Pantone's 2015 Home-Interiors Color Forecast

Pantone's 2015 color trends for home furnishings and interior design are broken into nine categories: Style-Setting, Abstractions, Botanicum, Zensations, Urban Jungle, Tinted Medley, Past Traces, Serendipity and Spontaneity. Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, gives us the scoop on how the trend-setting organization determines what's hot.

You broke the trends into nine categories. What's the process for determining these hues?

We visit cities all over the world and have an opportunity to pick up information from various places. We look at major events, what's happening in film, art. With the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, we knew something rendered there would play a part. There are all kinds of clues you look for to justify, so to speak, the colors.

What reaction did you get to the announcement of the palettes?

If you come up with nine palettes, there will be something that will resonate with everyone. The Style-Setting palette is very sophisticated and with a high-fashion look, and yet it coordinates more traditional colors. Past Traces is the one that will work for the contingency of people who love a traditional feel. But at the same time, it's coordinating with something new.

How can a homeowner take these and run with them for their own DIY design?

Obey that voice in your head saying, "I really like this." Color is all emotion. Develop that confidence by looking for inspiration. Color has to speak to you.