Vibrant colors like honeysuckle rose are a natural companion to a valance

From a kaleidoscopic flower pattern on a pillow by interior decorator Jonathan Adler to a festive dress that appeared in the spring collection of fashion designer Nanette Lapore, honeysuckle rose has made its entry this year as a color to be reckoned with.


Honeysuckle rose also happens to be the 2011 color of the year by the Pantone Color Institute, a New Jersey-based company that sets color standards for the fashion and home design industries.


The Epoch Times reports that the choice of such a vibrant hue at a time when there are glimmers of better economic times ahead isn't by chance.


"In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going [and] perfect to ward off the blues," Pantone's executive director Leatrice Eiseman told the newspaper.


In fact, Pantone's choice of colors for the previous decade included several shades of blue - including last year's cool turquoise - a couple of reds and sand, signalling the ups and downs of the financial landscape.


In home décor, Pantone suggests that honeysuckle rose can add a lively look to interiors in any room - bedspreads in the bedroom, small appliances in the kitchen, tabletop accessories in the dining room and pillows in the living room, according to the newspaper.


It might take on a bolder role in a more casual space such as a family room where there are loads of activities to reflect the color's brightness. Painting the hue on an accent wall or taking it into a hallway that connects two major rooms are ways in which the institute's new color can be used effectively.


Bright colors like honeysuckle rose are a natural companion to dark woods in furniture, wall trim and valances. When juxtaposed against a dark valance, the color pops and can make a window treatment a focal point within a room.


A valance, whether in traditional wood or in a coordinated upholstery fabric, can be combined with any number of window coverings. A valance can be mounted over window shades, blinds or curtains. They add a different texture against a range of materials available in shades or blinds, or a strong contrast to patterned fabrics used for custom drapery.

Although furnishings of black and white are ideal neutrals to use as a backdrop for vibrant colors, deep brown and a range of off-white and sand shades also offset a hue like honeysuckle rose beautifully.