The versatility of Pantone’s 2017 color of the year, Greenery, offers numerous ways to integrate it into home décor.

1. How to Design with
Pantone’s Color of
the Year
EUGENE CHRINIAN

2. How to Design with Pantone’s Color
of the Year
 Pantone launched a new color trend when it unveiled “Greenery,” a vibrant
shade of yellow-green, as its color of the year for 2017.
 The choice is about more than color, according to Pantone Color Institute
Executive Director Leatrice Eiseman. “Greenery bursts forth in 2017 to provide
us with the reassurance we yearn for amid a tumultuous social and political
environment,” she stated on Pantone’s website. “Satisfying our growing desire
to rejuvenate and revitalize, Greenery symbolizes the reconnection we seek
with nature, one another, and a larger purpose.”
 Pantone’s description of Greenery refers to it as “nature’s neutral,” a shade of
green that represents refreshment, revitalization, and the beauty of the
natural world. The color, Pantone states, reflects a “mood and attitude” it has
seen in global culture.
 Expect the color to pop up throughout home design in 2017. Here are some
ways to work it into your color palette, including tips from designers.

3. Embrace the shade
 Like all of Pantone’s annual color choices, Greenery has not been without its share of
controversy. Critics have called it “weird” and likened it to the nuclear isotope in The
Simpsons. Others note that it’s a hard shade to wear, and you probably wouldn’t want
to paint an exterior wall with Greenery.
 However, in home décor choices, which aren’t dependent on whether a shade
complements a person’s hair color or skin tone, designers have found plenty of
applications. In fact, they say that the color is inspirational. "We saw it always as a bold
color," Pantone Vice President Laurie Pressman told USA Today. "But it may not have
been accepted by some people. Today we look at this as a color associated with
innovation. It takes on a whole different feeling."
 Pantone doesn’t arrive at its annual color of the year lightly. The institution, which is
based in Carlstadt, New Jersey, advises industries ranging from fashion to packaging
on how to use color. Pantone has been choosing a color of the year since 1999 based
on trends it observes on runways and in tradeshows and the media.

4. Pair it up
 Greenery is a “trans-seasonal” shade that can work with a number of
colors, including the 2016 Pantone color of the year, “Rose Quartz,” a light
pink.
 Greenery fits with earth tones, metallics, and even jewel tones. For
decorators looking to recreate nature’s palette in a home, Greenery will
be a staple.

5. Blues and neutrals
 Navy blue also is a hot trend this year, and Greenery fits right in. To keep
the color from becoming overwhelming, however, focus most of a room’s
colors elsewhere. That could mean neutral walls and furniture, blue throw
pillows on couches, and a Greenery-colored throw or a live plant.
 In the kitchen, keep the cabinets a light neutral, throw navy-and-white
striped rugs on the floor, and set a few potted plants on the counters. A
navy comforter over a cream quilt on a bed, accented with a few bright
green pillows, will add just the right amount of the hue to a bedroom.

6. Paint your front door
 Coating your house in Greenery could camouflage it with the
surrounding grass and trees, but the color can be tastefully applied on a
home’s exterior. If your house is already a neutral, such as cream, pale
yellow, or light blue, a bright Greenery door can provide a zesty pop of
color. The color pairs well with black trim or a light-colored trim.

7. Make it practical
 Manufacturers have embraced the color, and right now shades of
Greenery can be found on hundreds of home accessories, including
many kitchen items. If you have a neutral or complementary-colored
kitchen, consider a Greenery KitchenAid stand mixer, which adds a bright
spot of color on a countertop and can be a staple tool for cooking and
baking. If you drink coffee, hang subtly colored mugs, with a neutral
outside and Greenery-shaded inside, on a mug tree.

8. Keep it natural
 Step out the door, and you’ll likely find a shade of Greenery growing
somewhere around your house. Adding potted plants or artificial
greenery to your home décor is an easy way to integrate the color into
your interiors. A simple Mason jar filled with real or artificial branches with
buds and leaves can instantly bring this soothing shade of green inside.

9. Go for it
 If a subtle pop of Greenery won’t suffice, there are bolder options. Try
painting an accent wall with Greenery or explore the many wallpaper
options with a Greenery background or with the color woven through the
design. Greenery is showing up in everything from hand-painted, antique
designs to floral patterns. If you’re hesitant, go for a paler shade of
Greenery on the walls and bring out the color’s vibrant side in smaller
accessories.
 You also can put the color on the floor. Rug makers have jumped on the
trending hue, and Greenery can be found in everything from natural-
fiber rugs to imported carpets to stair coverings.