Consumers favor blues, grays and greens

Consumers have the blues, AS three out of 10 name blue as their go-to design color. Shades include navy, turquoise, peacock, teal, cobalt, blue-gray, pale blue and robin's egg blue. A 34-year-old from New York loves blue because it "livens up the room and other colors coordinate well with it, including yellow, gray and fuchsia." A 29-year-old from Pennsylvania thinks blue can be "elegant or fun and looks great with metallics."

Grays are the second-most popular, chosen by 18% of consumers answering the exclusive Home Accents Today and Apartment Therapy survey. A 27-year-old from New York describes gray as "the new beige" and a 30-year-old from Virginia says gray is "neutral, but not boring." A 37-year-old from Oregon explains gray as "versatile, clean and classic."

Shades of green were picked by 13% of respondents. Specific hues include chartreuse, emerald, avocado, mint, mossy green, pea green and seafoam. Nature is the inspiration for many green lovers. A 26-year-old from the District of Columbia simply "likes the outdoors." A 46-year-old from Virginia has used green for years, explaining "green is calming, pretty, can be neutral and goes great with my old favorites - black and white."

Blues and grays are most popular with those living in the South and Northeast, while greens are most popular with those living in the West and Midwest.

The majority of responding consumers describe their decorating style as eclectic. This makes sense as three out of four say they prefer their home to have an unplanned look. The remaining quarter say they like a complete, coordinated vibe in their household.