Inserting a new color

10 affordable fix ups

Interior designers, just like those in the fashion industry, eagerly watch to see what’s “in” for the coming year.  Each winter the spring colors are released as well as the color of the year.  For spring 2014, the color of the year is Radiant Orchid.  It’s a beautiful color – not quite pink, not completely purple.  Wearing this?  Beautiful in silk or cashmere!  But inserting it in your room?  Well, maybe!

If you’ve got unlimited funds and want to re-decorate your room on a yearly basis, go for it.  You can do anything if you throw enough money at it.  But if a complete re-do isn’t a part of your 2014 budget, here are some fun and affordable ways to interject a little seasonal boost into your home.

First, in any decor project if you want to add a new color, it will look better, more purposeful and more pulled together if that color appears randomly around your room at least three times.  So pick three (or five) items in your chosen pop of color, move those items around the room so they are balanced and give your room a quick refresh!

1. It’s still cold out…a cozy throw gets you a lot of color for not a lot of money.

2. Change your candles in your trend color.

3. Fresh flowers are always appropriate.

4. A scattering of pillows on your sofa – down filled, please!  These need not be solid.  The finished design will look better pulled together if you mix up the solids and the patterns.

5. Use a quart of paint in your trendy color.  You can:  Paint an accent wall.  Paint the back of a bookshelf.  Paint the ceiling.  Painting requires a little more commitment but it’s still affordable and fun.

6. Update your lamp shade(s).  Add a band of ribbon around the bottom of your current white, cream or black lampshades.

7. Update your seat covers.  Recovering your dining room chairs is an easy diy project.  Pick up about 1/2 yard of a great fabric per chair and plan on just about 2 hours for the project.  Easy and affordable!

8. Create art!  Use your new accent color to create your own art pieces on canvas.  Paint on or create a trio of custom art.

9. Add your colors complement color to make it really sing!  Playing with this springs color, Radiant Orchid?  Teal looks gorgeous with it.

10. Add color to your bedroom or bathroom!  Invest in some super high quality cotton sheets to your bed.  Radiant Orchid sheets?  How romantic!  Pretty hand and bath towels?  Easy update.