turquoise? What does that say about our country's mood? And how do these colors affect you? How will you use them?