Easy Ways to Prepare Your Home for Spring

Rainer Maria Rilke exclaimed, “It is Spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.” Truer and more beautiful words are rarely spoken. Yes, Spring is indeed here again, and it seems like the earth is more than willing to share with us her good gifts of flowers, rain, fresh air, and the vibrant colors we so missed in Winter.

Nature is readying itself as the fullness of Spring approaches; should our homes be any different? With just a few minor changes, your home can rival the beauty of any Spring flower. Consider the following ways to ready your home for Spring:

• Replace heavy for light, dark for bright – After months of Winter’s heavy wools and flannels, no doubt you are more than ready for the lightness of muslin, linen and other Spring-friendly materials. Such fabrics are best chosen in delicious shades that mimic the soft beauty of nature. Toss a brightly colored throw across your couch, lay cheery pillows on your bed, and place fluffy pastel towels in your bathroom for a cheap and easy home makeover.

• Display fresh flowers – Fresh flowers; what other two words evoke remembrances of the fragrance of freshly cut lilacs, the lemony yellow hue of new daffodils, and the silky feel of tulip petals? A simple vase of fresh flowers on your kitchen table is a powerful reminder that Spring has arrived with Summer on its heels. A milk bottle full of daisies would also make a charming addition to any bedside table. When it comes to decorating with flowers, the sky is truly the limit, so be creative and fearless.

• Serve fresh produce – This Spring, fill your meals with fresh produce, the ultimate feast for the senses. To optimize your health, choose mostly local produce. And, don’t forget that smoothies are perhaps the best Springtime treat of all.

• Open doors and windows – Trade Winter’s doldrums for Spring’s delights simply by opening up your doors and windows. This simple act airs out your home and invites Spring’s presence inside. Don’t forget to “clean your windows – inside and out — it’s likely they’ve picked up some dirt and grime during winter, and the cleaner your windows are, the more natural light will get in.”

• Display some Spring-themed art – A well-placed Spring-themed picture can totally change the atmosphere of a home, so be sure to change out your wall art. (If you enjoy creating seasonal art, check out our digital paint-by-number daffodil pattern set; it is perfect for Spring!)

Is your home ready for Spring? How do you prepare your haven for this dearly beloved season? Share your comments with us today.

Read more Segmation blog posts about art and color:

Welcome Spring with a Freshly Painted Front Door

Colorful Flowers to Plant this Spring

Coloring Each Season with Healthy Food

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Color of the Year, 2015

Have you noticed that certain colors are trendy? Some are ‘in’ while others are ‘out’. Many reincarnate as ‘vintage’ or ‘retro.” This brings up one question: what will the ‘It’ color be for 2015?

According to the PPG Pittsburgh Paints® brand, it’s Blue Paisley—a decadent shade that is almost royal blue but retains an identity all its own. Experts at the company predict that Blue Paisley will feature prominently in home decor trends in 2015, when homeowners are expected to favor vibrant and expressive hues that inspire and represent their hopes and dreams.

Nowadays, homeowners are turning to multiple regions and influences for decor inspiration, seeking to change their home environments into a celebration of worldly possibilities. By choosing colors like Blue Paisley, which represent global diversity, they inject an exciting and worldly aura into their living spaces.

Blue Paisley is featured in one of four new color palettes developed by Pittsburgh Paints to showcase the anticipated 2015-16 color trends. The company’s national color marketing manager explained, “We are experiencing the popularity of the soft blue shade across all markets, such as home decor, automotive and electronics, making it a clear PPG Color of the Year selection.”

PPG’s creative team of color stylists from around the world worked together to conceive and develop the underlying idea and philosophy behind the four new palettes. Homeowners are encouraged to choose color combinations that are representative of their aspirations for the coming year. At their disposal are friendly and vibrant hues such as Jewel Weed, fiery and energetic colors like Firecracker, and cool, sophisticated tones such as Copper River.

The four new palettes are:

1. Good Life: This fresh and earthy palette represents harmony. Organic sources, such as floral colors, earthy neutrals, and crisp sea blues inspired this palette’s variety of naturally bold hues.
2. I’m Pulse: Bold, expressive, and artistic, “I’m Pulse” represents creativity. Color traces of classic, pop, abstract, and digital art are reflected in the intense yellows, hot blues, burnt pinks and sultry greens.
3. Co-Leidescope: This trend, which represents possibilities, has a color scheme designed to be “ethnicity-inclusive, culture-inclusive and co-existence-inclusive”. Purple and green in deep jewel tones, spicy reds, and shining yellows reflect a global essence that will appeal to existing and aspiring jetsetters.
4. Introsense: Like Co-Leidescope, this palette represents possibilities but takes a much softer approach with ‘zen neutrals’ such as gentle blues and indulgent pinks. Soft tints add a factor of serenity and sensitivity, resulting in minimalistic styling that blends clean designs with quiet nature.

PPG’s national color marketing manager added that the growth and strengthening of global connections has increased overall desire to adopt the unique features and colors of natural surroundings.

“Whether it’s recognizing the contrasts of our manmade environment versus what nature provides as a way to identify the simple, earthen spirit through natural muted tones, or embracing the bold and expressive hues of a self-centric and artistic being, the desire to recognize the possibility of what’s ahead is appealing.”

Which of these four palettes do you prefer? Let us know by responding in the comment section below.

Read more Segmation blog posts about art and color:

The Colors of Fall: 5 Shades for a Stylish Season

Pantone’s World of Color

What Color Should You Paint Your Home?

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Use Color to Bring Your Home to Life

Most people would agree that color has the ability to bring something (or someone) to life. For this reason, nearly everyone who has a home uses color not just to decorate with but to create a certain ambiance. Some individuals long for the beach cottage look and opt for cool, neutral tones reminiscent of the Oceanside. Others desire a Southwestern feel and choose tones that are warm, open, and inviting. No matter the personality a person wants his or her home to possess, color can create it.

One of the most popular colors to decorate with is brown. Brown can really warm up a large space and set an atmosphere of “hominess”. People often love brown shades because they are rich and earthy. Brown tones can encompass anything from beige to dark, rich mahogany. Rose, yellow, orange, and red are the shades that comprise the color brown. Numerous shades can be used as accents to brown tones. Some of the most popular color combinations in homes today are a lettuce or celery shade and chocolate, or coastal blue a darker nut shade. Perhaps the most wonderful thing about using brown in a color scheme is that it is so versatile and goes with many different types of décor.

Orange is a color that is becoming better known for its ability to bring a sense of happiness to a home. After all, who wouldn’t feel better by simply entering a room painted with a beautiful, captivating shade of a sunset? The brightness of orange can really create a sense of identity for a house or a family. Some accent colors that look especially great with orange are blue, turquoise, and even various shades of pink, such as watermelon.

One hue home decorators never seem to tire of is green. Green is a calm, cool color that sets a mood of relaxation, peace, and serenity. For these reasons, bedrooms are often painted shades of green. Green can range from a very pale spring green to mint, lime, avocado, hunter green, and olive. Green looks fantastic with colors such as pink, lemon, and bright lavender.

Never underestimate the power of color – it can change someone’s mood and transform an older, dingy-looking house into one fit for royalty. What moods do you want your home to evoke? Once that is determined, it will be easy to choose colors that will both beautify and enliven your house.

https://segmation.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/color-with-unconventional-art-schemes-including-picasso

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