I like bright true colors the best. While I like some of the designs of say Thimbleberries I don't like the muted muddy colors. The same goes for Civil war fabrics. If I make something from the more muted colors I have to add a small border of either black or something intense like true red. Brown is my least favorite color. I only use it when it is important for the design like a tree or wood etc. I love floral prints and stripes. The main reason I use solid colors of anything is because my handquilting shows up best on a plain surface. The mottled or tone on tone fabrics also work well for showcasing the quilting.