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Quick + easy ways to freshen up your space with color
The holiday decorations are put away, the festivities are over, and the endless stream of visitors is gone. If you’re feeling like your home looks a little empty post-December, you’re not alone. Now is the perfect time to add some new color and energy to your environment. And no, we’re not talking about a huge project (we’re all busy!). Instead, go with changes that require minimal effort but deliver big impact. Check out these quick, very doable ideas and professional tips that will make big impacts in your space.
Above Photo: Interior Design by Victoria Robinson Interiors
So…what’s your favorite color?
There’s nothing original about that question, but really, it’s a great place to start. If you’ve always been attracted to a certain hue and it’s not present in your home, then now is the time to surround yourself with it. Kricken Yaker of Vanillawood (the firm that designed the very first barre3 studio in Portland, Oregon) knows that “color is very individual,” and that “whatever makes you happy” is a great starting point. Maybe you’re ready to bring Pantone’s bright green Color of the Year into your home, or maybe you share Kricken’s love for hot pink. Whatever the color, she recommends fresh, new throw pillows or a rug as an easy way to bring in color without commitment, and she loves to use art as a way to infuse a space with color: “It doesn’t have to be original artwork! Check out Minted, 20×200, or West Elm. Buy some prints, then frame them yourself in an inexpensive frame.”
Paint is your friend
It’s an affordable way to bring color into a space, and it has endless possibilities. “The most frequent thing I hear from clients is that they want to bring color into a space, but they aren’t sure how,” says Kristin Siefkin of Ideaspark Interiors. “One way to do this is to add a feature wall. It’s an easy and inexpensive way to add a bit of drama to any room.”
Painting even just one wall in a room is a small commitment that makes a big impact. A calming, cozy color in your bedroom, a bright, invigorating wall in your live/work space, or a fun pop of color in a powder room all affect the way you feel, which can set the tone for your entire day.
Beyond the Wall
If an entire wall seems like too much, paint something else! Adrienne Breaux, House Tour Editor at Apartment Therapy, recommends taking your brush to a table, chair or bench. “Old furniture finds can be perked up with a fresh coat of daring paint without spending a ton of money,” she says. “My favorite trick to making the most of whatever color you have in your home: Give color lots of room! Let a colorful art piece, furniture piece, accessory—whatever—stand alone in a room. Leave lots of negative space around the colorful object, and it’ll transform into a focal point, making more of a visual impact.”
That home that you admire with the gorgeous pop of color on their front door, why not bring that vibe inside? In just an hour or two, a room can be transformed by simply painting one side of a door. Bonus: Most paint stores sell sample cans of paint, which should be plenty for a small painting project like a door or piece of furniture.
Interior design by Kristen Siefken of Ideaspark interiors
Get Crafty
Still not sure how you are going to enliven your space with fresh color? “You can snag art supplies on sale and get wild and abstract with color on canvas,” says Breaux. “We added color by painting the back of a bookshelf, and wallpaper is a great way to add color,” says Yaker.
Remember that a little pop of color goes a long way, so you don’t have to spend a ton of time to make a big impact. This is about you, the new year, and invigorating your home with a hue that makes you happy. Cheers to color!
All photos by Heather Keeeling.
The holiday decorations are put away, the festivities are over, and the endless stream of visitors is gone. If you’re feeling like your home looks a little empty post-December, you’re not alone. Now is the perfect time to add some new color and energy to your environment. And no, we’re not talking about a huge project (we’re all busy!). Instead, go with changes that require minimal effort but deliver big impact. Check out these quick, very doable ideas and professional tips that will make big impacts in your space.
Above Photo: Interior Design by Victoria Robinson Interiors
So…what’s your favorite color?
There’s nothing original about that question, but really, it’s a great place to start. If you’ve always been attracted to a certain hue and it’s not present in your home, then now is the time to surround yourself with it. Kricken Yaker of Vanillawood (the firm that designed the very first barre3 studio in Portland, Oregon) knows that “color is very individual,” and that “whatever makes you happy” is a great starting point. Maybe you’re ready to bring Pantone’s bright green Color of the Year into your home, or maybe you share Kricken’s love for hot pink. Whatever the color, she recommends fresh, new throw pillows or a rug as an easy way to bring in color without commitment, and she loves to use art as a way to infuse a space with color: “It doesn’t have to be original artwork! Check out Minted, 20×200, or West Elm. Buy some prints, then frame them yourself in an inexpensive frame.”
Paint is your friend
It’s an affordable way to bring color into a space, and it has endless possibilities. “The most frequent thing I hear from clients is that they want to bring color into a space, but they aren’t sure how,” says Kristin Siefkin of Ideaspark Interiors. “One way to do this is to add a feature wall. It’s an easy and inexpensive way to add a bit of drama to any room.”
Painting even just one wall in a room is a small commitment that makes a big impact. A calming, cozy color in your bedroom, a bright, invigorating wall in your live/work space, or a fun pop of color in a powder room all affect the way you feel, which can set the tone for your entire day.
Beyond the Wall
If an entire wall seems like too much, paint something else! Adrienne Breaux, House Tour Editor at Apartment Therapy, recommends taking your brush to a table, chair or bench. “Old furniture finds can be perked up with a fresh coat of daring paint without spending a ton of money,” she says. “My favorite trick to making the most of whatever color you have in your home: Give color lots of room! Let a colorful art piece, furniture piece, accessory—whatever—stand alone in a room. Leave lots of negative space around the colorful object, and it’ll transform into a focal point, making more of a visual impact.”
That home that you admire with the gorgeous pop of color on their front door, why not bring that vibe inside? In just an hour or two, a room can be transformed by simply painting one side of a door. Bonus: Most paint stores sell sample cans of paint, which should be plenty for a small painting project like a door or piece of furniture.
Interior design by Kristen Siefken of Ideaspark interiors
Get Crafty
Still not sure how you are going to enliven your space with fresh color? “You can snag art supplies on sale and get wild and abstract with color on canvas,” says Breaux. “We added color by painting the back of a bookshelf, and wallpaper is a great way to add color,” says Yaker.
Remember that a little pop of color goes a long way, so you don’t have to spend a ton of time to make a big impact. This is about you, the new year, and invigorating your home with a hue that makes you happy. Cheers to color!
All photos by Heather Keeeling.
