By Taryn Plumb GLOBE CORRESPONDENT
MARCH
15, 2015
Photos by Josh Reynolds for The Boston Globe / Jessica Rinaldi, Globe Staff / Debee Tlumacki
For
once, fashion and life are perfectly aligned: Sunshine yellow is a
prominent color in home décor this year.
Also
pink, berry, emerald green, and overall “more saturated colors,”
says interior decorator Shawn Strok of Franklin, while more
“painterly, romantic flowers” are emerging in fabric designs.
“After
this winter, everybody wants a little color,” agrees Darilynn
Evans, owner of the Cohasset boutique Darilynn’s Home Presence.
“You
can take an old drab chair and paint it a bright beautiful color for
the spring,” says Ida Staffier Bial, owner of the Topsfield
boutique Some Like it Old ... Some Like it New.
It’s
doubtful that anyone who spent the last two months digging out from
Greater Boston’s endless winter will argue for more white this
year, either outdoors or in. In fact, decorators suggest a range of
flourishes — both subtle and bold — that can help transform your
drab winter hideaway into a warm, welcoming spring refuge.
BRING
NATURE INDOORS
For
starters, it doesn’t get much more colorful than flowers.
“Daffodils
can really brighten up your home,” said Strok, with Decorating Den
Interiors — Strok Design Team. Her suggestion: Place them in a
clear glass vase with a layer of moss. Or display cut grass on a
decorative platter; it’s simple yet earthy.
“Just
a little bit of green really warms up a space,” said Linda Rubin of
Quintessential Interiors in North Easton.
She
suggests bamboo shoots, vines, and curly willows displayed in
inexpensive glass vases.
Green
touches could also be added with cyclamen plants, preserved boxwood,
and topiaries.
And
tulips, with their array of pastel hues, are an inexpensive way to
freshen up a room.
Silk
flowers are another option, Rubin said, as are the early-blooming
cherry blossoms and forsythia, which, when placed on a mantle, “the
color is just going to pop.”
Other
quick and painless ways to rejuvenate your space: Switch out
doormats, sheets, accent pillows, shower curtains, table linens,
napkins, place mats, and serving and dinnerware. Shedding the darker,
heavier accoutrements of winter forthe lighter, brighter ones of
spring can provide a surprising lift.
Even
a
fresh set of bath or kitchen towels can enliven the atmosphere, Evans
pointed out.
“There
are a lot of little things, easy ways just to lighten up, add pops of
color around your house,” she said.
Evans
suggests placing summery-scented candles around a room, creating
table centerpieces with clear glass balls or shells, filling
hurricane lamps with flowers or candles, and vases with lemons and
limes.
Unusual
pieces — such as antique bicycles, futuristic-looking floor lamps,
and oil paintings by obscure artists — can be found at vintage
stores such as Salvage LTD in Arlington.
Owner
Ellen Aronson suggested accents such as antique cameras and globes,
ceramics, and, of course, art.
“One
object can change a room,” she said. “Finding the right painting
or print really can change the look of a room and say something about
you.”
Strok,
meanwhile, said she likes to include elements such as bird statues
arranged in a vignette, tucked away for guests to discover. “It
adds whimsy to a room,” she said.
If
you’re up for a project, get creative by painting an accent wall in
your living room, or lightening up the color of a bathroom (Evans
suggests a subtle pink). Or welcome visitors with a front door newly
painted with a fun seasonal color (and, of course, along with it, a
new welcome mat).
“Paint
for anything does wonders,” said Evans. “It’s a very
inexpensive fix. Plus it renews your spirit as well.”
You
also might try using Chalk Paint, which can be used to coat and
ultimately redefine any surface — fabrics, glass, brass, ceramics,
wood — with a velvety matte finish. Popular overseas for a number
of years and now catching on in this country, the paint brand can be
found in 30-plus colors at Some Like it Old ... Some Like it New.
“You
can change a kitchen really inexpensively,” said Staffier Bial, who
has personally painted redone candelabras, chandeliers, glass vases,
a dining room set, china cabinets, and kitchen cabinets (some on
display in the store) with Chalk Paint.
Ultimately,
when accessorizing, make it a goal to “bounce” a color three
times in a given room to maximize its impact, advised Strok. (For
example, display daffodils on a table, complementing them with a
similarly bright pillow nearby and a splash of yellow on a carpet
across the room.)
“We’re
coming out of the economic downturn, finally, and people really want
to express themselves with color,” Strok said.
But
be sure not to overdo it, Rubin cautioned. Work with your existing
colors to create a nice palette, and aim for clean lines.
“Enhance
what you already have,” she said. “You don’t have to cover
every square inch of a table, or a wall, or a mantle.”
Meanwhile,
if you don’t feel like spending the money (or already have more
than enough stuff), a quick and easy room rearrangement can pay an
unexpected dividend.
Simply
try changing up the mantel, centerpiece, or coffee table, Evans
suggested (definitely removing any remainders of the holidays), swap
out pictures, reposition lamps or tables, move artwork from one room
to another, put heavy area rugs away.
“Roll
it up and just make things simple and clean,” said Evans.
And
there’s a reason it’s called spring cleaning. Notes Rubin:
“Sometimes just decluttering can give you a breath of fresh air.”
Decorating
tips
MARCH
15, 2015
Darilynn
Evans
Darilynn’s
Home Presence, Cohasset
On
plants:
“Have
vases of flowers around, tulips especially, because they’re very
springy.”
On
the dining room:
If
you don’t want to invest in a whole new set of dishes, buy one or
two accent plates or glasses.
On
color:
“Anything
white is always good. It makes things look crisp and fresh.”
Linda
Rubin
Quintessential
Interiors, North Easton
On
patterns:
“Geometric
is always nice to add — a geometric layered with a floral, or with
a solid. But not over the top so your eyes don’t know where to
rest.”
On
furniture:
Buying
just a couple of pieces of furniture in a nice fabric “will really
bring the room to another level.”
On
color:
“Tangerine
is a nice crisp look; you can easily add white accents. It can look
very sharp and upscale.”
Ida
Staffier Bial
Owner
of Some Like It Old...Some Like It New, Topsfield
On
projects:
“One
very quick-and-easy redo to add color is to paint your furniture.”
On
chalk paints:
“They
go with pretty much anything and everything,” with the most popular
hues “soft greens, blues, neutrals, and gray.”
On
general ways to freshen up for spring:
“Transform
the living room by updating and adding colorful pictures, pillows,
throws, rugs.”
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