Pantone’s color of the year: Marsala

Take a look inside that bottle of Marsala wine sitting in your bar you once bought for that Italian chicken recipe. That earthy, reddish-amber color is what Pantone has named its 2015 Color of the Year.

Marsala “enriches our mind, body and soul, exuding confidence and stability,” says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, in the announcement.

Unlike other “Colors of the Year” put out by paint companies, Pantone’s color forecasts are used across many industries besides home design and interiors, whether fashion, consumer products, graphics or packaging. As a major color authority, Pantone charts corporate color direction. So what made it go with Marsala? Pantone officials say the color is already big in clothing, handbags and wearables. And they believe it goes well with warmer taupes and grays, and umber, golden yellow and turquoise.

So what do color experts think of Marsala?

“It’s nice, but it surprises me,” says color consultant Jean Molesworth Kee, owner of the Painted Room in Alexandria, Va. “We have been veering from red or burgundy wall color now for years. This has a dusky, earthy quality.” Kee says she could see Marsala used in “an ethnic bohemian place.” She added, “It’s muted and it reminds me of Morocco or of faded old Oriental rugs. It would go nicely with warm, sandy colors and browns.”

I called another color expert who hadn’t yet heard the news. “This name doesn’t sound good,” said Washington designer Annie Elliott, whose firm is called Bossy Color. She quickly clicked on the Pantone Web site and called me back. “You can pair it with hunter green and you can be right back in 1987. It is so depressing,” Elliott said “I hate burgundy, and it doesn’t even have the guts of burgundy. It looks tired. It already looks like it has been washed too many times. We are in for a rough year.”

Although many of the anointed colors are big in the paint department, Marsala seems to be a strong hue that perhaps will show up more on upholstery, table linens and tableware as well as in fabric prints, rather than on powder room walls.

One of my savvy colleagues said Marsala looked like a cute nail polish color. I can also imagine it as a lipstick. A bedroom? Not so much. But then, that’s why the Color of the Year changes annually.”

News

Pending legislation could help school boards lower tax rates

News

UPDATE: 2 charged with extortion in child pornography investigation

News

Budding young artist helps Turner Center “Spring into Art”

News

3rd annual Valdosta Bluesberry Festival returns April 11-12 at Unity Park

News

Valdosta, Lowndes County present Spring Electronics Recycling Event on April 5 

News

Turner Center for the Arts seeks instructors

News

SGMC Health to host free screening and informational session on hand pain

News

2nd Annual Bright Futures Coalition Banquet scheduled April 26

News

Tort reform passes another hurdle in General Assembly

News

VFD investigating fire at vacant house

News

Voters will be asked next year whether to expand conservation tax breaks for farmers

News

Albany executive tapped as state labor commissioner

News

South Georgians protest Austin Scott’s silence, backing of Trump policies

News

Southwell Medical in Adel welcomes Mark Kimball as chief operating officer

News

Georgia Department of Public Safety partnering with ICE

News

Into The Woods: Musical brings new facet to familiar fairy tales

Community

Lowndes Co. Food Scores March 18

News

Turner Center presents Lionel Young in Levitt AMP Valdosta Music Series March 21

Community

Historic Photo of the Week March 18

News

Growing frustration with smartphones could lead to statewide ban in Georgia schools

Columns

STACY BUSH: Spring forward with fresh financial confidence

Community

Lowndes Co. Property Transactons March 15

News

Hooray for Hollywood: Presenter Series show celebrates movie music

Community

Lowndes Co. Building Permits March 15