Last week I shared my thoughts (in a nutshell) about shelter trends for the eleventh year of the new millennium. Flamingo pink is one of the unavoidable elements of 2011. Here’s why.

The 2011 Pantone color of the year is Honeysuckle. The color reminds me of plastic pink flamingo lawn ornaments after two years of sun bleaching and fading from the iconic Florida sun. Apparently, the global authority on color thinks the hue of faded flamingos will infiltrate 2011 fashion, interiors, products, packaging, and every color-bearing surface in our world.

Here’s an excerpt from the experts at Pantone:

“Courageous. Confident. Vital. A brave new color, for a brave new world. Let the bold spirit of Honeysuckle infuse you, lift you and carry you through the year. It’s a color for every day – with nothing ‘everyday’ about it.”

As a move of self-fulfilling prophecy, you can already get a Pantone-endorsed credit card boasting the blissful tone of honeysuckle – just in case you cannot bear the thought of purchasing honeysuckle goods without the company of honeysuckle financial irresponsibility (and, yes, despite the cynicism I cannot help but want one of these handsome pieces of plastic, preferably in beeswax).

Are you having a hard time picturing this youthful and loud (some would say obnoxious) color coating inanimate objects everywhere? Not so fast, last year Pantone chose turquoise as the hue of choice. And it was everywhere.  If the color of fresh, juicy bubblegum doesn’t make your heart flutter, you’re not alone.

Maybe honeysuckle will grow on you? If not, there are plenty of other trends to love this year.

(This vivid photography is from the portfolio of Irina Graewe; her talented lens captures bold color with grace.)

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