Call it the three-year itch: That’s about how long most people remain satisfied with their last major renovation or interior redesign – that explosion of paint, creativity, and canvas print wall art that took over your life for a while. We all go through a typical pattern: The first year we’re just so pleased with it and it delights our eye every time we see it. The second year we fuss a bit with the details, finding new ways to appreciate our design plan with changes in bric-a-brac or rugs and throw pillows. Then the third year comes, and we’re bored, finally, of our choices from all those years ago, and the cycle begins again.
Strangely, even though most purely aesthetic renovations and redesigns are voluntary, they carry with them incredible levels of stress. The idea of doing all that work again – choosing paint colours, art prints, rugs and pillows and furniture and decorations and sheens and textures – is overwhelming. Where do you start?
Let’s make it easy for you: You start with a colour palette.
Choosing a Palette
Whether this is your first or your fiftieth room design, it all starts with colour. Everything else jumps off from your palette. Here are the quickest, easiest ways to choose that palette without graduating with a degree in design:
- The Plate Inspiration Method. Choose something you love – a decorative plate is the easy example, but it can be any object of art that has a distinct colour palette. Then, steal that palette. You love the piece already, so the colours speak to you. They were chosen by someone with an eye for it. Take your plate (or whatever) and have the colours scanned.
- The Mood Ring Method. Start off by asking yourself what the mood of the room should be. Calm and quiet? Start with icy blue or serene green. Energetic and social? Start with warm red or bright yellow. Now, accent with an opposing mood and play with mixing colours until you have something pleasing.
Adding in Canvas Print Art
Once you have your wall colour, it’s time to think about everything else, starting with the art you plan to put on your walls. Think about the colour you’ve chosen for those walls, because your canvas print will be framed by it, and the main colours of your wall art must complement your choices of art prints.
One easy solution is to actually take a hi-resolution photo of your inspiration piece! That decorative plate could become an amazing piece of abstract art with a little creativity.
Another approach is to match your wall colour with the mood accent: If your walls are done in red for energy, for example, choose a canvas print that leans blue for calm, striking a nice contrast.
Renovation and redesigns should be fun and creative, not stressful and filled with regrets. It all starts with colour: Make smart choices in colour from the outset, and the rest will fall into place. When you’ve got your palette, click here and let us help you come up with the perfect canvas print for your new walls.
