In July, we wrote that the Pantone Color Institute had named Honeysuckle as its 2011 “Color of the Year.” Those of you who hope to incorporate the hottest colors into your home (but would prefer something a little less pink) will be happy to learn that the Paint Quality Institute has issued a statement identifying earth tones as the inspiration behind the 2012 paint palette.

The Paint Quality Institute expects various shades of blues, greens and violets to star as predominant interior design colors in the coming year, but PQI also makes some predictions for exterior hues. The following is an excerpt from the Institute’s report:

Shutter colors will begin to shift away from the traditional look of high-contrast green, red, or black to a more monochromatic palette. “You’ll see more shutters that are painted just a shade darker than the siding,” says (Paint Quality Institute color expert Debbie) Zimmer. “Owners of homes with stone exteriors can get in on things by matching the shutter color to the dominant color of the stone.”

Despite all the new colors and trends, Zimmer says some things in the paint world will remain the same in 2012: “Top quality 100% acrylic latex paint will continue to provide the best performance and the best value to budget-conscious homeowners,” she says.