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- Early spring is the perfect time to get rid of dusty fall accent
colors and start thinking the soft, light hues of spring. Even
if it's cold outside (or snowing for that matter), it's never
too soon to brighten up your home for the warmer months ahead.
For Molly Deas, with the Interior
Design faculty of The Art Institute of Portland, orange is a
key color for spring. "Orange has gotten a bad rap, but
I like to describe the new orange as a candlelight color,"
she explains. Along with orange, Deas likes blues, which she
says are the new "sage." It is the warm and cool colors
that work so well together and provide the right "balance,"
says Deas.
For an inexpensive yet dramatic
way to add color to rooms for the spring, Deas is a big fan of
paint.
"You can buy a can of paint
for $16.95 so it's one of the best and budget-minded ways to
dramatically change the look of a room," Deas says.
To get the right color for your
home, Deas says most paint stores will provide a "draw down"
which is sheet of paper, usually 8 1/2 x 11, painted with the
color you request. It's bigger than a paint chip and much easier
for judging what your room will look like. Room color changes
depending on the time of day, so before you paint, make sure
you look at your color samples in the morning, afternoon and
evening light. Other great shades of colors for spring are dusty
pastels, according to John Franke of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh.
"We'll be seeing a lot of them this spring -- shades of
shrimp and mint," he says. "Get rid of dark accents
and think Necco wafer colors." |
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To add inexpensive touches of
color, Franke likes to browse clearance sections of favorite
stores for home accessories with slight nicks or other damage,
and then he adds a coat or two of spray paint in a great shade
of white. "It's a fun and affordable way to add spring accents
to your home," he adds.
Don't be afraid to throw a few summer furniture pieces into to
the mix by adding a wicker table or chair to your living room
or den, says Franke. Roll up heavy oriental rugs, take down dark
draperies, and leave windows bare or with sheers. Add a basket
of citrus fruits, like lemons, in a rough-hewn basket. "It's
another wonderful and low-cost way to add punches of color for
spring," says Franke, with the idea being to "let in
as much light as possible."
In the south, Joan Faison, head
of the Interior Design department of The Art Institute of Charlotte,
says color palettes tend toward a "more traditional look."
She sees yellow as the big spring color trend, "in a whole
range of yellow shades -- brownish and golds -- with red and
green accents."
Faison thinks the trend toward
"happy colors" may have something to do with the events
of Sept. 11, as they do with a resurgence of patriotic colors.
Red, white and blue is more than just a trend, says Faison. For
home design, patriotic colors are being done "with a more
contemporary spin, which gives them a fresh approach," according
to the designer.
Faison suggest getting inspired
for spring by visiting a high-end furniture store gallery. These
stores encourage people to come in, browse and get ideas on furniture
arrangement, accessories and artwork. |
