Choose between whites or brights to liven up your home
Painting a room or a tired piece of furniture is a quick, easy, affordable way to freshen up decor
Just as they ruled the runway last year, pale, blush tones are dominating home decor this spring. That’s because they’re both pretty and practical, says Sharon Grech, colour and design spokeswoman for Benjamin Moore, which chose white as its colour of the year.
“It seemed like the right time,” says Grech. “We’ve been lightening up over the past few years, with more and more pastels. You can’t get more light than white!”
The move toward lighter colours and whites is partly a response to over-programmed lives, she suggests.
“There is no shortage of talk about simplifying our lives and de-cluttering mentally as well as physically,” says Grech. “There’s nothing like white to give the idea of a blank slate, of starting over.”
Not all whites are created equal, nor are they interchangeable, says Grech. The right white will depend on the direction the room faces and what textiles, furniture and flooring it will have.
“It will make a difference whether, say, there’s a lot of greenery or a brick wall outside the window,” explains Grech, who advises homeowners to narrow down choices to two or three whites on a colour deck and then sample them on walls.
Benjamin Moore sells sample pots that cover about 100 square feet, enough to get an accurate reading of the shade.
“Until you see them side by side, you don’t realize how much variation there can be in whites,” says Grech.
Ideally, swatches of the colour should be painted on walls both nearest and farthest from the window to get a sense of how undertones present.
While white may be big news with decor hounds, there will always be those who thirst for colour, which is perhaps why Para chose a juicy, spicy red as its statement colour for 2016.
“It’s a classic,” says Para colour specialist Janine May. “Who argues with alittle black dress with a red purse, or a simple ruby?” she asks.
The very bold may do a full-on red room, says Mays. For many, it’s better suited to a room with a limited amount of wall space on view, such as the kitchen, where it also functions as an appetite stimulant. It works too in spaces that are used infrequently, such as dining or powder rooms.
Using red as an accent with woods in neutral grey, bleached and walnut tones makes a striking choice for a feature wall, adds May.
Colour is also creeping into cabinetry, offering another opportunity to enliven the kitchen. CIL’s Realife Furniture and Cabinets formula makes it easy to handle the task – just remove the doors and paint them flat on a table or floor for a smooth finish. If you need more technical or colour advice, CIL has an “Ask An Expert” service in which consumers can get personalized answers to individual design dilemmas.
Both May and Grech suggest painting a tired piece of furniture is a good way to refresh home decor for spring. May likes the idea of red chairs with a white dining table, possibly in highgloss. Grech suggests refreshing outdoor chairs with a coat of paint, or doing an art wall in a bright white. Painting a door — interior or exterior — is another design shortcut for a room that needs a facelift.
Another fast and easy option for furniture is Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint. Water-based, and low-VOC, it can be used on walls, floors, wood, concrete, matt plastic, earthenware, brick and stone — inside or out. Impatient types will like its dense consistency, which means it can be used with very little preparation, it dries quickly, and brushes wash out easily with water.
After painting, pieces are brushed with wax to add sheen and enhance durability. There are 32 colours in the line, which co-ordinate with Sloan’s line of fabrics, set to launch in Canada in May.
Whatever size of paint project tackled, this is an ideal time to get it done, says Grech. “If you’re doing your spring cleaning, you need to take things off the wall anyway. Why not paint at the same time? It’s the ultimate way to get a fresh, clean look.”