Just ask anyone who still has harvest gold appliances: Color schemes that were once stylish and popular will suddenly lose favor, making rooms look dated. Trend watchers from the Color Marketing Group, an international association of design professionals in a wide variety of industries, meet annually to share observations about what hues are hot. Participants are often responsible for planning the colors used for their company's products for the coming years.

NATURE BLUES - Sky blues and earthen browns were among those identified by industry color mavens as the coming year's trendiest. CNS Photo courtesy of Color Marketing Group

This year, they agree that soothing, natural colors will take center stage, so you'll be seeing a lot of them in products from paints to plates.

"Our members specify color for everything from Cadillacs to Kleenex boxes," said CMG Executive Director Jaime Stephens. "They tell us that the mainstreaming of environmentalism is the key to next year's colors."

Specifically, CMG released these four forecasts for what's fashionable in 2007:

- It's easy been green. Not only are "green" or environmentally sensitive solutions gaining ground, the color green - especially soft, botanical hues - will flourish in the coming year.

- Color me blue. The soft blues of nature - sky, water, slate - will be prominent this year.

- Put it in neutral. Look for soft earth colors, such as tans, browns and beiges, as an alternative to stark black and white.

- Accent with an ethnic aesthetic. Rich reds and vibrant oranges from a mix of cultures will add punch without losing that natural flavor.

PHOTO FINISH - Sunwashed picture frames in Burton and Burton's Nantucket collection reflect the natural tones forecast by color experts to be most popular in the coming year. CNS Photo courtesy of Color Marketing Group.

Those forecasts closely matched those of paint manufacturer Benjamin Moore, which just released its 2007 lineup of 18 colors, organized in three categories: Timeless Simplicity, Natural Terrain and Cultural Tapestry. All 18 colors are compatible with each other, according to the company, and are meant to be mixed and matched.

Calming Green, Scenic Drive and Adobe Dust are among the color choices.

A copy of the company's magazine, 07 Color, is available for $5 at Benjamin Moore retailers. If you'd like to test any of the latest hues on your walls, each of the 18 colors in the 2007 lineup is available in 2-ounce sample pots. To find a retailer, visit www.benjaminmoore.com or call 800-672-4686.

Glidden, another leading paint company, also recently released its 2007 color themes. While Glidden also chose soothing colors of nature and spicy ethnic hues for its palette, the company deviated from CMG's forecasts with the introduction of an intense grouping called Color Therapy, which includes chemical yellows, electric greens, laboratory pinks and liquid-crystal blues.

Glidden is also focusing on retro-themed greens, pinks and reds, and named a dusty pink called Movie Star as its color of the year. The company bills Movie Star as a "masculine pink" that appeals to both sexes.

For more information visit www.glidden.com.

ONCE UPON A MATTRESS

If you're shopping for a new bed, the array of choices can be mind-boggling. Bragada Luxury Mattress recently introduced to its Ultra Luxury collection a new top-of-the-line mattress, Vellagio, that combines many of the features that buyers desire.

DEEP SLEEP - The 15-inch Vellagio mattress from Bragada features layers of dense visco-elastic memory foam, medical magnets and an inch of cashmere. CNS Photo courtesy of Bragada Luxury Mattress Inc.

Inside the Vellagio is a layer of BIOFlex medical magnets, which are believed to aid circulation and healing. Layers of visco-elastic memory foam help relieve pressure on the body. The layers are wrapped in a soft bamboo fabric. Topping the 15-inch mattress is an inch of cashmere and more memory foam for year-round comfort.

Bragada claims it is one of only two mattress makers that use the authentic visco-elastic memory cell foam technology that was developed by NASA (the other mattress maker is Tempur-Pedic). Their beds are manufactured in the U.S. using a substance called MDI. Bragada says MDI is superior to the toxic chemical TDI, which other manufacturers use to make mattresses using visco-elastic foam. Bragada says its beds are also anti-mite and anti-allergy.

Vellagio mattress prices range from $1,993 for twin sizes, up to $2,800 for a California king, not including foundations. The mattresses come with a lifetime guarantee.