Freshening up your home for Spring!

You’re looking around your home, and you feel restless. You are craving something new, something different.  You want something that will catch your eye and stimulate your senses.  You’ve got Spring Fever!

Don’t worry.  It’s nothing that a little inspiration can’t cure.  Here’s what’s new for spring this year:

• FRESH NEW COLOR:  This year’s hot, new color is Emerald.  A vivid, lush green, it is the color of ageless luxury and elegance.  It is also the color of growth and renewal.  It is fresh, but not a pastel; so its rich saturation of color satisfies our desire for boldness and dramatic design.  The season’s latest palette, which has been described as a balance between classic and novelty hues, has some really fun colors as well.  Pairing these exciting new colors with Monaco Blue and Linen as your neutrals is what you can expect to find in home furnishings this year.

If you are a purist, and faithfully stay true to your neutrals year after year, there are still a few new ideas for you to try:

• BRASS IS BACK: In a huge way!  But don’t be afraid.  Erase those images of the nineties’ shiny, flashy gold fixtures from your mind.  The current trend in brass is richer, darker, and has a more antiqued or burnished look.  The home furnishing industry has been inspired by the recent popularity of bronze and brass in fashion, specifically, jewelry design, and is nicely keeping up with this trend.  If you want to try it, a good way to incorporate this look into your décor in smaller doses would be through brass nailheads in your upholstered pieces, or the hardware on your furniture.  Burnished brass will also be a very popular design feature in lighting this year.

• BOLD PATTERNS:  Large scale patterns have been popular in recent years, but this year, we are building on that trend by combining two or three big, bold patterns in the same space.  It’s a pretty exciting concept, and not for the faint of heart, for sure.  However, if done correctly, bold, graphic designs can complement each other and create a dramatic statement without being “busy,” especially with a neutral palette.  Some great ways to apply pattern are with your wall-coverings,  draperies, upholstery, and  rug.  In the bedroom, a large pattern always looks stunning on the bed.

At Decorating Den Interiors in the North Houston area where I am the principal designer, we took the approach of using bold- patterned wallpaper and a rug in this dining room.

We balanced this bold pattern with the serene, neutral furniture of the Sanctuary Collection by Hooker Furniture.

The Mirage arm and side chairs in their soft neutral fabric and finish bring a visual relief to the setting.

The Sanctuary mirrored console and the Shaped Visage Mirror add reflective light, which also gives a sense of calm and brightness that balances the bold pattern on the wall and floor.

• MIXED TEXTURES +FINISHES:  The industry trend for mixing textures and finishes in furniture has never been more prominent.  Metallic finishes are combined with smooth, shiny veneers.  Techniques are applied to create the look of salvaged or reclaimed wood in more elegant, less rustic pieces.  Leather and fabric are wrapped around cabinet doors and drawers as a design element, and animal textures and patterns are as popular as ever.  It’s a great time for finding that one, unique statement piece that will give your space the direction it needs, because the selection this year is quite amazing.

So take another look around, but this time, instead of feeling restless, I hope you’re feeling excited.  I hope you’ve found that little “something new” that you need to wake up your space.  Tell me all about it on my fanpage, www.facebook.com/designideas.  I’d love to see how you took care of that Spring Fever!