We have all heard the saying ‘opposites attract’ which seems to be linked with couples’ relationships.
I have seen it repeated over and over again in people decorating their homes who have the opportunity to create something new by either buying, building or renovating a property and it is always exciting. To be able to change your space after years of living with the same four walls can put some people into a groove of excitement and can leave others wary and worried.
For most clients, it is a complete turn-around from what they have had; dark cabinet owners crave the lightness and brightness of white or off-white cupboards and those who have had white will often swing over to the dark side when replacing this much-needed item.
My girlfriend is painting her home and she was asking me what I thought of the colour which is Ballet White from Benjamin Moore – a colour I have used for years on trim and baseboards. I naturally assumed she was painting trim and was surprised when I saw that she was using the soft white tone on her walls!
Her house had been painted the mossy greens and red-based beige from the early part of 2001 and she was ready for an opposite feel in her home.
The best time to make design decisions for your home is when spring begins to poke its head out of the ground.
The long-awaited warmth and smell of new growth does something to our senses and I find people are most creative and willing to change this time of year. It is the perfect catalyst to help you change and improve your space and to bring in the opposite of what you have lived with for so many years.
Let your soul inspire you to try something new and maybe daring for you and inject new life into your homes. Get out on a Saturday and see show homes and open houses and absorb what is current and fresh and let it ignite your creativity as you make plans for your space.
When you launch into a renovation or building project the freedom of choice can sometimes be overwhelming and many people will return to the safety of what they already own to make the choices easier.
I used to work in a flooring store and had the discussion with one client over the colour of carpet she chose for her home which was EXACTLY the same as her current, 20-year-old carpet. We had a wonderful replacement warranty which gave clients the option to replace for any reason and I cautioned this woman that the new carpet might disappoint if it looked just like the former floor covering, and it did.
The phone call came a week later and she was in choosing her replacement – she said it didn’t feel like she had even purchased new flooring.
If it’s white, go black. If it’s pale, go dark.
Take your home from boring to bold and you will feel the thrill and life that opposite attraction can give you. This is not a choice for the faint of heart but for people who desire some thrill and risk in their world and trust me, it is immeasurably satisfying.
Kim Wyse is a Central Alberta freelance designer. Find her on facebook at ‘Ask a Designer/Ask a Realtor’.
