The Advantages of Adding an Accent Colour

Interior design trends are constantly changing.  Personal decorating tastes grow and evolve.  COLOUR, texture, and pattern styles are as fleeting as the changing seasons.

Neutral investment pieces are always a safe and practical choice.  And for some, an entirely neutral space is both elegant and serene.

But, for those who long for a touch of COLOUR in their home, adding a few, well chosen accessories in a favorite hue can be enough to satisfy that need, without making costly changes. 

Emerald green cushions sparkle like jewels amidst their soft and creamy surroundings.   Consider this room with neutral ACCENTS, and it becomes apparent the impact COLOUR has on a space's style and character. 

Fuchsia tea towels and a simple arrangement of fresh flowers provide a pop of delicious COLOUR in this charming kitchen.  The powerful effect would be reduced if every accessory in the room was the same shade of shocking pink.  

This gorgeous conservatory is completely neutral.  Nature provides the only COLOUR in this space, with the addition of luscious ferns and fragrant hydrangeas in full bloom . 

   

This bedroom's plum accent COLOUR makes an appearance in the shimmering window treatments and pillows, exuding a sense of warmth amongst the room's other cool tones.  These select textiles can be easily substituted with a softer shade of purple when milder temperatures prevail.

   

Sapphire ACCENTS were created with a few yards of discount fabric in my own home office.  The room's design story can be successfully rewritten by replacing the shimmering blues with another favorite COLOUR, for a fraction of what it would cost to start the entire decorating process all over again.

Accessorizing with accent COLOURS allows you to make dramatic changes to your home with relative ease.  They're a wonderful way to introduce trends in your design, decorate according to the seasons, or alter the mood of a room to match your own.

Keep it simple, and you'll be equally rewarded with style and savings.  And who doesn't love a win-win combination!

The Keys to Creating a Home Library

BOOKS can be a source of entertainment, a resource for information, or a doorway to another world.  They can enlighten, educate and inspire.   BOOKS are incredible treasures.

For those who love and cherish the written word as I do, a home LIBRARY, however small, is as much a necessity as it is a luxury.

In my home LIBRARY, I started with the basic staples;  a comfortable reading chair, good lighting, and a cabinet to house (a small portion of) my BOOK collection.

Artwork, silk draperies, and a cozy throw in serene shades of french blue, set the mood for a few stolen moments lost deep inside the pages of a favorite novel.  

In this well appointed LIBRARY, the extensive collection of BOOKS are displayed behind glass, their leather covers protected from dust and sun damage.

   

 

This home LIBRARY is anchored by a pedestal table, offering an additional surface to display BOOKS and sculptural accessories.

 

A LIBRARY can be easily integrated into an existing home office.  The eclectic mix of furnishings and artfully displayed collections add to the exotic elegance of this space.    

These BOOKS have been wrapped in white linen, creating a cohesive colour scheme in this sophisticated space.  The display is primarily decorative, as the covered spines prevent one from perusing the BOOK titles in search of that perfect 'read'.

BOOKS are stacked and displayed amongst family pictures throughout these charming built-ins, adding warmth and personality to the landing in this beautiful home.     

 

BOOKS are as priceless as any fine work of art.  Write them into your own design story, and embrace the warmth and richness that they will undoubtedly add to your home. 

The Secret to Indulging Your Passion for Pink

When guests visit our home for the first time and enter our great room, I often hear the wives exclaim, "I love your PINK (pillows... vases... flowers...)!  I wish my husband would let me have PINK things in our house."  Surprisingly, the husbands typically respond with, "I didn't even notice the PINK in here."

I've discovered that the secret to successfully injecting the colour PINK into a family home is balance and restraint.

In our great room sitting area, I've incorporated PINK in very small doses;  two silk cushions, a hand blown vase, and as a quiet appearance in my own artwork - no more.

Combined with dark, rich colours, leather accents, and tailored window treatments, I've been able to indulge my love of PINK, while still creating a space that the males in our home feel comfortable in.   

  

 

When PINK is used strictly as an ACCENT,  and is paired with more masculine colours and finishes,  it complements and completes a well balanced design story.

In this master bedroom by Madeline Stuart, touches of PINK have been skillfully injected into what is otherwise a very gender-neutral design.

The deep hued walls in this dining room demand one's full attention, while the PINK upholstered chairs quietly add visual interest to the room's sophisticated decor.  

This home office by Evelyn Chin is a wonderful example of how a single splash of PINK can transform a room .  The rich, dark walnut desk is dominant in the space, offsetting the elegant, PINK desk chair to perfection. 

In this living room designed by Sarah Richardson, there is a subtle suggestion of PINK, but the warm, neutral walls and furnishings, grounded by dark wood accents, are key elements in creating this tailored and sophisticated entertaining space.

There are a handful of fortunate women who live in a family home with husbands and/or sons who do not suffer from 'Pinkaphobia'.  Their passion for all things PINK can be openly expressed in ways I can only dream about.

How I would love to capture the feel of this room by Candace Olson in my own home.  It's PINK, fresh, and positively feminine.

This undeniably pretty, PINK vignette graces the home of Jennifer Lopez.   It would look amazing recreated in our entrance hall.

 

I am fortunate that my husband appreciates my design style, and encourages me to express my creativity as I decorate our home.

And even though I adore the undeniably PINK wallpaper in this kitchen, I wonder if this level of self expression would still be tolerated by a man who's wardrobe is almost entirely black. 

       

There is one room in our home that I feel completely justified in decorating however I chose.  It's my secret space;  a place that the men in my home avoid at all costs...

The laundry room is where I indulge my PASSION for PINK and all things pretty.  It makes the chores associated with this space almost enjoyable!

If pink is only meant for little girls, then I'll always be five years old in my heart!