The 2011 color of the year is Pantone 18-2120 "Honeysuckle".

Nope, not a blase pastel pink, nor a shocking hot pink. Pantone describes it as Courageous, Confident, Vital. It's a color that inspires and uplifts in times of stress. Read more about it at Pantone.com.

Pantone is a key resource for watching trends in color. Their research covers trends across every industry where color matters, including fashion, home furnishings and industrial and print design.

When I'm working on a project that doesn't specify colors from the outset, it's nice to check out whatever the current trends are. Pantone's color of the year is a great start. Then from there, I can look at combinations of color -- complementary, monochromatic, etc.

I'm working on a new design for my website, so I'm thinking of a new color combination. I love the yellow and purple in my logo -- because yellow and purple are opposites and bright, they always attract attention. But I'm up for a change. I want another set of colors that are opposite -- what do you think of a combination that includes this pink? I like it, but I'm also thinking it may be a little too feminine for a small business market. Or maybe in the right combination it will work great. Come back in a few weeks to see what I've come up with.

What do you think of this Honeysuckle pink?