Colour

I always find the first few weeks of January “colour-deprived” especially after putting away my seasonal decorations. To overcome this, and rejuvenate my environment, I start planning my changes. From simple things, like moving around furniture and accessories, to slightly bigger initiatives, like changing the colour of an accent wall.

If you are looking for a fashionable new accent colour to help beat the winter blues, turn your attention to purple this season. Give it a try!

One of most popular shades seem to be the smoky purple tones that coordinate so well with classic grey, earthy wood tones, leather, and natural textiles. Benjamin Moore's vintage wine (2116-20) is a great choice for this new look, as it has all the luxury of purple with the comfort of a rich brown. Even lighter variations of purple like cabernet (2116-30) and hazy lilac (2116-40) can add drama to your decorating scheme. For a softer, more refined look, porcelain (2113-60) is a beautiful option.

Lighter, darker, cooler, warmer—whatever your pick, purple is a great choice!

A lot of space in modern kitchens is taken up by cabinetry and appliances, leaving relatively little wall space so make the colour really count. Be confident and pick bold colours. Shades of reds and greens are always an eye pleaser.

Look up! The Forgotten Fifth Wall

Ceilings are often the Forgotten Fifth Wall in a room. Too often, little thought is given to a ceiling’s contribution to the overall room design and traditionally coated in some flat white paint.

Look at your ceilings from a new perspective. Consider colour, sheen, pattern, texture (and no, we’re not talking about the popcorn ceiling here). These can transform the entire look and feel of a room.

Here are some ideas to consider:
Dress it Up
Consider experimenting with glazes on your ceiling, including metallic and pearlescent effects. There are many specialty finishes available in the market today. Specialty plasters can elevate your ceiling to an art form, adding texture, colour and dimension.

Open it Up
Make a small room or room with a low ceiling feel larger by keeping the colour contrast between the walls and ceilings to a minimum.
Use a flat sheen paint for the best effect such as Benjamin Moore Waterborne Ceiling paint. It absorbs light, and has the lowest reflective quality of any ceiling paint on the market, so it hides imperfections and prevents light from bouncing off in distracting directions, leaving you nothing but pure, beautiful colour overhead.

Wrap it Up
Ceilings truly are a blank canvas for your creative expression (bonus: you don’t have to worry about smudgy fingerprints or furniture nicks). And painting your ceiling is a budget-friendly way to give any room in your home a new, inviting look. With a stunning ceiling to look at, it’ll be easy to keep your chin up even in a tight economy!