The winter is synonymous with several things. Cold weather, long nights and happy holidays. But when the holidays are over and the dropping temperatures and darker evenings have you hunkering down in your home for the winter, it’s time to make sure it’s a space that puts a smile on your face.
Colour can be an easy, and often necessary, way to update come the winter months. Whether it’s with several accessories or painting a wall, bringing trendy colours into your home can provide the perfect amount of punch to brighten up drab days.
“Emerald, the Pantone colour of 2013, has pushed a resurgence of all shades of green from Chrome Primrose right through to Thai Teal,” says Lois North, president of Lois Interiors. These bright and bold shades bring a richness into the home that warms up interiors without weighing them down.
Despite pops of colour being popular, there are other ways to make your home worth hibernating in once the cold weather hits. North reminds us that you don’t have to incorporate the ‘in’ colours to be happy in your home. “Every winter there seems to be an increased activity in those warm earthy shades of browns and greys – the colours that remind us of a cozy knit sweater. They incorporate well into most homes.”
If a cozy casa is what you’re after, don’t feel like you can’t decorate with blankets and welcome in the warmer colours. “The brighter coloured sofa cushions tend to be pushed aside in favour of the comfy throw or cushion in that warmer shade of brown,” says North.
Warmth can also be brought in through the use of accessories and accent pieces. “Incorporating gold accents into the home, especially in the cooler months, adds a touch of glamour and warmth,” says North. “There’s also a hint that copper will be seeing its way into the forefront of metal accents in our homes.”
In keeping with the concept of glamour, the upcoming season will be full of pieces that are unique and beautiful. “We’re seeing more hard furnishings – coffee tables, end tables, accent tables and cabinets – in an open grain wood and sometimes made of unique and exotic woods.
These pieces show the grain and richness of the woods in a way that almost looks like art.” Homeowners can easily add these expensive-looking elements into their homes without having to completely overhaul a room. It is easy to make a statement by investing in one quality piece with personality.
While some might be sad to pack up their lights and take down the tree, the end of the holidays offer the freedom to incorporate new trends into your home. “The house usually seems emptier but that’s an opportunity to look around and re-assess how you’re using the furnishings in your home,” says North. “It’s a time for reflection and it’s worth trying something that’s been tucked away. Try it in another room, move something out, change things up and you just might see your things in a new way – like they’re newly purchased items.”
Once you’re happier with the interior of your home, scoping out your house from the outside may provide some opportunities for updating. The absence of any holiday décor may make you realize what your home has been missing all along. North suggests an updated door as an easy and effective way to make a change. “I like to see the exterior of a door really stand out and look welcoming,” she says. “Your front door can be unique – a white house with black trim can have a shiny red front door, or a turquoise door. The beige house with the brown trim can easily have an orange door or a sunny yellow door. Make your front door stand out and not blend with the rest of your house colour.”
While North notes that the winter is not the best time to paint, it’s the perfect time to plan. “There’s an opportunity to think about how you’d like your door to ‘shine’ when the warmer weather rolls around,” she says.
After a few months of darker days and being buried under blankets, it’s easy to get down. Don’t let your home décor suffer from a stuffy season. With a new year comes new beginnings and the potential for a renewed sense of style around the home.
By Ashley Stephens
PHOTO : JOHN LEWIS.com, Elle Decor