"Beauty is only skin deep" is an inarguable truism. But, in forecasting the trend colors for 2007, Benjamin Moore's color experts have found that skin is the source of beauty and influencing the upcoming decorating palette.

"Skin is in," said Doty Horn, director of color and design, in announcing the 2007 Benjamin Moore® Color Trends Report. "But, it is the broadest interpretation of skin. It includes surfaces and layers... shells and coverings... films and wrappings... beyond the simple image of flesh and reflecting an all-encompassing Design Landscape." Design Landscape is, in fact, the overarching theme that links the 18 colors cited by Benjamin Moore for the 2007 lineup. The hues, she said, are defined by three distinct categories: Timeless Simplicity, Natural Terrain and Cultural Tapestry. Drilling a bit deeper into her explanation, this abstract concept becomes much clearer, especially as the individual palettes are detailed.

Timeless Simplicity...
A reverence for the past, one's heritage and time-worn treasures is a current passion. It translates into colors conveying an aged and worn surface, like the yellowed parchment pages from an antique book or the veiled graying rafters of a cluttered attic where mementoes are stored and shelved. The Benjamin Moore® paint range in this category includes the palest of tints with soft and comforting qualities meant to shroud us in a sense of security. Simply White OC-117 heads the group, joined by Foggy Morning 2106-70; Gray Mist OC-30; Calming Green OC-105; Porcelain 2113-60; and, Veil Cream PT-370, which is a pearlescent from the Studio Finishes® collection.

Natural Terrain...
Nature's impact on the Design Landscape is, of course, endless. A parade of images easily comes to mind of all the possible coatings and wraps, layers and skins that add color, whether with pronounced drama or subtle nuance--the earth's crust, tree bark, morning frost, veins of a leaf. They are among the elements contributing to this harmonious palette of Benjamin Moore® paint colors: Moccasin 1059; Potters Clay 1221; Kittery Point Green HC-119; Scenic Drive 697; Mesa Verde Tan AC-33; and, from the Studio Finishes® Collection, Champagne Dreams PT-240, a pearlescent.

Cultural Tapestry...
Today's society is a diversity of cultures and ethnic traditions from all corners of the world--Asia, India, Latin America, the Baltics, Europe, North America--interwoven into an amazing global tapestry. The Design Landscape now extends beyond geographic borders and is enriched by this intermix of customs, fashion, art and lifestyles. It yields a palette with a distinct vibrancy reflecting the contrasts, yet also striking an exquisite balance. You can decipher so many of the defining influences--exotic spices, lavish textiles and intricate embroideries, ornamental body tattoos and hennas. The Benjamin Moore® paint colors in this group are: Passion Blue 2053-50; Rhubarb 2007-30; Adobe Dust 2175-40; Potpourri Green 2029-50; Wood Grain Brown 2109-30; and Fools Gold PT-250, a Studio Finishes® pearlescent.

Choosing Color...
The 2007 Benjamin Moore® Color Trends Report and annual identification of what are expected to be the hot colors for the upcoming year is one more tool that Benjamin Moore's color experts put in the hands of consumers to help make color choices in decorating easier.

"Choosing colors for decorating can be daunting, and at Benjamin Moore, one of our top goals is to make it easy and fun, a relished part of imprinting your personality on your home," said Horn. She reminded that the '07 Design Landscape palette was devised so that all 18 colors are compatible with one another. "Feel free to cross over from one category into the next to mix and match hues." She also counseled to use the Trend Report as a guidepost. "There are no hard and fast rules that you must use these trend colors. We advise you choose what makes you feel best and what satisfies your tastes and decorating desires."

Consumers and their interior designers can view the 2007 Color Trends at work in 07 COLOR, the annual magazine of color and decorating inspiration published by Benjamin Moore and due out in October. With a cover price of $4.95, 07 COLOR is available at Benjamin Moore® paint retailers. Additionally, the 07 trend colors will be available as Benjamin Moore® Color Samples, 2-ounce pots of paint that allow you to test the color on your wall by painting out a two foot by two foot square of color with two coats. To find a retailer, visit www.benjaminmoore.com or call 1-800-672-4686.

Benjamin Moore & Co., a Berkshire Hathaway company, was founded in 1883. One of the country's leading manufacturers of premium quality residential, commercial and industrial maintenance coatings, its products are distributed through a network of independent paint and decorating retailers located throughout North America.