In previous columns we have looked at how to create an oasis in the home that reflects a specific destination, like a seaside retreat.
But you'd still have to imagine the colours required in order to fulfil that decor dream, and this can be a hit-and-miss prospect. If you've never been to China, for instance, you can only take colour clues from photographs.
Now, CIL paints has taken some of the guesswork out of the equation by offering colour schemes for five of this year's leading destinations.
Brazil: Bring the excitement of the country into your home with a Brazilian-themed room featuring a mix of yellow, deep red, golden brown and orange, along with studded furniture and beaded lamps. A good place to start is by painting three of your walls with CIL's Del Sol (21YY 60/577) yellow and the fourth wall with Burnt Pumpkin (24YR 12/447) red. Use the remaining colours in throw pillows and ceramic accessories.
Sweden: Recreate the Swedish feel in your home by combining shades of bright peacock blue, lemon yellow and grey. Accent your room with traditional Nordic-style accessories, such as hanging wooden fish, cone-shaped oil lamps and copper vases. If it's Sweden's baroque-style royal palaces that attract you, try imitating the look in a small space like a powder room by mixing pastel green with soft coral pink.
Costa Rica: Nothing says Caribbean coast better than a light and airy room done in dazzling blues, creams and greens with clean lines and natural wood furnishings. Draw attention to the outdoors by using colour blocking to outline a window in an accent colour. Accessorize with woven baskets or placemats, seashells and earthenware pots filled with tall green grasses.
Mediterranean: To create your own Mediterranean coastal paradise, think deep blues, white and terra cotta, using colours that echo the sky and sea. Try painting your walls with CIL's Cosmos (10BB 12/310) dark blue and complementing the ceiling with a lighter blue, Billowing Clouds (10BB 65/094). Choose comfy, overstuffed cream furniture, completing the look with bronze urns, mosaic tiles and ornate wrought iron side tables with glass tops. For added Mediterranean flare, apply a texture technique like feathering, dragging or ragging on your walls.
China: The dominant colours in an Asian palette are red, gold, green and purple. Set off a black-framed shoji screen against a bright red or orange accent wall. Dazzle your guests with a red powder room accentuated with black and gold accents. Choose from embroidered silk cushions, ivory figurines, porcelain vases, bamboo pieces and wall tapestries to accessorize. Use a colourful Chinese fan or oriental carpet as your base and pick up one or two of its colours on your walls.
By choosing the right colour combinations and themes, you can create a space that makes you feel like you're on vacation all year long.
Check out the CIL travel destination website for more details. www.destinationdecor.ca
Made in Canada
While it's great to dream of faraway places, it's also good to focus on what's happening right here in Canada. A Vancouver-based company called Dream Designs specializes in natural, organic products for the home, most of which are made right there on site. Organic cotton mattresses, pillows, linens and even organic cotton PJs will ensure a good night's sleep. Even babies can benefit from a non-toxic sleep environment with crib items made from organic products.
The demand for natural products is growing as consumers become more aware of the potential negative impact of chemicals in their home products.
One of my favourite products is the lavender dryer bag, which is made on site. It's a natural way to add a fresh, light fragrance to items in the dryer. It's a great scent to use when drying bedding because it has a natural calming effect that aids in sleep.
"When we get in a shipment of organic lavender, the calming scent wafts through the entire building," says office administrator Karen Henry. "It's fulfilling to make these items right here in Canada. We get to see the product to fruition and are proud that they're natural and Canadian-made."
Humboldt's Legacy here in Winnipeg carries the company's hemp shower curtains and bath linens but you can also order other items directly from Dream Designs on line (at www.dreamdesigns.ca).
Kohler Canada has recently released a new design tool that was created in Canada and is exclusive to the Canadian market. The CDNCatalog, a free mobile application that features over 27,000 products as well as videos, showroom and retailer locations and inspirational ideas -- all in the palm of your hand -- is an innovative tool that lets you dream decor big.
Available on the App StoreSM, this is the perfect solution for designers and imaginative homeowners to work together and get instant access to state-of-the-art product options, how-to videos, product specs, installation guides, pricing and local retailers, all on an iPhoneÆ and iPod touchÆ.
Kohler Canada's CDNCatalog is available for free from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.ca/appstore. For more information, also visit KOHLER.ca/mobileapp
connieoliver@shaw.ca
