Our final Summer of Trends entry for July (like we said, we’ll probably continue the column into August) is about color. Specifically, which color is the “Color of the Year” according to the experts at the Pantone Color Institute. (It should be noted that Pantone is a global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for all sorts of industries.)

After much deliberation, the experts at Pantone named honeysuckle as the 2011 Color of the Year, a declaration they claim will cross over into color choices in everything from fashion to interior design. Here’s what Pantone Color Institute Executive Director Leatrice Eiseman had to say about the hue:

“In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues. Honeysuckle derives its positive qualities from a powerful bond to its mother color, red, the most physical, viscerally alive hue in the spectrum.”

A Pantone press release offers ideas for how to incorporate the color into your next interior makeover, although we’ll admit the image above takes the trend a little too far:

“Add a lively flair to interior spaces with honeysuckle patterned pillows, bedspreads, small appliances and tabletop accessories. Looking for an inexpensive way to perk up your home? Paint a wall in honeysuckle for a dynamic burst of energy in the family room, kitchen or hallway.”

We realize “honeysuckle” is just a fancy word for “pink,” and we’re not likely to see the trend incorporated into too many man caves (the 2010 Color of the Year – turquoise – might make an appearance), but the power of honeysuckle can’t be ignored as a potential accent in interior design.