EMBRACE CHANGE
Seasonal tweaks provide wonderful way to liven up spaces, Colin and Justin write.
OK, so you'd like to suffuse a calendar-specific, tailored mood chez vous without breaking the bank. And who could blame you? Economics as they are, it's sensible to tighten the proverbial purse (without sacrificing style), at every conceivable juncture.
Let's start with paint, an easy tool with which to transact seasonal change. As much as we're known for colourful glow ups, our default choices are actually white, cream or palest beige, with subsequent “higher” layers courtesy of accent zones, textiles and accessories. We suggest Chantilly Lace (benjaminmoore. ca), enlivened with punchy tones (perhaps yellow, “on-trend” green or zingy orange), as summer looms large.
Lighting is another key ally in the quest for decorative transition, and, planned correctly, it can be thoroughly uplifting. We love the “tilt and turn” trend. Consider an achingly cool Paul Smith Anglepoise lumiere (at around $500), or save your hardearned bucks with a look-a-like Swing Arm Desk Lamp for just $65. Let there be light: check them out at hutk.ca and canadiantire.ca respectively.
Mercury in the ascendant, it's time to whip down winter drapery in favour of diaphanous, summery sheers or window blinds. Ikea has great deals, while custom manufacturer Amazing Window Fashions (amazingwindowfashions.ca) offer standards and service that are hard to beat.
Another way to flex living-room mood (especially if you're commitment-skittish) is upholstery.
Visit Homesense for fashionforward toss pillows, blankets, ottomans and ancillary furniture, mindful that a jaunty accent chair, a touchy-feely bed throw or a clutch of squashy cushions will immediately propel your space (on a temporary basis, if required) from chilly to inviting.
In the bathroom, ignore any “counsel” that alludes to avocado (or worse still, “chocolate”), tones making a comeback. Bathrooms have big-ticket costs, so tread carefully: for dependable hardware with style notes defiant of their price points, visit americanstandard.ca
If simply freshening up, embrace the incoming season with jolly bath towels, a zesty floor rug from bedbathandbeyond.ca and a smart shower curtain from jysk.ca
As proprietors of North Star (hellonorthstar.ca), our Cape Breton resort, we've taken the seasonal adjustment logic to new levels. Navigate the fraught journey (from purchase to rebrand and launch) via our TV show Colin and Justin's Hotel Hell, streaming now on CBC Gem. It is an exclusively summer/fall side hustle, so it creates a natural timetable, one that finds us shopping for accessories and artwork in March and April to get kitted out before our June reopening.
Our “seasonal adjustment” bullet point primer:
Freshen your colour scheme for brighter days ahead. If dark, lighten up with a roster of paint, textiles and accessories.
De-clutter and build smart systems to make your home run efficiently. This removes a level of seasonal stress.
Pack away heavy woollen throws and replace with light cotton alternatives. These will feel cooler and less cumbersome.
Impart a natural, outdoorsy feel with fresh flowers or plants, and display in clear tank vases or white painted tubs.
Opt for sunny yellow, sky blue or tangerine splashes to welcome the new season.
Replace broken or worn items, and lose duplicates that consume space. They're taking up real estate that would be better detailed with seasonal kit to reawaken atmosphere.
Hang some art — such as beach scenes, abstract canvases or suggestive seasonal photography — to help you engage with the changing calendar.
Transform a bare patio into ancillary living space. Even the smallest condo balcony can morph into a tempting, alfresco dining nook with folding chairs and a compact table.