• February 10, 2011

This fall, expect stores to be filled with "painterly tones," says a new report from the Pantone Color Institute, mixing bright colors--like a peacock-hued teal or a fuchsia-like phlox--with neutrals like bamboo, coffee liqueur and nougat.

"Designers are artfully combining bright colors with staple neutrals, reminiscent of how an artist would construct a stunning work of art," the company says in its report. "Much like a painter's masterpiece, there is a certain romance to this season's palette." For men, the emphasis will be on "reliable basics," including cedar, a cool gray called quarry and cadet, with bright accents like phlox and raspberry wine.