The new year is always a time of renewal and rejuvenation. For many people, it’s the ideal time to “reinvent” themselves with weight loss, health goals, and career changes. For homeowners, it’s a great time to start thinking about how you can “reinvent” your home’s interior and exterior with some strategic updates.

Here to help you along with your new year renovation resolutions is the annual announcement of Pantone’s Color of the Year. These are some of the latest colors to inspire homeowners, renovators, and designers alike:

  • 2019 – Living Coral 

  • 2018 – Ultra-Violet

  • 2017 – Greenery

  • 2016 – Rose Quartz & Serenity

 

For 2020, the Pantone Color Institute announced Classic Blue as the Color of the Year. Here’s why:

 

Instilling calm, confidence, and connection, this enduring blue hue highlights our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era.”

 

So, why is color so important? According to psychologists, color has a major impact on our emotional state of mind. It can impact how we experience temperature, emotions, interactions with other people, and situations that come up. 

 

The color of the year leads the way for brands and businesses, fashion, pop culture, and much more. One of the easiest ways to incorporate Classic Blue into your 2020 resolutions is with a few quick home updates.

 

blue door in home with blue interior design

Incorporating Classic Blue in Your Home in 2020

It’s lucky that Pantone selected a shade of blue as the color of the year, because this also happens to be the most popular favourite color across the globe. Maybe it’s because we love to watch the varying shades of blue skies overhead. It also represents water, which tends to be associated with calming and healing. 

 

If you’ve ever walked into a friend’s basement just to find they’ve never replaced the original orange shag carpet, you know how color trends change. Our perception of color shifts as the world shifts, which is why it’s important to stay up to date. Even if you don’t update every year, it’s nice to make a change every few years.

 

If that sounds like a lot of work, you’re not alone in thinking that. The trick is to incorporate contemporary colors into your home through transitional pieces that can be added, subtracted, or updated. This could include items like paintings, pillow covers, bedding, or curtains, but it could also be incorporated into paint, statement doors, or furniture.

 

Statement Walls

Plenty of homeowners use statement walls as a quick, but eye-catching way to add a pop of new color into their decor. To keep this extremely versatile so you can always keep up with color trends with minimal investment and work, create a statement wall instead of painting an entire room. If you can, choose a wall that’s easy to add up-to-the-minute decor to. 

Statement Doors

When it comes to your home’s exterior, it can be incredibly difficult to update colors and stay on trend. One of the best ways to do this is by making your front door a statement door. More and more neighbourhoods showcase bright and colorful doors that make one house stand out from the next. 

 

Thanks to the versatility and “classic” nature of 2020’s color, it’s a great time to update your front door. In addition to a gorgeous, rich color that will last for years to come, you’ll get better sealing and less squeaking and sticking!

 

 

Transitional Decor

Just a quick stop into a home store and a few hundred dollars a year can completely transform your home. Trust us, you won’t have trouble finding items in the Pantone Color of the Year and other complementary color mixes at your local home decor shop.  Here are a few items to keep your eyes peeled for: 

  • Paintings, clocks, and wall-hangings

  • Throw pillows and blankets

  • Tablecloths

  • Bedding 

  • Area rugs 

  • Couch covers

  • Dinnerware

  • Lamps 

  • Window coverings and curtains

  • Candles, vases, and centerpieces 

 

And don’t forget about updating your outdoor space. Look for:

  • Outdoor rugs

  • Outdoor throw pillows

  • Outdoor dinnerware

  • Umbrellas 

  • Hanging lights and lanterns

  • Wreaths for exterior doors

 

Finally, remember that stylish decor is not just about colour. Texture and pattern can also have a big impact. Walk around the “in-season” section and take note of what you see so you can keep an eye out for on-trend items.

Using Color Psychology in Your Business

Homeowners can use color to impact the moods of their families and visitors, but brands have an even more powerful use for color. Businesses that are in tune with color trends can potentially influence buying behaviour

 

Whether it’s painting an office wall for employees or redesigning your display cases, keep color psychology in mind when your business needs an update. 

 

Other Ways to Brighten Up Your Home

Although colors may come and go, bright and well-lit spaces are always in style. Our connection to the outdoors (even when we’re spending time inside) can impact our outlook and mood. Extending that connection with wide windows and well-designed doors is one of the best ways to make an impact.

 

Just like colors, trends in home design extend to your windows and doors. Thankfully, they don’t transition as often as colors, which means you won’t need to change out your windows and doors as often as you update statement walls and pillows. Still, it’s a good idea to get acquainted with what’s in style in home exteriors before you plan that much-needed window replacement. 

 

Does your home need bay windows or bow windows? Single-hung or double-hung? If you aren’t sure, book an in-home consultation with your local window and door experts to learn what’s in style and how you can create curb appeal that outlasts the trends. 

 

GreenFox Windows & Doors in Calgary and Edmonton is proud to help homeowners with their replacements from start to finish, including design selection. Book a consultation to see which windows will add an instant update to your home, inside and out!