As reliable as the first furls of foliage poking up from the soil, lawns awakening from winter slumber and trees leafing out, green is the surest sign of spring.

Get ready for a greening up of the interior landscape as well. Pink quartz and serenity may be the proclaimed Pantone colors of the year, but a verdant range of green is sooo money.

In January at the Paris Maison & Objet furnishings exposition, palm fronds dominated patterns trends. Why? There's the obvious exotic tropical appeal. But it's all about the green. Green velvet. Green leather. Moody inky tones. Rich emerald. Even that old standby, Kelly. Blue-based spruces are dialed down from teals. Lemon-based. A dash of olive. On sofas, chairs, lighting, housewares.

Fashion designers also are enamored. Green in spring collections include a grass offering at Dolce + Gabbana, a python trench coat from Burberry, lace from Gucci, suede pumps from Manolo Blahnik, agate rock candy bangle bracelets from Ippolita. There's also classic packaging: Think of the iconic Orange verte products from Hermes in the familiar emerald bottles, and a new woodsy fragrance from Armani called Vert Malachite, which comes in a bottle with the gem's characteristic swirly markings.

The trend is not surprising, says Ann Haagenson, divisional merchandise manager for Anthropologie. The retailer shows its fondness for the hue in a number of spring introductions for home decor.

"Green naturally evokes a sense of the season and new beginnings," says Haagenson. "It's been a long winter for some, so a nod to nature is especially welcome. There is an eagerness for positivity and hope, for the optimism that the color represents."

We've certainly seen it before. Just a few years back, malachite was all the rage and, like animal prints, that look never seems to fade.

"Malachite has become a decorator classic. The material -- and the color -- is popular in everything from bar gadgets to decorative accessories, even as the inspiration for wallpaper," Haagenson says. "It's inspiring in spite of its prevalence, especially when it appears in unexpected places like a malachite bench I saw in a solarium of Milan's Villa Necchi. It was striking, and a supreme example of luxury."

And then there's the sometimes kitschy, exuberant chartreuse or those tart lemon-limes that seem to pop up every summer. Still, this new planting of green seems richer, perhaps even a little more sophisticated and nuanced.

"Green is the new black," says interior designer Gary Lee, who also is at the helm of a curated furnishings collection in Chicago's Merchandise Mart.

"The greens we are using are dimensional, with undertones of black and/or gold, like one of our credenzas (for Atelier Gary Lee), which is in noir green," he says. "It relates depth, interest and warmth. When using green, textures are important to how the color works in palettes. There's something very soothing about the new greens. Something very elegant, yet natural."

When Miami designer Sam Robin created a bachelor's loft retreat as part of an Elle Decor magazine-sponsored Modern Life concept house during Art Basel/Design Miami in December, she was trying to bring the outside in. Situated in a 6,000-square-foot penthouse in the city's hip Wynwood Arts District, the condo featured a deck filled with lush plantings.

Also mindful of the artsy vibe, Robin married industrial chic -- using wallcovering that looked like exposed brick -- with style and elegance. Behind a bed, a stunning headboard that looked like a green-and-white agate slab was actually a printed-out version of the stone on aluminum board with layers of resin and sparkle to simulate the mineral, created by artist Alex Turco. Robin laced citrus hues throughout with furniture from Roche Bobois and small tables from Robicara, a company she co-owns.

"In Florida we do a lot of inside out, bringing nature in with incredible living walls. I am loving these greens," she says. "Two years ago I was traveling in India, and there was a scene with gorgeous grasses and women wearing identical grass green saris." The image stuck. Also a no-brainer in Robin's design: the integration of large-leaf foliage. And all the greens pop against the neutral grays.

Then again, certain shades of green may well substitute for gray.

"I love a gray-green that reads as a punchy taupe," says Haagenson. "This color works with both cool and warm tones."

Los Angeles-based designer Barbara Barry long has embraced greens as neutrals. In her launch of the new Milling Road for Baker Furniture, designer Kara Mann made some strong statements with seating in suedes and velvets, in a dark, moody shade she called "midnight green."

What to call some of these new greens is a challenge. While so many are just plain "greens," in Europe, some are referred to as "golf." There may be "grass," and then there's the familiar "forest" and "Caribbean." The kicky, saturated bright known as "Kelly," a preppy staple with navy that was especially popular in the 1970s, is back.

"Kelly green is a sporty sense of the color," says Haagenson. "It evokes fun and inspires energy."

Launching its new custom line of furniture, Anthropologie trotted out its ranges of colors in striking rows of the same chair silhouette.

Even the mention of certain colors elicits visceral reactions. For so long, avocado was one of those, forged in the context of kitchen appliances during an era that also included harvest gold. But the shade of avocado that you might see today is a little bit truer to the real fruit; it's just probably called "guacamole" or something else.

So how do you integrate some of the new greens?

Unless you are secure in bold choices, the brights probably are better in accent pieces, like a single statement chair or even a side table. The latter could be in a lacquer (emerald) or shagreen (sharkskin), or stone, either real or faux. A softer green is quiet enough to make a design dent; in an otherwise neutral scheme, it can be simply refreshing. Supplement it with a piece of art in the same shade. A landscape or abstract piece that may include a touch of metallic gold for sparkle also can introduce a verdant touch. If it's hung near a window or door overlooking a garden or trees, it really will make an impact.

Paint the walls -- or one feature wall. Or paper them in a bold green graphic or malachite, a chevron or stripe. Lucky clover stripes at WallPops from Brewster Home (www.wallpops.com) are affordable (recently $10.99 on Amazon) and are peel-and-stick, so you can remove them when you want to move on to something else.

Choose a pendant light that features green. Some glass and metal combinations are like jewelry.

If you don't want to make a huge commitment, try an accessory. Solid color pillows will pop, but patterns may add an artistic touch. One in printed linen at CB2 has a watercolor look that feels like a painting on a sofa or chair. Choose a pretty tray to organize small items on a cocktail table; textures can be welcome for subtlety. Check out beautiful boxes or trivets in agate or other stones, such as those by Anna New York (www.annanewyork.com). Utilize napkins, placemats and dinnerware. Or change out the pulls on a dresser or cabinet.

Of course, any live greenery imported into interiors transforms the space. Bunches of pale green hydrangeas, giant fronds or lacey asparagus ferns refresh. Vertical gardens have captured the imagination in recent years, and there's nothing like having fresh herbs at hand when you're cooking or grilling. At Williams-Sonoma, several styles of hanging containers are available. When the cells are filled, the contrasting foliage is like a living piece of art.

Then there's the once-ubiquitous wheatgrass, a favorite prop accessory for magazine stylists, in low, rectangular containers. Pop one of those on your dining table, and your friends will be green with envy.

Sources

-- Aerin Lauder, 866-647-3330, www.aerin.com

-- Anthropologie, 800-309-2500, www.anthropologie.com

-- Arper, 212-647-8900, www.arper.com

-- Atelier Gary Lee, 312-644-4400, www.ateliergarylee.com

-- CB2, 800-606-6252, www.cb2.com

-- Issey Miyake Home collection by Iittala at MoMa, 800-851-4509, www.momastore.org

-- L'Objet, 855-562-5388, www.l-objet.com

-- Lalique, 888-488-2580, www.lalique.com/en

-- Kara Mann/Milling Road, 800-592-2537, www.mr.bakerfurniture.com

-- Roche Bobois, 312-955-0275, www.roche-bobois.com/en

-- Sam Robin Design, 305-375-0727, www.samrobin.com

-- Vista Alegre, available at Michael C. Fina, 800-289-3462, www.michaelcfina.com; www.vistaalegre.com

-- Williams-Sonoma, 877-812-6235, www.williams-sonoma.com

(For editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker at chooker@amuniversal.com.)

Weaving personality into home decor while making it relevant regardless of style requires a honed eye, spot-on instincts, the expertise of a trusted designer and imaginative resources. Color, a deft mix of beautiful fabrics, and well-chosen art and accessories, layering and texture add punctuation. And vintage, one-of-a-kind or handcrafted pieces really bring generic sofas, tables and chests to life.

The thrill of the hunt is everything for some shoppers, especially when you land that special piece. So is a good sale. Whether you're shopping Portobello Road in London, a Marrakech souk or a dazzling bazaar in Mumbai, part of the fun is exploring global marketplaces. When you find a bargain among precious items that are barely affordable, it's a real treat. And sometimes you don't even have to worry about having enough cash: Vendors in the flea markets of Florence and Paris make it easier by taking credit cards.

In the last 15 years, "e-tail" sites have been game-changers, changing the landscape of furniture buying. They allow you to scroll through thousands of "curated" antiques and unique pieces, in addition to well-known furnishings and designer brands, 24/7. Some of the products are part of "flash" sales, where the added allure is the savings off a suggested retail price for a short window of time. Like retailers and catalogs trying to set themselves apart, the websites now offer engaging features on a variety of design topics.

For luxe goods, there's nothing quite like 1stdibs (www.1stdibs.com), which covers furniture, lighting, fine art, jewelry, fashion and vintage haute couture from top dealers around the world -- "the most beautiful things on earth." It's like a tour through art history and design museums. Where else are you likely to find a 17th-century polychromatic horn lice comb ($9,500), an English Civil War Parliamentary helmet ($4,500), a rare 17th-century Dutch rosewood, ebony and tortoiseshell cabinet ($390,485), or a specially priced Tiffany Russian table lamp?

It's as valuable an asset for interior designers as it is consumers browsing over coffee on a Saturday morning. "For one-of-a-kind items for the high end, it saves scouring antique malls or searching around the country," says Tobi Fairley (www.tobifairley.com), a Little Rock, Arkansas-based interior designer who also designs products for CR Laine and Woodbridge Furniture. "It could take days or years to find what's all in one place."

Launched 15 years ago by Michael Bruno, a luxury real estate dealer, his focus on Marche aux Puces was brilliant, bringing the famous Paris flea market online, starting out with 100 new items per week. Now, 1stdibs embraces an entire global marketplace. In addition, there's an online luxe magazine, Introspective, as well as a style blog. And 1stdibs operates a 33,000-square-foot gallery on the 10th floor of the New York Design Center at 200 Lexington in New York City.

It's no wonder that other e-tailers have kept pace.

One of the newer sites, Dering Hall (www.deringhall.com), filled a niche for connecting the interior design trade and consumers looking for high-end design. Besides the 500-plus curated products it sells, Dennis Sarlo, Dering Hall's editorial director, recognizes the need for value-added with features such as Lookbook.

"Basically the edit is what draws a lot of people," says Sarlo. "We might cover a particular architect or designer's project. There's a mix of content, ideas. If we do a feature on ottomans, we shop the site like consumers and choose the most striking to talk about. The goal with all is to keep (the look on the page) crisp, focused pretty much on the product -- not overwhelming with a lot of stuff everywhere."

An uncluttered visual presentation clearly is a draw. When One Kings Lane (www.onekingslane.com) came on the scene in 2009, designers flocked to the site largely because they liked the fresh presentation: crisp photos often cued up according to color, with lots of air in between. Another instant winner: vintage and flea market pages and tag sales from designers and style visionaries like Paige Rense, former editor for Architectural Digest magazine. Her sale featured her own furniture, art, books, jewelry and several Hermes Birkin bags.

Tobi Fairley says that tag sales are a welcome vehicle for designers.

"I keep a very limited inventory," says Fairley. "It's a great way to recoup expenses."

Jason Oliver Nixon and John Loecke at the High Point, North Carolina-based Madcap Cottage (www.madcapcottage.com) have had many successful tag sales with One Kings Lane as well. Nixon believes the most obvious appeal of e-tail sites is accessibility.

"It's more democratized," he says. "A playing field some people never would have had access to. It's the idea of surprise and delight, like the slogan from (grand dame Chicago retailer) Marshall Field's: 'Give the lady what she wants.'"

That said, you need to do your homework when you're buying high-ticket items without professional advice. Studying the websites themselves is a good start.

Blogs, of course, have become such an integral part of retailer and manufacturer websites; consider Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn or a lifestyle brand such as Aerin Lauder. Beautiful, inspirational images and storytelling are compelling; readers crave the insider tips.

Content on e-tail sites covers an enormous range, from how-tos (organize your closet, dress your bed), 10 best (pendant lights, bar carts, etc.), entertaining (mouthwatering food shots and recipes), personal tips from designers, even travel destinations like one in the Italian Dolomites on The Study, 1stdibs' blog. Wayfair (www.wayfair.com) recently called out four ways to entertain on game day, including images for building your own panini station; and, of course, for sale access to all the components.

A One Kings Lane feature on how to organize your jewelry may reach out to the person to whom boxes likely resonate ("amazing at tiptoeing the line between form and function"), and assigns a style icon (here, Audrey Hepburn). And you can add appropriate product to a cart with the click of a mouse, of course.

Shop the Look on Dering Hall may focus on a particular style, like "a charming chalet with modern edge." Cool enough, but one example features Nicky Dobree, billed as one of the leading luxury chalet designers in the world. Following a gorgeous room shot depicting elements of the style, are products to buy: twiggy pendant lights, a hide cube, antelope wall art, tartan fabric, kelim ... you get the idea.

In addition, you can browse Dering Hall's Look Book, which is kind of like Pinterest or Instagram. If you click on a particular shot you like, you'll see an attribution, as well as a way to contact the designer. There's also a tab for locating design pros.

Still another website, Viyet (www.viyet.com), operates as an online high-end furnishings consignment shop, where you might score a Christian Liaigre chair. The company's mission is to inspire interior redesign -- at 50 to 80 percent below retail prices.

One of the more recent entries to the e-commerce world is Bezar, now AHAlife (www.ahalife.com), founded by Bradford Shellhammer. This marketplace for modern design covers art, house and jewelry, and has digital pop-up shops from handpicked designers who sell products in three-day "bursts." Simple premise: "where people who design special things connect with people who desire special things ... authentic and (with) a story ... a little bit bizarre ... things with heart."

Such connectivity seems to resonate -- even when buying a hip, well designed portable grill.

Sources

-- Bezar, now AHAlife, 855-848-3778, www.ahalife.com

-- Dering Hall, 917-512-6900, www.deringhall.com

-- 1stdibs, www.1stdibs.com

-- Madcap Cottage, 917-318-0006, www.madcapcottage.com

-- One Kings Lane, www.onekingslane.com

-- Tobi Fairley & Associates, 501-868-9882, www.tobifairley.com

-- Viyet, 844-924-8717, www.viyet.com

-- Wayfair, www.wayfair.com

SIBEBAR

QUICK SCROLL

-- Bezar, now AHAlife. Originally launched in 2015 by Bradford Shellhammer, an online design marketplace with hip, curated products. Recent cool picks: blue atomic ottoman from The Modern Historic, $300, with black iron X base and authentic 1950s barkcloth upholstery; city plates by notNeutral, Los Angeles-based design house, including New Orleans, Dubai, L.A., Amsterdam and Mumbai at $45 (10 percent off).

-- Dering Hall, launched 2011 by Peter Sallick, CEO of high-end bathwares line, Waterworks, and New York interior designer Steven Gambrel. Combines top-secret intel with luxury home good marketplace, with access to design pros. Create an account, personal or trade. Recently for sale: Dorset coffee table mauve by Maxine Snyder, $2,325 (list $6,975); Radiata handblown glass pendant $1,155 (list $2,310).

-- 1stdibs, launched in 2001 by Michael Bruno. A global online marketplace for furniture, art, jewelry -- "the most beautiful things on earth," where "the finest antique shops are always open." Must register. Recent posts include an "exceptionally rare George I silvered gesso pier table," circa 1715, for $68,000; and an Art Deco plywood and chromium-plated metal wastepaper basket by Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann, $2,500

-- One Kings Lane, launched 2009 by co-founders Susan Feldman and Alison Pincus. New sales daily; most last 72 hours; top brands, vintage and designer. Tastemaker tag sales (personal collections) plus clearance. Recent finds: overdyed green vintage handwoven Tabriz rug, $2,199 (69 percent off list $6,999); Kemp accent chair, Cerulean, by Kim Salmela, $899 (23 percent off $1,169). Nice style touch: "Why We Love This" commentary.

-- Viyet, launched in 2013 by Rachel Rodin and Louise Youngson-Klasfeld. Pronounced "VEE-yet," a play on the design term vignette; mission to inspire interior re-design. Online consignment shop features pre-owned designer furnishings with strong brand recognition. Average resale is $1,800, marked down from of an average retail price of $4,600. Join now offer of 10 percent off first order. Recent posts: Holly Hunt modern chaise lounge, retail $5,850, selling for $2,925; French 4-by-5-foot vintage 1950s wine poster, retail $4,000, selling for $1,200.

-- Wayfair, launched in 2002 by Niraj Shah and Steve Conine. An online destination for "a zillion things home." Family of merchants includes AllModern, Birch Lane, DwellStudio and Joss & Main. Free shipping on orders over $49 from furniture to flatware. Recent buys: Langford 92-inch sofa by Dwell Studio, $1,660, 20 percent off of suggested retail of $2,089; Renaissance gold five-piece place setting by Wedgewood, $93.99, 59 percent off $230 retail.

(For editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker at chooker@amuniversal.com.)

When Benjamin Moore unveiled its 2016 color of the year at a glittery fall gala event in New York City, reactions were black and white. "They phoned it in," sniffed a few designers. "Lame," offered some others. But more than a few voices echoed enthusiastically and succinctly: "Perfect!"

The color: white. Particularly, the shade Simply White, OC-117, which the paint manufacturer describes as timeless, "fresh as the first snowfall, clean, crisp." Its versatility is unrivaled, according to Ellen O'Neill, Benjamin Moore's creative director.

She continues: "From weathered wainscoting to crisp canvas shades, porcelain tile to picket fences, white is everywhere in every form -- that's why we chose it."

Taking cues from architecture, fashion, textiles, home furnishings and the arts, the Benjamin Moore Color Studio considers all in the context of research gleaned from attending major shows around the world.

In further explaining the rationale for white, O'Neill chose more generic references to the hue.

"The color white is transcendent, powerful and polarizing -- it is either taken for granted or obsessed over," says O'Neill. "White is not just a design trend, it is a design essential. The popularity of white, the necessity of white, the mystique of white is quantifiable in our industry. Of the top 10 best-selling Benjamin Moore colors, variants of white occupy five spots. (The paint manufacturer actually features more than 250 shades of white.) It was inevitable that we would ultimately recognize white."

There is an allure to snowy white interiors, especially when they're nuanced in tones and textures. When designer Paola Navone designed a memorable space for the Italian manufacturer Baxter, she teamed leather, lacquer, perforated metal and Tibetan lamb, all in modern forms. Though monochromatic, the result was rich as it was pristine.

For some, the all-reflective white is a prism through which to view modern decor. But many designers also like the way white can modernize traditional. It simplifies and encourages reducing clutter and all things heavy. It also makes older pieces feel more current. It magically adds life to small, dark spaces. It works equally well in rustic natural interiors, with weathered woods and linens, as it does with glamorous decor, often accented with gold.

It's no secret that many architects and designers love white.

"White (upholstery) shows off the lines of furniture," says Michelle Lamb, a Minneapolis-based internationally known trend forecaster and publisher of The Trend Curve for design professionals.

Lamb is intrigued with the newest infatuation with white, as she points out the difference between trend and basic -- the latter, an integral part of a home's wardrobe of furnishings.

"Gorgeous shapes in tableware can be a trend within a collection," says Lamb. "But even when white is no longer a trend, it is so usable, because it never stops being a basic."

Currently, Lamb says, white is trendy.

"Think back to the 1980s when for home decor there was nothing more important than layers of white," says Lamb, "differentiated only by texture. Black and white falls into the basic camp, but like white alone, (the scheme) jumps on the bell curve of trends from time to time."

As a trend in home product design, white is beginning to settle into starring role. It started percolating a few years back at the European furnishings shows like Maison & Objet in Paris, when the ever-present white upholstery took a back seat to white furniture frames -- in seating as well as casegoods such as cabinets, consoles and chests of drawers -- as big news. We saw both matte and high-gloss finishes and even textures, sometimes on the same piece. We saw fresh mixes with wood, from dark to light.

In tabletop, we saw single plates with shiny/dull combinations, often in geometric or asymmetric patterns, or matte or bisque dinnerware with embossed patterns.

The white even moved outdoors. This was most recently apparent at the September Casual Furniture Market in Chicago, in the striking Dansk collection from Gloster, which hit all the style and reference points: modern shape, combination of warm teak with white outdoor leather.

At the fall furniture market in High Point, North Carolina, there were more corroborations of the white trend, hitting some glamorous notes with a touch of luxe in teaming with gold. Shiny brass and matte gilt, not so unusual in lighting design, found expressions beyond jewelry-like hardware, trim and accessories.

Currey & Co. introduced an eye-catching, contemporary interpretation of Eastern style with its Zhin cabinet. Its white glossy surface is matched with equally statement-making gold hardware, and even the interiors vie for attention in a vivid red finish. As a chair or console frame, gold becomes an exclamation, as in sculptural seating by Koket. And very different from more fussy gilded baroque frames is Theodore Alexander's Renata accent chair, gilt framed but sleek, with only a few turns at the end of its arms and its feet, thoroughly modern.

Even the classic enamelware (oval or round) covered casserole from Le Creuset, got a dressed up look: its shiny white body topped with a metallic gold (or silver) knob.

The other face of white is in combination with woods, which Lamb says is more interesting when the pairing is with blonde or lighter-hued woods. "It makes the whole thing even more lightweight. We're not layering neutrals as much as we are layering neutralized colors, pale and complex peaches and blushes." Or even pale cappuccinos.

The seeming subtleties are exactly what appeal to some decorators. Washington designer Darryl Carter calls white rooms "more complex than they appear because there are no distractions. Every choice becomes critical."

Many designers have a favorite shade of white. For Allison Paladino, who designs for EJ Victor and whose firm is based in Jupiter, Florida, it's Benjamin Moore's Sugar Cookie. For Atlanta-based Suzanne Kasler, who has a line of furniture with Hickory Chair and Ballard Designs, it's White Dove.

For many designers, a real game changer has been more acceptability with white, especially in upholstery, due to the proliferation of performance fabrics. Not only are the offerings sturdy, but the finishes range from linen, velvet, chenille and leather lookalikes that no longer live in fear of red wine.

As a foundation for a room's design, white wields a lot of power without shouting -- as it makes colors pop.

No matter if we embrace 50 or more shades of white in a holistic monochromatic interiors scheme, there seems to be one element that's appealing to most. Just like organization in the new year, a cleansing of the palette can be downright restorative.

Sources

-- Alden Parkes, 336-885-2265, www.aldenparkes.com

-- BDI, 703-803-6900, www.bdiusa.com

-- Benjamin Moore, 855-724-6802, www.benjaminmoore.com

-- Bernhardt, 828-758-9811, www.bernhardt.com

-- Currey & Co., 877-768-6428, www.curreyco.com

-- Frederick Cooper at Wildwood Lamps, 252-446-3266, www.witdwoodtamps.com

-- Gloster, 434-575-1003, www.gloster.com

-- Grovemade, 971-229-0528, www.grovemade.com

-- Henredon, 800-444-3682, www.henredon.com

-- Hickory Chair, 800-225-0265, www.hickorychair.com

-- Jamie Young Co., 888-671-5883, www.jamieyoung.com

-- Jayson Home, 800-472-1885, www.jaysonhome.com

-- Joe Ruggiero at M/T Co., 336-885-7500, www.themtcompany.com

-- Koket, 703-369-3324, www.bykoket.com

-- LAUFEN, 866-696-2493, www.us.laufen.com

-- Le Creuset, 877-418-5547, www.lecreuset.com

-- Libby Langdon for Bradburn Gallery Home, 404-355-8624, www.bradburngallery.com

-- Theodore Alexander, 336-885-5005, www.theodorealexander.com

-- Universal Furniture, 336-822-8888, www.universalfurniture.com

-- Visual Comfort & Co., 866-344-3875, www.visualcomfortlightinglights.com

SIDEBAR

Metals and gilt finishes are not new in lamp design. But they're playing different roles, and in combinations with translucent stones such as quartz and marble, the design takes on a warmer glow and sophistication. The key to all: simple shapes.

(For editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker at chooker@amuniversal.com.)