I'm ready to brighten up my home for spring. What can I do to bring a little sunshine indoors?
Ruth I. emailed us at expert@sweetspot.ca, and interior decorator Kimberley Seldon, answered;
Spring is nearly here and that can only mean one thing - two more months of winter. No, what it really signifies is the return of the sun, and just in time. Here are some ways to enhance that sunshine feeling around the house:
- Clean the windows. This may be self-evident, but no amount of sun can penetrate windows that are full of winter’s sludge. If your windows can’t accommodate wash-from-within methods, make window cleaning a weekend project or hire a professional company to visit regularly.
- Keep landscape tidy. Overgrown shrubs and trees can destroy any chance for the sun to penetrate interiors. Keep landscaping well groomed in front of windows.
- Choose appropriate window treatments. Full draperies, when pulled aside with a tie or hanging in straight panels at the sides of windows, needn’t interfere with sunlight filtering through. Sheer fabric, not only provides a modest amount of privacy, but warm pale colours can even help to liven the grey light that accompanies drizzly days. Look for sheers with accent stitching for added depth.
- Include reflective materials. Glistening chrome or nickel, highly polished brass or silver, and crystal or glass all have reflective qualities that accent sun-starved rooms. Tiles with a shiny surface are a great choice for a kitchen back splash or bathroom shower.
- Incorporate mirrors.> Of course, mirrors are a designer's not-so-secret weapon in the fight to expand space, but they are equally effective in bringing fine weather indoors. Placing a mirror adjacent to a window further amplifies the effect.
- Paint windowsills and surrounds. Light reflecting colours such as ivory, cream, and white can bounce sunlight into rooms.
- Choose light enhancing colours for walls. Interior design legend Eleanor McMillen Brown said, “Every room needs a touch of yellow”, good advice if you love the idea of sunshine indoors. However, any pale, warm colour will do the trick.
- Raise the sheen level in paint. Semi-gloss and satin finishes are terrific for reflecting light while matte paints have an opposite, dampening effect.
- Use fewer patterns. As a general rule, pattern absorbs light more than solid fabrics will.
One more essential piece of advice: In decorating (as in life) acceptance is the key to satisfaction. For years I struggled with my garden, wishing it was bathed in full sun rather than near-full shade. After hundreds of dollars and countless hours spent on ungrateful and failing hydrangeas, peonies, and bougainvillea, I discovered the ease and joy of hostas, and lilies. A small windowless room may never be 'sunny' but it can be dramatic, cosy, moody, or grand.
Kimberley Seldon is a vibrant presence in the world of design. She appears regularly on the Home Shopping Network (HSN) in the United States with her own line of Home Décor Products, Kimberley Seldon Home. Kimberley is Decorating Editor of Canada’s Style at Home magazine and author of “500 Ideas for Small Spaces”.
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