Colors of the Year | Rosy and Serene

We find ourselves saying this constantly but it's just so true--things always come back around.  And pastels are no exception. Pantone recently announced the colors of 2016 and, you guessed it!  They're pastels!  Rose quartz (pantone color 13-1520) and Serenity (15-3919) are as soothing and feminine as their names make them out to be.  Rose quartz, a pale blush color is the perfect pink for anything from clothes to your baby girl's bedroom.  While serenity is more of a periwinkle and reminds us of a powdery sky.

When we were at market a couple of months ago, we could've told you that blush was going to be big this year---it was everywhere! Serenity wasn't so obvious but come spring time, you better believe you'll see these colors in all of the clothing!  In fact, Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, said herself that the lines are becoming more and more blurred when it relates to fashion so these colors should blend in on all parts of the runway.

When it comes design, these colors could be a little more difficult to largely incorporate into an adult space.  They do sort of look like the epitome of a baby girl's bedroom and a baby boy's bedroom, so breaking away from that mindset could be difficult.  However, a few accents here and there would be nice.  Refreshing, actually.  

The key to using these colors appropriately is in how you mix them.  Mixing pale pastels with something more vibrant and bold can create harmony in a space and leave you with a nice blend of feminine and masculine.  Black is a great compliment to either and of course a palette of neutrals with one of these as the accent color would work well also.

What do you think?  Are these pastels too much?  We think we're digging the rose quartz but aren't quite sure about the serenity blue.   We're also wondering what these color say about 2016?!