Don’t worry, be happy
Home decor doesn’t have be awash with neutrals. Get adventurous with colour, says Sharon Newey.
Do you risk taking yourself too seriously in your decorating style? Are you a bit over highly curated interiors? Jump on the trend wagon and create a happy interior.
Having a happy, relaxing home environment lifts spirits. After a hard day at work, having a home you can truly call your sanctuary and that makes you feel good is a huge benefit.
It’s not just about using bright colours and child-like designs. It’s about adding a bit of quirk, the unexpected, something that makes you and guests smile. It might be a humorous artwork or a cheerfully coloured chair. A whimsical wallpaper, perhaps, or a collection of cutesy Kiwiana.
Give yourself permission to be adventurous and resist getting sucked into the vortex of neutral interiors. Get a bit zany with a bold print – start out slow by using funky cushions or ornaments.
Says Miss Lolo founder Tamzyn Adding: ‘‘A lively interior doesn’t need to cost the Earth. You can change the entire look and feel of a room with some fun wallpaper. I’m not a fan of the feature wall. If you want to make an impact, then wallpaper the whole room – don’t be shy. Just bear in mind things like drapery and furniture. You want to make sure that the wallpaper complements them. Throw on a selection of mismatched and eclectic cushions (that work tonally with the wallpaper) and – voila – you’ve completely transformed the feel of the space.’’
Adding believes you don’t have to go crazy with colour to achieve a fun interior. ‘‘Pops of colour – whether it’s through art, cushions, throws or rugs – can sometimes be all a room needs.’’
Use decorating accessories that transport you to your happy place… maybe when you were on holiday somewhere. Try tropical motifs or potted palms, beachy-style furnishings or a smattering of exotic finds from far-flung lands.
Smother your walls in an oversized floral print and do like Dorothy in The Wizard of
Oz – lie down amid the flowers and dream. Says interior designer Debbie Omond of Wellington-based Compose Interiors: ‘‘The key to lively interiors is most easily done with layers – layering pattern, texture, colour and keeping it personal by adding AUGUST 31, 2019
your own unique treasures.’’ She advises to vary scale to add interest: ‘‘For example, sit a tight pattern next to a larger loose pattern, then link a colour between the two.’’ She suggests using tiles in a creative way, and texture or tongue-and-groove panelling to perk up a plain wall. ‘‘My philosophy will always be, ‘If you love it, make it work.’ It’s satisfying to take a risk and achieve a result that surprises you in a good way.’’
Christchurch interior designer Becky Lee loves lively spaces so much she painted her dining table hot pink.
She says: ‘‘Lively interiors have a sense of soul, an undeniable buzz that hums at a frequency you just can’t ignore. When you go into these interiors your senses are ignited by a curated combination of colour, pattern, interesting vignettes, plays on light, objects, art, sound and smell. To make your interior more lively, let your personality shine through. Cast aside any worries about what other people might think and have fun with your choices. A couple of years ago I tired of my white dining table – the solution was three coats of high gloss Resene Smitten – an inexpensive transformation that lifted the whole kitchen and dining and makes everyone smile when they visit.’’
The psychology of colour tells us that certain shades make us happy. Yellow is the obvious one, for its sunshiny uplifting connotations. It’s also a colour that’s trending as wintry ochres morph into lighter yellows for spring and summer. Red is an energising colour, and is known to stimulate the appetite.
Christchurch Resene colour consultant Rebecca Long says bright cheerful colours will always lift your mood: jade green, yellow, orange and hot pink. ‘‘These colours all have a fresh, energetic nature. For example, Resene Away We Go is a vivid, spring green with an electric glow. Resene Hive’s hot, honey hue brings sunshine to any space, Resene XOXO and Resene Irresistible are both bursting with charisma. Resene Party Zone is radiant orange with a fluorescent yellow heart.
‘‘There is something so special about seeing cheerful colours in unexpected places such the inside of a cutlery draw. Add cheerful colours to spaces that are often neglected. Hallways don’t need to be neutral. Add a racing stripe of colour down your hall for added energy. Don’t forget about ceilings. A burst of Resene Hive on a laundry ceiling will bring sunshine to your home even on the greyest of days,’’ says Long.
Or you could go the other way, and use soothing restful colours like sea-foam blues or sage greens – it depends if your idea of happiness is about being upbeat and bouncy or zoning out.
Happy interiors are not purely about the visual. Burn scented candles and add bunches of perfumed flowers for a fuller sensory experience.
It’s also about your actions. Entertain – there’s nothing like a gathering of friends and family to raise the happiness levels in a home… once you’re over the busyness of preparing the food.
Be a wise consumer by buying only what you need and things that bring you joy – you’ll feel happy with more dollars in the bank. Perhaps you can use those on your next holiday.