WHEELING - Decorating this year is all about big color punctuated with big accessories, local designers say.
"Everything is going bigger - big mirrors, pictures, artwork and greenery," said Kelly Cappelletti, owner of Kelly's Suite II in St. Clairsville.
She said she is using "bright, fun" colors on walls such as bright blues, greens and pinks.
Article Photos
Theresa Rose of Lynn Buch Interiors shows a large mirror typical of the bolder decorating accessories that are popular this season.
Photos by Joselyn King
But she also chooses to use neutral color furniture in the room, as these items are "more permanent" and more expensive to change out. Larger and colorful accessories are added.
That's not to say neutral whites and grays still aren't popular in decorating, she continued. She calls it "The Pottery Barn" look - a relaxed style utilizing whites and grays and lots of glass tiles in neutral colors.
"It's all about relaxed, beautiful living," Cappelletti said.
Lynn Buch of Lynn Buch Interiors in Wheeling noted "tangerine tango" is the color of the season, as determined by Pantone Co.
"We're seeing the use of brighter colors, and color blocking," she said. "Trends from fashion are coming to home decor - large graphic prints, and large blocks of color."
Buch said it is "cool again" to do one wall in a room in a solid block of color different from the other walls, but the key is to make certain the bold color is paired with three walls of neutral color.
She noted fuschia, turquoise and kiwi are popular this season, and that blue and white in a room is a combination being asked for frequently by homeowners.
And big clocks, large pieces of artwork and even giant plants can fill space that otherwise would be blank, Buch said.
"Don't think inside the box," she continued. "If you have a choice between a standard size piece and a large piece, go large.
"It's hard to have a lamp or piece of art that is too large."
She also encourages clients to invest in modern art that speaks to them.
Pieces of art can be rotated from room to room as design tastes change, giving them new life.
Wallpaper also is making a comeback, Buch noted, but it doesn't look much like the floral wallpaper people remember from their grandparents' home.
Current wallpaper consists of bold prints and is often metallic.
