Want some gold-medal decorating ideas? Take a cue from the Olympic Winter Games and bring colours from around the globe into your home.
From antique golds, vibrant reds and spicy oranges to jewelled blues, emerald greens and rose-infused violet, this year's hottest international hues create an ambiance that is out of this world.
Colours of the Far East, Mediterranean and South America are among the most popular in home decor this year according to CIL paint. "While many people opt for neutral tones as the safest bet, those who go with lively shades of paint often never look back," said Alison Goldman, brand manager for CIL paint.
An event like the Games is a wonderful opportunity to see what colours are trending worldwide and get inspiration for home decor ideas. All you need is a can of paint, a paintbrush, and a few accessories to infuse exciting international flavour into any room. An exotic decor full of rich colours and accents might be just what your home needs.
For a Far East feeling, try incorporating a mixed palette of deep reds, warm browns, rustic oranges and golden yellows, both on the walls and through furnishings. A red accent wall in the dining room, for example, can bring exotic elegance and romance to a meal. Zesty orange combined with golden yellow warm up a family room or bedroom, with accessories like bamboo plants, woven mats and black-lacquered furniture adding a Zen-like feel to the space. Goldman's top Far Eastern colour picks from CIL paint include Cranberry Zing (14YR 10/434) red and Sun Rays yellow (29YY 66/537).
If Mediterranean-inspired decor is more your style, bring elegant Parisian panache into your home through pastel blues and creams such as Sunday Sonata (70GB 67/126) blue on the walls and Crisp Linen (61YY 89/040) cream for the trim. The excitement of Spain can be visually reproduced through rich, warm colours like deep oranges and vibrant reds topped with colourful wall textiles and mosaic tiles. Or mix earthy red clay tones with deep, ocean blues to bring a taste of Italy into your decor. Try painting your walls dark blue, such as Cosmos (10BB 12/310), and ceiling a lighter blue, like Billowing Clouds (10BB 65/094). Accent the area with cream furniture, terra cotta urns and wrought iron, glass-top tables.
The vibrancy of Brazil can be replicated in the home by bringing in this year's popular jewel and energetic tones. A small powder room, for example, can be livened up using vibrant shades of pink, like Exotic Pink (02RR 35/376), while painting a kitchen accent wall bright yellow or orange -- and adorning walls with bold-coloured, patterned artwork -- can infuse the space with an upbeat, South American feel. For a luxurious look, try jewelled shades of blue or green, such as Minty (10GG 44/395) green, accessorized with ceramic pieces, beaded lamps, Brazilian masks, and ornate area rugs.
"There's no hard and fast rule in any decor style," Goldman said. "You can take your favourite elements from any place in the world and infuse them into your home, or even mix together a couple of different globally inspired ideas." She added patriotic fans might even consider creating a northern getaway in their homes by adding a rustic Canadian feel through deep shades of red, rustic browns, and warm cream tones.
"With the right choice of colour, paint can help make your decor transformation a gold-medal contender, no matter where in the world your heart lies," she said.
Luckily, we don't have to travel to these destinations in order to get acquainted with their decor style. With the Internet, books and magazines you can study each culture and their design and colour sense to add a touch of the unknown to your home. You choice of country may be a place you've all ready been but can just as easily be a location you find fascinating and perhaps plan to visit one day.
You may remember when I redecorated our loft master bedroom suite using inspiration from Paris. A few inexpensive touches from the glitzy city were all I needed to give it the look that I desired. You design doesn't have to be all or nothing, you can infuse as much or as little of your desired destination into your decor. Mix it up with items you have on hand to keep the budget in check. It's all about the feeling that the room provides you with in the end.
connieoliver@shaw.ca
