I like what Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®, says about this year’s color:  “Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.”

So should a report like this be the reason why you will rush to your local paint store to purchase gallons of this paint colour or why you might order new living room drapes in this colour? I mean, don’t the decorating magazines tell us not to decorate our homes in “short shelf life” trendy ways?

Well, I think there are ways to incorporate trendy colours into our home without making a huge commitment to the trend (unless of course, you just LOVE this trendy colour and you want to enjoy throughout your home).

It is important to know what the latest trends are because truthfully, we all want to be stylish in one way or another.  We all desire the hottest digital item or the newest spring fashion shoes. Even though we know that something better is going to come along in a year or two, we still rush out to buy the hot, right-this-minute item. It’s just our human nature. So why do we deny ourselves the latest trendy style in home decorating?  Trends can become timeless so if you love it, why not use it?

To help you find ways to incorporate this punchy, exotic and energizing colour into your home décor, I’ve found a collection of photos that show off this colour in various room settings and products.

BM sitting room

Kate Spade Bathroom

Bamboo bowl

West Elm nightstand

Kate Spade dining room

Orange accents

And this last photo is from a bed & breakfast that I stayed at when I was in the Netherlands this fall. The wall colour in most of the homes we were in were white or off white and the trim, doors and accents were in a bright or deep colour.  It looked colourful, fresh and novel.

Photo by Nancy DeVries

But  if you’re not ready to bring it into your home, you can try it on at your local Superstore.

Latest fashion from Joe at your local Superstore

“Tangerine Tango is a fun, sassy color for 2012! I suggest bringing it into your home first with accessories – such as pillows, warm winter throws, lamp shades, or other decorative accessories. If you love the color and you are ready to take the plunge, I suggest pairing it with colors such as navy blue, white, black, taupe, beige and even purple! You can create your own wallpaper effect with Tangerine Tango by creating a wall stencil, then using the color to create a bold, unique pattern on your wall.”  David Bromstad - host of HGTV Color Splash

So how will you use Tangerine Tango this year?

If you would like help with your colour selections, click here to book your appointment with Nancy.

Here is one example of a small urn that I put together in a very short amount of time. I took photos of the process.

1.Gather from your garden (or local nursery) some cedar branches, huckleberry or boxwood branches along with some decorative ornaments.

2.       Fill your urn with water and place the cedar branches inside, arranging them to hang over the edge of your urn.

3. Place about 3 twigs of huckleberry or boxwood (which you can spray paint to add colour or sparkle) among the cedar branches near the back.

4. Place an oversized ornament (or lichen ball as shown) in the centre of the branches to weigh them down to keep them in place.

5. Add other decorative ornaments or ribbons to your arrangement for the finishing touch.

Now wasn’t that easy?

If you have any quick holiday decorating ideas, share it with us and leave a comment!

Why? Well a symmetrical display of two identical items is a balanced look that is pleasant to the eye.

If there are more than two items and they are different colours and sizes of the same shape, a small cluster can be a more interesting focal point. For example, an artist might use three focal points in a painting because it creates more interest instead of having just one or two focal points. The irregular visual causes the viewer to look longer as they try to find the main focal point. People are naturally drawn to visually balanced displays, so when artists and decorators add a twist by creating balance in an odd numbered collection, it is sure to get the viewer’s attention.

Source

In many ways the variety of shapes and heights in a collection is more important than the number of objects in it. I think the photo below of a window from a home in Kinderdijk, Netherlands shows this example beautifully.

Everything is balanced using the rule of reflection symmetry.

So what is your preference? Do you like the pleasant balance of displays with an even number of items? Or do you prefer the dramatic effect of offset, odd number items?

House & Home

If you would like help with styling your home, contact me for a professional decorating consultation.

The design of this contemporary
desk makes it the perfect workstation for a workspace where the furniture is
visible from all sides. The floating cabinets and glass top give it an airy
look with style. And the best part is that it’s designed and made in Canada.

Hendrix Desk

I think this desk is a one-of-a-kind. It has a rustic and contemporary style because it blends a reclaimed wood façade with a clean black walnut frame and top. And it’s all held up by the “M” shaped, black finished metal legs. My favourite is the offset drawers which gives it just a touch of whimsy.

Trestle Table

This modern desk has a mid-century
style that makes it the perfect choice to blend new modern with traditional
styling. It shows off clean lines with its exposed hardwood legs while
discretely highlighting its storage drawers. It’s perfect as a desk or console table.

Bedford Secretary

This dresser from Crate and Barrel combines storage and a writing surface.  It’s made from reclaimed pine from old buildings. The top of the cabinet flips down, giving you an optional writing surface at the tip of your fingers.

Whitney Corner Desk

And finally, this one is for those
of us who prefer more storage drawers in our workstations. This work zone
cabinet features two wood finishes, shuttered drawer fronts and decorative bun feet, making it look just a bit more like a piece of furniture.

So which desk is your favourite?

Updating your house numbers and mailbox is one thing, but why not make them a matching set? And to make sure that your house numbers are visible from the road, step across the street to confirm that they are easily spotted. 

7. Add a bench or chair to your entry.

Having a place to rest your bags - or yourself! - when you get home after a long day is the nicest way to come home. Dress up the chair or bench with colourful toss or seat cushions that should coordinate with the colours of your home.

8. “Spit and shine” your door hardware.

Door hardware is a very important décor feature of your door. Consider matching the metal of the hardware to your mailbox and house numbers. You can also add a matching metal door kick plate which can add a look of elegance to your home. If you have brass door hardware and it’s looking a little worn, check out this link on how to spruce it back to a shiny finish.

9. Accessorize your front porch.

There are lots of great outdoor accessories like glass lanterns filled with sand & candles, welcome signs, baskets with flowers, colourful toss cushions, decorative outdoor area rugs or decorative stone pots. But remember, less is more!

10. Make sure your doorbell works as it announces your guests.

The doorbell is the first piece of hardware your guests notice when visiting your home.  Make a memorable first impression with a high quality and unique doorbell.

How to make the best first impression of your home. Part 1

1. Paint your front door a dramatic colour.

Giving your front door a new look is a quick project that will enhance the look of your home. When choosing a colour, keep in mind the brick colour, what’s on the front steps, and the style of your home. Don’t be afraid to go bold! If you are choosing a whole new colour palette for the exterior, hire a colour professional like myself. I will help you choose the right colour combination that suits your home and neighbourhood.

go bold!   

2. Put down a new front door mat.

Whether you prefer functional or whimsical, refresh your entry with a colourful, humourous or just a plain new doormat that makes you smile when you get to your door.

 3. Brighten up your entryway with a new light.

There is a good selection of affordable outdoor light fixtures in various styles.  Choose a fixture that matches the architectural style of your home.  Some lights are motion sensitive, while others can be put on dimmers, allowing you to control the mood lighting so you can enjoy your front porch at night without feeling like you are in a spot light.

Restoration Hardware

  4. Seasonal plants in a stylish planter.

If you are not a green thumb kind of person, you can purchase beautiful premade planters and hanging baskets at your local garden centre or grocery store. For those who love playing in the dirt, get creative with your planters and recycle unused items such as old watering cans or teapots.   

 5. Match all your front facing window coverings.

This is one decorating must-do to make your home look put together from the curb. When all your windows are dressed the same, your home will look uniform.

 Silhouette Window Shadings

These sheer shades are one of my favourite window coverings. The soft fabric vane fused between sheer panels can be tilted to give daylight privacy while allowing natural daylight to come through. Silhouette shades provide ultraviolet protection and reflect solar heat without compromising your view outside. I recommend these blinds in rooms with a view like your living room or family room.

Silhouette Shades by Hunter Douglas

 Vignette Modern Roman Shades

These shades either roll up or stack like a custom Roman shade but done with the mechanisms of a blind. There is a wide selection of 100% polyester modern fabrics, textures and colours in 3 fold sizes (3″, 4″, 6″ flat folds) and 3 opacity options (semi sheer to opaque). They have superior sound absorption, excellent energy efficiency and this product has met the stringent indoor quality guidelines from GREENGUARD Environmental Institute. These shades are great for bedrooms.

Vignette by Hunter Douglas

Duette Honeycomb Shades

Duette shades were first on the market 25 years ago. That’s a long time for it to prove itself as one of the top window coverings. With 4 different operating options, 5 light and privacy fabric options, numerous shape and design options, over 400 material and colour choices, Duette honeycomb blinds are the blind that will give you the best customized options for your lifestyle. These blinds are great for wide windows and rooms where you want to block out the daylight.

Duette Honeycomb Shades by Hunter Douglas

Designer Screen and Roller Shades

Roller shades aren’t what they used to be. The fabric choices range from natural grass cloth, silk like design, or screens which you can see through. They are a stylish, cost effective choice for any room in your home. These shades are great for offices and on windows where you want to diffuse the sunlight but not the view.

Designer screen shades by Hunter Douglas

Luminette Privacy Sheers and Modern Draperies

Covering your patio doors or wide windows has never been more beautiful. The sheer vertical folds look like traditional draperies but with a lighter feel. The soft fabric vanes attached to the sheer in front can be tilted for privacy and light control.  The sheer face fabric protects your room from harmful UV rays when open and blocks 99% UV rays when tilted closed. The latest design feature is the Manhattan Decorative Hardware traversing rod with 3 finial options which can be used with all Luminette privacy sheers and Luminette modern drapery fabrics.  

Luminette Sheers with decorative rod

Motorization Accessories

Not only has Hunter Douglas made motorized window coverings easy to use and install, they have made it easier for clients to control how and when these blinds operate. The three new accessories are Platinum Solar Energy Sensor, RF (radio frequency) Adapter and LCD Timer.

The Solar Sensor will open and close your window covering automatically during the day to optimize energy efficiency. The RF Adapter can be plugged into your electrical outlet which is controlled by your light switch so you can open and close your blinds just by using your light switch.  This can also be plugged into a light timer. The LCD Timer will allow you to set the times for your blinds to move, even when you are not there. It’s a perfect solution for people who are away for long periods of time.

 For more information on Motorization click on this link.

And here’s the special offer! Hunter Douglas is offering a promotion from May 1st to August 31st, 2011, where consumers will receive a $275 Rebate with the minimum purchase of 4 Silhouette® window shadings with UltraGlide®.  In addition to this offer, Urban Aesthetics will offer $60.00 off any Hunter Douglas window covering purchased with the Motorized Platinum 2.0 lifting system to the first 3 customers who mention this special blog/newsletter offer. So call now for an estimate! 

How many of you can honestly say that you just love being in your bedroom because it makes you feel relaxed and cozy? I wonder if it is more than half of us. Even for my own bedroom, I feel like it is a work in progress, and so I was inspired to write this article. What would I do to make my bedroom more of a stylish room that I could escape to? 

Make your own headboard

I built my own headboard using an old door, quilting batting and a remnant of fabric from the Robert Allen showroom. Some other headboard ideas would be using stylish old doors, decorative screens, or a custom made fabric headboard.  For those of you who have had the same dark wood headboard for the past 25 years that you still like, why not consider painting it a white or cream colour to freshen up the look?

Refresh your walls

We all know that a new wall colour can transform a room and that couldn’t be more true than in your bedroom. Whether it is creating an accent wall (usually the headboard wall) or tackling the whole room, consider toned colours that will make you feel calm and serene. If you want to add pattern, chose a large patterned design wallpaper you feel you will love for a few years.

York Wallcoverings

Change your fabrics

Choices for bedding styles and colours have never been so plentiful, so why not give yourself the flexibility of changing your bedroom style just by changing your duvet cover? But remember, if you are going to purchase new bedding and you want to repaint or wallpaper your room, find your bedding first and use that as your inspiration for what to put on your walls.

Upgrade your window dressing

Did you know that getting the proper amount of good sleep is imperative to our well-being. Room darkening shades can help get that much needed rest, and keep your room as dark as you would like, allowing your body, mind, and soul to recuperate. Some window blinds also help with sound absorption, for those of you living in highrises on busy streets. The cost of these options are a small price to pay for years of good night’s sleeping.

Hunter Douglas Duette Blackout Shades

Change your lighting mood

Some bedrooms do not have a ceiling mounted light fixture, but for those who do, how many  have the typical “boob” light fixture? It’s time to change that up! There are so many fabulous drop ceiling light fixtures available at very affordable prices. So get out your electrical toolkit or hire your handy brother-in-law to install a new chandelier or funky drumshade light fixture. You will just love how much that can change the light quality of your space! And don’t forget to purchase a dimmer switch so you can create a cozy mood as you create your new tranquil escape into dreamland!

Source

Even though it’s cold outside, we can pass away the time until spring’s arrival. So book a few more dinner parties with your friends and enjoy an evening in your dining room. Here are a few budget friendly suggestions to spruce up this space with style:

1) Style what’s under your feet.  An area carpet can add the right touch and add warmth your feet while you enjoy your dinner. Remember the carpet should extend 18-24” beyond your table to ensure all chair legs will be on the carpet while in use.

Vanessa DeLeon Associates

2) Colour drama. Create a dramatic space with a warm, rich colour such as Benjamin Moore’s Etruscan AF 355. Not only can it create an intimate look, but it will complement your wood furniture. Rich colours just seem to glow when accent lit by candlelight.  

Arch-Interiors Design Group Inc.

3) Dazzle with the right light fixture.  Make this focal point of your room something special. One of the latest styles is the drum shade light fixture or a pleated fabric rectangular shade over a long rectangular table. A way to update your existing chandelier is to add a mesh drum shade overtop of your fixture.  Remember the bottom of the chandelier should be 30”-34” above your table surface. Use dimmers for total mood control.

Vanessa DeLeon Associates

4) Refresh your fabrics.  It only takes a few yards of fabric to recover the dining chair seats so it’s not an expensive splurge to update. Look for remnant sales at fabric stores to save a bundle.  It’s a great way to go bold!

Source

5) Dress up your windows. There are so many low cost ways to dress up your windows.  Hang premade curtain panels from a swing arm curtain rod.  The fabric can be in a multi coloured stripe satin or silk lined panels. Drapes not only help with drafty windows, they also soften sounds in a hard wood furniture room.

Urban Aesthetics

 If you are interested in styling your dining room, contact Nancy to book your in home consultation.

1) Use wallpaper! If you haven’t already, you need to know that it’s not your mother’s wallpaper anymore!

2) Use pattern and color. Remember to vary the size and shape of the patterns. It will give you a unique and personal style.

3) Go green with your fabrics. The selection for reprocessed pre- consumer recycled fibre fabrics is increasing almost every day. It’s not only hip & smart to use, but stylish as well.

4) Bring out your gold and brass accessories. They are the comeback metal of 2011.

5) Soothe yourself with the colour pink! It’s the 2011 colour of designers.

6) Use fresh and clean colours when you are selecting paint colours.  

7) Have a statement light fixture. If nothing else is exciting in your dining room, hang a fabulous light that will dazzle your appetite!  

 8)  De-clutter your rooms with stylish organization.  Use decorative boxes on book shelves if you need to clean up in a hurry.

9) Bring in geometric patterns like herringbone and hexagonal in such things like your area carpet, an over scale stencil for your walls or in your kitchen tile backsplash.

10) Do make your home décor style a showcase of who you are and what’s important to you. The value of your style is not about the cost but what it means to you.