FRESH IDEAS FOR SPRING ENTERTAINING

An affordable way to get a new look

By Shelley Waugh

Spring is a wonderful time of year to reinvent your space and throwing a party is a fantastic motivator. One of the best ways to liven up your place for the new season is to incorporate a spring color palette into your living room or kitchen. Ice blue, tangerine orange and pastel pink are the hottest colors for this season. A carefully chosen and consistent color palette is the most important aspect of successful styling, whether entertaining or for any other makeover.

In general, if you have a neutral palette to start with, any color can be added as an accent. If you have bolder colors you can minimize the bold by deleting a color and then adding a spring color that harmonizes with the existing colors. By bringing in a few pillows and other accents such as candles, vases and flowers in your new color palette you can completely change the style of a room and patio furniture. It’s such an affordable way to get a new look. The key is to envision your ideal setting and find the color palette that works best for the space.

While bringing those spring colors from your garden inside, it expands the comfort of the indoors, outside. Turn your backyard or balcony into a haven for romantic dinners, small get-togethers or a cozy nook to curl up with your favorite book. Pillows, throws, vases and the many varieties of new spring candles are versatile inside accessories that you can bring outdoors. Don’t be afraid to experiment - it’s your space, so have fun and be creative!

THROWING A PARTY IS A FANTASTIC MOTIVATOR

Red Roses Polyresin Bouquet Candle Holder
A unique centre piece that creates a romantic ambiance. Comes in 4” and 6”, with the plate set and a glass filled white candle. SRP: $59.99 Visit: http://www.wax1.com As seen at The Toronto Gift & Accessories Market (September 2004).

There are so many various types of candles and candleholders to choose from to create a festive atmosphere outdoors from lanterns, to pillars, floating candles and tealights. Set candles in groups to give a warm glow. Sconces and luminaria are also great for outdoor areas. And don’t forget about scented candles and citronellas. Several outdoor candles are now dual-purpose in that they help keep bugs away and come in a variety of colors and scents.

When using candles in and around the home, never burn a candle on or near anything that can catch fire, always keep a burning candle within sight and keep candles out of the reach of children and pets, even wagging tails.

For more information and candle safety guidelines, visit http://www.candles.org.

- Courtesy: Susie Coelho, author of Styling for Entertaining; 8 Simple Steps, 12 Miracle Makeovers (Simon & Schuster, 2003), host of HGTV’s “Outer Spaces” and consultant to the National Candle Association (NCA). Top photo: National Candle Association.