Using colour to get that spring vibe in your home all year long
By Jo-Ann Capelaci on Mar 26, 2018
“Oh, Spring! I want to go out and feel you and get inspiration. My old things seem dead. I want fresh contact, more vital searching.” – Emily Carr.
Are you ready for spring? The season has changed but it’s still cold outside! In my ideal home, the spring vibe is present all year, no matter how low the temperature is. I accomplish this by using colour effectively.
Did you know that colour affects your mood? I recently designed a home in the quaint town of Millbrook, Ontario. My goal was to create a feeling joy and optimism. Isn’t that kind of how spring makes you feel? One of the ways this goal was achieved, was through the use of colour. Let’s do a pictorial tour of the home and I will point out how to achieve this look in your home.
First Impressions are created in foyers. When you think of spring colour, yellows, whites and robin’s egg blues come to mind. These robust hues can be used successfully by incorporating them with neutrals. In the foyer, neutral grays are combined with pops of sage greens and yellow. Vibrant polished and satin nickels were chosen to reflect light and produce contrast. The combination of minimal décor and sunny accents make you feel happy as soon as you enter your home!
Highlands of Millbrook / Photo by Arnal Photography
Adjacent to the front foyer is a home office which doubles as a reading or gathering area. Notice the flooring and furnishings are neutral and the pops of colour come from the artwork, pillows and accessories. I also used lots of white to keep things sharp. These hues support an open, peaceful atmosphere important for productivity and clarity.
Highlands of Millbrook / Photo by Arnal Photography
The well-being vibe continues as the centre hallway leads you to the rear of the home. The neutral combination of varying shades of grey provide the backdrop for spots of bright accessorizing. Special attention was placed on lighting which is so important, especially in kitchens. Layering of lighting and well lit spaces enhances the colour palette. In addition to maintaining a flow of colour, accessories were carefully placed and kept to a minimum to create a fresh, simplified, orderly feeling.
Highlands of Millbrook / Photo by Arnal Photography
With open concept floor plans, like this family room which is next to the kitchen, it is important to have your colour combinations complement one another. The same paint choice can be used on walls for example and then blend varying selections of accessories.
Highlands of Millbrook / Photo by Arnal Photography
In the dining room, I chose Sherwin Williams’ “quietude” paint. Don’t let the name fool you! This hue brings a vibrant vibe to the room which is enhanced with the contrast of white ceilings and trim. You can often be a little more adventurous with colour in dining rooms.
Highlands of Millbrook / Photo by Arnal Photography
The upbeat palette continues upstairs in the master bedroom. With white on the tray ceiling, crown moulding and trim, it’s safe to embrace contrasting colours. Does this grouping of colour remind you of spring?
Highlands of Millbrook / Photo by Arnal Photography
You will want your master ensuite to relate to your master bedroom. I chose Sherwin Williams’ “rainwashed,” which is a lighter version of the master bedroom paint, to unite the rooms. Note the finishes such as cabinets, flooring and tile, are neutral and all the colour comes from paint and accessories.
Highlands of Millbrook / Photo by Arnal Photography
Kids bedrooms are perfect for bringing colour into your home. The paint choice is repeated from the master ensuite, a similar shade of the master bedroom, however not as strong. This establishes a flow of colour and allows you to use other colour combinations to mix things up a bit, for example a bright blue window treatment.
Highlands of Millbrook / Photo by Arnal Photography
Yellow is the colour of happiness and optimism. Why not create an atmosphere of joy and promote the feeling of inquisitiveness in your child’s room by painting the walls yellow? Combining blues and greys make for a gender-neutral palette.
Highlands of Millbrook / Photo by Arnal Photography
I often use lots of white in bathrooms. Adding accessories with bright blues, and of white on white, brings a little spring into the room. White creates a fresh, clean base for bathrooms. White invigorates!
Highlands of Millbrook / Photo by Arnal Photography
If you want to feel better when doing laundry, then design a joyful place to be. The wallpaper in our laundry room has the perfect mixture of colour and pattern to evoke a feeling of spring. This room feels happy with the playful pattern enhanced with heaping portions of white.
Highlands of Millbrook / Photo by Arnal Photography
In addition to the fresh colour combinations, the furnishings chosen throughout the home exhibit clean lines and a modern feel. The blending of both, along with attention to well lit spaces, provide an ambiance of renewal, optimism and fun.
You may want to consider planning a palette around spring to capture the positive effects of this season all year round. I welcome you to visit this Highlands of Millbrook model home to see for yourself if these colours make you feel good too!
Jo-Ann Capelaci is president and principal interior designer of Colours & Concepts Inc. The award-winning company specializes in model homes and colour and upgrade selections for builders. They have been helping new home buyers choose finishes for their homes for over 20 years. Jo-Ann is dedicated to helping new home buyers create a model home feeling in their new home. Look for future articles on other topics to assist in decorating and designing your new home.
