By CHRIS ROBERTS and BRIGID ELMY
Spring is in the air and it’s about time. For me the worst part of winter (aside from the cold) is the lack of colour. Grey dark days are giving way to longer and sunnier ones, and soon the leaves and flowers will be out.
It’s also a great time to bring in some colour and life into your home. Here are a few trends that are popping up all over for spring.
Yellow is a super hot accent colour right now. Deep ochre sofas, cushions and accessories are popping up in all the design magazines and Instagram accounts.
Floral prints are still going strong – especially large scale florals. Pink anything is super chic right now, especially pink velvet. Pair it with anything brass to update your space and give it a soft glow.
Installing new light fixtures are a great way to create some drama and interest in your home. Swapping out an old one with either a vintage or vintage inspired will become a real focal point in the room.
A sleek modern light fixture in an eclectic vintage space keeps it from looking too cluttered and junky. The key, as always, is to make the space have a balance of styles. Having everything too matchy-matchy is boring. A surprising element placed where you wouldn’t expect it will really stand out.
This spring try adding some plants indoors too. Group some succulents and other low maintenance plants together. Try potting them in unusual containers to make it more interesting. Mason jars, copper cups, silver teapots can be found at flea markets or thrift stores for next to nothing. Once again mix and match styles and sizes. Use books or candle holders to create different heights within the grouping.
It’s like creating your own little garden inside. Pair it with a vintage metal watering can that you can keep out on display so you don’t forget to water them. Besides looking beautiful these plants can also clean the air and make your space feel spring ready right away.
A change of season is also a great time to try something different in your home.Gallery walls have become a standard item in any stylish space. Start by grouping pictures, prints, artwork and even some flatter 3D items. Even try printing out a phrase you are loving right now.
The great thing is that you can swap these things out easily from month to month or season to season. Old postcards or even vintage scarves or fabric work great too.
The items can be different sizes and shapes. Look for different styles of frames for an eclectic look. Or use all the same style or colour of frame for a more modern look. For a more graphic look use all the same size and style frames and keep spacing equal between. For a more vintage eclectic look vary the sizes and spacing for each piece.
After you have all your items framed lay them out on the floor and move around until you find the arrangement you like. Make a drawing with measurements of spacing etc and use this to hang each frame on your wall.
Treat the collection as one entity and centre it accordingly. A good rule of thumb is to hang the centre of any artwork at five feet above the floor, but be sure to work around any furniture pieces that may be in that area too.
A really great way to get inspired each season and see what’s on trend is to head over to a fabric store or check out designers instagram accounts. Tonic living https://www.tonicliving.ca
And @ tonicliving on instagram is a phenomenal fabric store, not far from the Beach and will inspire you with new trends and ways to use fabric and colour.
While it’s not quite time to spend time on your patio, you can start by livening up your indoor space before summer arrives. This will help transition from winter and get you feeling spring fresh!
– Chris Roberts and Brigid Elmy are huge fans of all things vintage and work to promote sustainable and conscious design. They co-founded the Leslieville Flea – a curated flea market in Toronto that showcases local, vintage and handcrafted style. For upcoming dates, visit https://www.leslievilleflea.com
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