There's something about summer colours, both in clothing fashion and home decor, which speaks directly to the very essence of the season. Warm days call for light fabrics and muted colours reminiscent of lazy days and a leisurely pace. We spend more time outside of our homes in the summertime, so our yard and patio decor should receive a splash of summer colour to keep it fresh and fun.
Beauti-Tone Paint is celebrating the season's hottest colours. Whether they are used indoors or out, these beautiful hues, available exclusively at Home Hardware, strike the right cord between colourful and mellowed out -- just like summer should be.
Inside the home, these fresh colours provide a cool, serene look that is perfect in any season. Our dining room photograph, courtesy of Beauti-Tone, boasts the colour Billie Jean, which is current and sophisticated yet unpretentious. This particular colour works quite well with dark dining room furniture, which can tend to look heavy. The backdrop of light blue keeps the decor visually spacious and airy.
Other Beauti-Tone sunny summer shades include:
Caramel Craving: Sun-drenched orange that vibrates with positive energy.
Pool: Fresh as a dip in the lake at the cottage.
Granny Smith: A luscious hue that pairs beautifully with white.
Tennis White: The perfect summer white.
"These sun-filled shades are perfectly pretty on outdoor chairs, picnic tables, accent tables, planters or flowerpots," said Bev Bell, Creative Director, Beauti-Tone Paint and Home Products Division, Home Hardware Stores Limited.
For a colourful way to welcome our most cherished time of year and spotlight the season's hottest colours, here's a fun and whimsical tribute to one of summer's most treasured creatures.
"Dragonflies go fast," said Bev Bell, "just like Canadian summers! So, what better way to celebrate this fleeting season than by decking our outdoor decor with a smattering of these on trend and awe-inspiring creatures."
Just as dragonflies display a multitude of hues, these flights of fancy boast Beauti-Tone's take on the haute fashion colour trends of 2012/2013. "While these dragonflies won't eat mosquitoes like their live counterparts," said Bell, "they will attract a lot of positive attention in the garden."
What you'll need
Tools
belt sander
tin snips
drill & drill bits
saw
hammer
Materials
hemlock spindle: 32" x 1.5" (2 dragonflies from 1 spindle)
aluminum flashing
20 gauge wire: silver or black
epoxy glue
Beauti-Tone Exterior Designer Series: Suede finish
Here's how:
Cut the spindle to create two basic dragonfly body shapes.
Sand the ends, rounding off to shape the heads and tails.
Paint desired colour.
Cut three pieces of wire long enough to fold in half and shape a pair of legs. Drill a 1 Ñ 8" hole underneath the spindle and insert the wire legs with epoxy glue. Let dry and then shape three pairs of legs.
Cut wing shapes from the aluminum with tin snips. If desired, add a pattern to the wings by placing a piece of wood under the aluminum and simply hammer a pattern with a small nail. Attach wings with epoxy glue.
Visit homehardware.ca/homeathome for templates of the dragonfly wings.
Note: I made a few of these cute dragonflies with what I had on hand, which was wooden clothes pegs for the body and a heavy gauge aluminum roast pan for the wings. It worked well but the dragonflies are not as sophisticated looking as the originals and the wings are not as strong as the flashing would probably be. The wings will probably need replacing each season. I used Bamboo skewers glued to the bottom of the dragonflies for easy mounting when placing these cute bugs in the garden or flower pot. Again, the skewers will only last one season but can be easily replaced if needed.
The dragonflies would be cute mounted along the fence or latticework, hanging from tree branches or from a pergola or, inside the home, mounted on photo frames and mirror frames. Use them to top off a hostess gift basket for a summer barbeque or even as tree ornaments during the holiday season. A 'bouquet' of dragonflies mounted in a decorative vase lined with florist foam would make a lovely picnic table centerpiece or use individual dragonflies as place card holders or napkin rings at a summer shower or wedding.
All in all, this is a fun summer project for the yard, patio or even indoors.
