"Our members specify color for everything from paint and furniture to cars and carpets," said Jaime Stephens, executive director of CMG. "They track trends several years ahead, and they’ve rarely been wrong in more than 43 years."

So what’s in store – and in stores – for 2008? According to CMG:

1. Looking "Green" -- People want things they wear and things they use now to look "green," no matter what color they are. In 2008, looking stylish means looking natural. Materials will look hand-made, un-dyed and unbleached.  Products will look more like what they're actually made of, with lots of texture and all the natural imperfections proudly showing through. Off-whites, sandy and linen-y colors, rock and soil colors, brownish-greens – the colors of nature are seriously fashionable now.

2. There’s News in Blues in 2008 -- The "trust me" color will continue to show up on candidates' ties this election year.  But in all areas of decor, blues that remind us of sky and water -- inspired by environmentalism -- remain prominent, even in the kitchen.  New next year will be the emergence of a much blacker blue inspired by technology -- a deep, vibrant navy so dark you'll swear it's black.

3. Specialized Finishes, Warmer Metallics -- Advances in technology have made shimmery, specialized finishes really hot. But in 2008, metallics will go warmer.  After so many years of brushed chrome and nickel, look for warmer shades -- coppery, bronze-y tones -- to prevail.

4. More Ethnic Accents -- Globalism continues to inspire our love for ethnic accent colors. They’re coming to us from India, China and Latin America. To Moroccan reds and glowing oranges, add rosy pinks, sunny golden yellows and lots of turquoise. Already here in fashion and home design, these ethnic accents will show up as "punch" colors in hotels, restaurants and retail environments, too – often paired with rich browns as neutrals.

Color Marketing Group forecasts color trends up to three years into the future for its members, many of whom must plan ahead for product, space and materials introductions. For more information: www.colormarketing.org.

Images w/captions are available to members of the press upon request. Contact Amy Larrabee at 703.647.4728 / alarrabee@colormarketing.org.

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