And yet, color is the element that is most changeable, least stable in a quilt over time.
I think that much as I love color, I've learned to look beyond it when scanning quilts that I like, say on Pinterest or in a show. I get frustrated with friends and family who can't seem to look beyond the colors of types of fabric pictured when I suggest a design or style of quilt. So I guess for myself, actual colors are not the key element -- I'll be more about the values or the contrasts. It's reflected in my shopping too -- I am never one to spend a long time debating between 5 shades of beige or which white "goes".
Even as I say that color isn't the key for me, I admit I make exceptions -- there are some Kaffe Fassett designs where the colors are the star players, and nothing can alter that.