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Spring is almost upon us in the northern hemisphere, which means two things in the design world: New collections are popping up in stores and online, and the latest decorating books are fresh off the presses. If you’re looking to freshen up your home for the upcoming season, whether you own or rent, let “Embrace your space”, a book on home decorating and organization by the author (and former Apartment Therapy staff member!) Katie Holdefehrbe one of your beacons.
Packed with clever strategies and pro decorator-approved hacks from 12 real-life spaces (including the Los Angeles cabin of Apartment Therapy 2023 Changemaker and famed designer Leanne Ford, “Embrace Your Space” has something to offer for every aesthetic style and budget level. I got a sneak peek earlier this month and caught up with Holdefehr to have her pick out the most unexpected decorating tip she’s learned while working on the book, and it has to do with finding your ideal color palette. The tip ? “If you feel stuck when it comes to choosing the color palette for a room (or your whole house), the trick is to start with just one element that you love,” says Holdefehr. “It can be anything – a swirling throw pillow with beautiful shades of blue, a piece of earth-toned pottery, a vibrant wallpaper pattern. Then let this piece inspire the color palette of your entire space.
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To give you an idea of this trick in action, Holdefehr shared some examples from his book. You’ll find even more design tips in the book itself, which is available to buy now.
“Start with a work of art that you will never tire of looking at,” says Holdefehr. “Landscape in soothing neutrals, abstract art in punchy primaries, still life in moody hues – any room can work, as long as the colors speak to you.” From there, you’ll want to visually analyze the room by selecting one of its prominent shades to be the anchor of your palette, and then you’ll want to pull out a secondary color or two to function as your accent shades. “Because these hues are all tied together in the artwork, you can rest assured that they will also work in your room design,” Holdefehr says. “Follow the 60-30-10 rule to keep the colors balanced.
Take a look at creative consultant and writer Natasha NyaninThe small New York studio of , an excerpt of which is presented here and fully presented in Embrace your space. The living room in her home is a prime example of art dictating the color scheme. “The pale pink sofa and sapphire dining chairs echo the hues found in the paint on the sofa, which Natasha found in Accra, Ghana,” says Holdefehr.
The best thing about wallpaper colors? Someone took the time and energy to figure out what colors go together, so go ahead and use your chosen pattern as your palette shortcut. “Select the colors of the woven wallcovering in the design of the room,” says Holdefehr. “Keep in mind that less prominent hues may be the perfect complement, and a particularly splashy pattern may need to be balanced with white space.”
Get interior designer Lindsay MacRaeher daughter’s crèche, for example. She focused on a fun, yellow floral wallpaper and selected a red accent chair based on one of the individual flower colors repeated. She then offset this riot of color with a combination of visually quiet furniture, including a white rug, crib and window shade.
If you want just one piece to inspire your space, look high and low for that inspiration – it really can be anything! “Remember: an element doesn’t have to be the focal point of the room to trigger the color scheme of the space,” says Holdefehr. “A decorative vase, cushion or bowl can be your guide.”
Florist Kaylyn HewittThe Santa Monica bungalow sings, thanks to its sunny color palette, which you can see in action in its living room above. It wasn’t the nearby beach sunsets that drove Hewitt to these shades. “The true provenance of the palette? said Holdefehr. “An inexpensive pillow that Kaylyn picked up at Target. Based on this pillow, Kaylyn sprinkled hues of petal pink and marigold throughout her apartment.
