Ecopainting had the pleasure of having Janice Fedak come and do a presentation for us on July 30th. It was a wonderful and intimate meeting where she spoke about nature’s influence on colour and design and the upcoming trends. Janice said that she wanted us to leave with our eyes open to how much colour really was integrated into our lives. This event was part of our educational community events series we started in the summer of 2015.
Along with a collection of beautiful photos of nature, the presentation was full of suggestions on how to incorporate it into our interior space.
One thing Janice said that really resonated with me was her suggestion of how to make any space into a space you love. Take a picture you love and pull colours for your space from that photograph. She also emphasized that when you come home at the end of the day, wherever home is for you, you want to be able to smile as soon as you walk in the door. Having a space that reflects who you are is incredibly important. You need your space to make you happy and comfortable.
People change over time, and sometimes you want to change up the look of your space. Don’t be afraid to bring nature into your space, and don’t be afraid of changing your space to make it how you like it. Most of the time you don’t need to change all your furnishings to change up your space. Often all you need is to change up your wall colours and add an accent colour in the form of pillows, accessories, placemats, towels, etc. It doesn’t have to be a big makeover to spruce up your space and have it make you feel good.
By the end of the event Janice had given us all a folder where she told us to keep colour chips of all the colours in our spaces. She also had a draw at the end of the event for some great books. It was a fascinating and informative presentation that really inspired me to think about design and nature in a different way. Not to mention now we need to update the look of our offices, and Karon, one of the owners of Ecopainting, now wants to repaint her home!
Back to the drawing board!
Karon: As I was listening to Janice and seeing her present what was clearly her intense passion for colour, it spun me in the direction of my own home. It definitely needed repainting. The majority of colours that were chosen in no way reflect who lives in our home. Our living/dining room does, the backdrop of bright orange walls are stunning, a happy place that is very warm and inviting. With a mix of cherrywood and pistachio tones of furnishings on the living room side, light oak tones in the dining room, assorted coloured accents, along with a fabulous deep red throw pillow for a lone black chair in the living room…the space is gorgeous. I feel passionate about it and wouldn’t change a thing.
However, when I walk in the front door, the entrance hallway and stairway look totally bland. What was I thinking! What I am now calling a nothing colour on the walls, must change soon, it has no purpose being there. It is a dead colour in a living space.
The basement is another area, with colour chosen to blend with wood panelling. That’s all very nice, but does it also blend with the people living in the home? No, it doesn’t, and so it must go.
As an avid gardener, it absolutely makes sense to me to choose from nature’s beauty, which is exactly where I will now be pulling my colours from. Thank you Janice.
Janice is the owner of Janice Fedak Colour and Design, a Toronto based design firm.
She is a member of the Colour Marketing Group and has a very diverse background in colour and design. Using the latest trends and influences that are emerging around the world, Janice presents her clients with colour direction and design ideas. She creates colour palettes and designs that enhance and define living spaces that fit the people who spend time in the space. Janice has done many presentations on Colour & Design and has also been a guest expert on both HGTV and the W- Network.