The Color I Love This Month ~ Tangerine Tango

As a color geek, I love learning what color Pantone selects as its "color of the year." The color for 2012 is "Tangerine Tango."

Sounds like fun, right?

Tangerine Tango is "a spirited reddish orange" that "continues to provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward," according to Pantone in a statement about its color of the year. 

"'Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it,'" said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. "'Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.'"

According to Pantone, "orange has grown in popularity and acceptance among designers and consumers alike" over the past several years and described as a "fun, lively take on a traditional autumnal hue, Tangerine Tango will surely carry through to fall fashion as well."

Pantone recommends using Tangerine Tango to "energize" the home through accent pieces like pillows, bedspreads, tabletop accessories, appliances and personal electronics. For an inexpensive change, it advises painting a wall in Tangerine Tango "for a dynamic burst of energy in the kitchen, entryway or hallway."

Like with all trendy colors, I recommend using them in accessories or small bursts instead of all over. The exception to that is if the color happens to be your favorite and you aren't just using it because it's trendy. Make sense? A powder room in Tangerine Tango sure would be a happy room, just make sure you'd still be happy one year later!

Other easy ways to incorporate a color into your home include painting your front door (tangerine says, "We're happy you're here!"), painting the inside of a tray ceiling, adding a band of tangerine-colored fabric to the bottom of drapery panels or painting a wooden chair or bench with this pop of color in a high-gloss finish.

This color pairs well with other bright, saturated colors (green, yellow or pink come to mind), or if you prefer to let it shine, pair it with grey or tan. It will sing when paired with its complementary color, blue!

Keep your eyes open while shopping or looking at fashion and home magazines and you'll see a lot of this happy color in home accessories, clothing and home appliances.

Have you seen Tangerine Tango out and about lately?

What do you think of the color? Would you use it in your home, or have you already? Please leave a comment with your thoughts! Or upload a picture of your Tangerine Tango decor.

Happy decorating.