(BPT) – It’s the season of sunshine and enjoying the great outdoors. Celebrate it with a style makeover for your home by tapping lively decorating trends and home decor ideas that will refresh and brighten your living space.
“Look to nature for inspiration for decorating ideas to refresh your home,” says Erinn Valencich, Los Angeles-based interior designer, style expert and designer partner for Quick-Step, a laminate flooring leader. “Incorporate garden-fresh shades of green, warm and sunny color palettes, botanical prints, weathered woods and whimsical accents that will help reinvigorate your home’s style and awaken your senses.”
Top style trends for 2013
Green– It’s the eternal color of lush and abundant life and the 2013 Pantone Color of the Year. Look for accent pieces in emerald and other shades of green to create a sense of well-being, balance and harmony.
Patterns – Floral patterns are hot, especially as fabric covers and wall decor. Choose bold, bright florals to make a big statement or florals on white backgrounds for a softer, romantic touch.
Stripes – In fabrics, carpets, artwork and other design elements, stripes can create the sense of movement and energy in a room.
Wide planks – Update the look of your room with new wide plank flooring to show off your unique sense of style. Wide plank laminate floors from Quick-Step come in many hardwood styles and colors and will help transform the look of a room.
Reclaimed woods – From barn board bedroom walls to wooden beams in kitchens, reclaimed wood adds unexpected rustic touches and weathered warmth to your home. For the look of time-worn wood without the high cost, Quick-Step offers the Reclaime Collection of laminate planks that look like vintage hardwood floors. There are nine reclaimed wood designs from which to choose, including the newest White Wash Oak Planks, that mirror the wood grain pattern, color and texture of weathered, whitewashed boards.
“Whitewashed floors offer tranquility and comfort, making them ideal for family rooms, dining rooms and other high-traffic living spaces,” Valencich says. “Whitewash opens up a space and adds rustic appeal while keeping the look of your room fresh, soft and clean. It is also a very versatile foundation for a room’s design and serves as a pleasing canvas on which to nicely showcase just about any wall colors and most styles of furniture.
“Work with what you have and add a few new-to-you items to your spring decorating projects,” Valencich adds. “This will help you stay within a budget and create beautiful living spaces quickly, easily and affordably.”
How to choose a new floor
Keep these tips in mind when selecting a new floor for your room makeover project:
* When selecting a floor color, consider the tones of furniture you have, but don’t feel that everything has to match. Contrasting tones make for a more pleasing design.
* Brown, gray and white floor tones work with a greater variety of furniture colors and paints.
* Light, neutral floor colors brighten a room and make it feel more spacious.
If you are considering purchasing a new floor, quickstepstyle.com offers the “Imagine It” room designer tool that allows you to choose both wall color and floor styles to see how they work together. To make floor selection even easier, Valencich has designated her favorite Quick-Step floors as “Designer’s Choice” products, which can be viewed at quickstep.com.
