Relatively speaking, painting is the most affordable way to transform your home from drab to delightful, although with thousands of different shades to choose from it is often overwhelming to find the right palette to suit your style and space.

To help homeowners wade through the myriad of options many paint companies present new colour trends each year. Taking their cue from what’s going on in the fashion and home furnishings industries, expect to see a move towards softer colours and pastels in 2014. Having ‘80s flashbacks? Well, think again. These days’ pastels—such as lavender, mint green, pink and yellow—are being paired with grounding colours like charcoal and mushroom, making them fresher and more modern than they were in the past.

Blue is expected to dominate the colour movement for the next few years and several companies have selected various hues—sky blue to turquoise to rich teal blue—as their 2014 colour of the year. Why the love affair with blue? Historically it has been one of the most popular colours amongst all ages and demographic groups in North America. It’s also versatile in that it can make your space feel calm, vibrant, sophisticated and comfortable.

Pantone, a world-renowned authority on colour that spans all industries from fashion to paint, has named Radiant Orchid as its 2014 colour of the year. This warm, vibrant purple livens up neutrals such as grey, beige and taupe and pairs well with other trending colours such as teal and pale yellow. Exclusive Plum, a sophisticated violet, has been selected as Sherwin Williams’ 2014 colour.

INVIGOURATE YOUR SPACE WITH CLASSIC COLOURS AND FRESH NEW SHADES.

WORDS BY VAL ROSENTHAL

PAINTING THE HOME IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR RENOVATION PROJECTS

UNDERTAKEN BY CANADIANS.

PROJECT PAINTHOT HUES AND TRENDS

HOME RENOVATIONSECTION

2014

PANTONE DESCRIBES RADIANT ORCHID, A CAPTIVATING HARMONY OF FUCHSIA, PURPLE AND PINK UNDERTONES, AS A “COLOUR WHICH EMANATES GREAT JOY, LOVE AND HEALTH.” RADIANT ORCHID BLOOMS WITH CONFIDENCE AND MAGICAL WARMTH THAT INTRIGUES THE EYE AND SPARKS THE IMAGINATION. IT IS AN EXPRESSIVE, CREATIVE AND EMBRACING PURPLE—ONE THAT DRAWS YOU IN WITH ITS BEGUILING CHARM.

PANTONE’S 2014 COLOUR OF THE YEAR

Sherwin Williams’ colour of the year, Exclusive Plum.

Below. EMILIE Bergère armchair by Roche Bobois.RADIANT ORCHID

Inspired by Function and Beauty

HARMONY SENSE INTERIORS

RENOVATIONS • INTERIOR DESIGN • HOME STAGING

Harmony Sense Interiors #105 - 267 West Esplanade, North Vancouver, BC

604.790.5990 | harmonysense.com

See our work on Property Brothers episodes filmed in Vancouver

DO YOUR RESEARCH.Fashion and home design magazines and paint company

websites are great resources when looking for colour inspiration.

BE INSPIRED BY WHAT YOU LOVE.Choose colours from something you have and love or plan on buying as part of your renovation. Colours don’t have to match

but should complement one another.

YOU WON’T KNOW UNTIL YOU TRY. Try your paint choice out on a wall to get a sense of how it looks and feels in your space as that may change throughout the day

depending on how the space is lit.

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Accent walls remain popular—especially for open concept spaces—and are a great way to bring attention to focal points such as a fireplace mantel or group of pictures. High-gloss finishes are also being used to give accent walls a beautiful mirrored or lacquered finish.

For exteriors one of the big trends is the use of darker trim such as charcoal or even black for the windows, giving your home a more sophisticated look. Grey, still hugely popular for interiors, is now moving outside the home and being used more commonly as a siding colour.

Contrary to popular opinion, colour should be one of the last things you select during your renovation project. Sharon Grech, a national colour expert and spokesperson for Benjamin

Moore, advises homeowners to find something in their home that has colour and that they love, such as a rug, furniture or a piece of art. “Colours don’t have to match exactly but should complement one another. Let paint be the thread that pulls everything together,” she explains.

Still not sure which colour to choose? Consider hiring a colour consultant to come to your home or buy a sample of the paint and try it out in your space. Factors such as lighting, furniture and the size of your space all affect the final outcome of your colour choice.

Benjamin Moore colour of the year, Breath of Fresh Air.

IN THE END, PAINT IS TRULY YOUR HOME’S BEST ACCESSORY.

DETAILSIN THE