FLORAL DESIGNERS CHEER PANTONE’S SELECTION OF GREENERY

Floral designers rsquo; overwhelming response to Pantone rsquo;s Color of the Year for 2017: Yeeeesssss!

Last week the venerable color institution unveiled its new pick, ldquo;Greenery rdquo; (Pantone 15-0343), to near universal acclaim from design industries.

The ldquo;fresh and zesty yellow-green rdquo; is a reaction in part to the tumultuous events of 2016, and consumers rsquo; desire to start with a clean slate in the New Year, according to Leatrice Eiseman, the Pantone Color Institute rsquo;s executive director. The selection moves a color that rsquo;s often in the background to the foreground, at a time when florists already are seeing that preference in action with brides and event work, where foliage-dominated designs have become a chic choice.

ldquo;[Greenery] speaks to our desire to express, explore, experiment and reinvent, imparting a sense of buoyancy, rdquo; said Eiseman, who has shared her expertise in the past at Society of American Florists events and in Floral Management magazine. ldquo;Many people are happy with the selection as they appreciate the freshness and vitality [the color] brings. Of course, most people in the floral industry lsquo;get rsquo; the power of the greens and its versatility. rdquo;

The months-long process of pinpointing a color for 2017 was similar to efforts in years past, Eiseman said, noting that ldquo;we are always looking for the symbolic meaning within the chosen color as an important indicator of direction. rdquo; Last year, for instance, many people noted the Institute rsquo;s selection of Rose Quartz (pink) and Serenity (blue) coincided with national conversations relating to gender lines and roles.