Holiday Color Trends and Home Décor Ideas from Dunn-Edwards Paints^®

LOS ANGELES - (December 10, 2013) There are plenty of fun holiday color trends this season, and with just a little effort, it's easy to get your home ready for December visitors. Dunn-Edwards Paints^® has ideas for mini-makeovers that will wow your guests…whether you only have an afternoon, a full day or an entire weekend for a project.

If you have just a morning or afternoon, tackle painting one wall in your dining room or kitchen, or give the front door a pop of color. With a full day, the guest bath or an entryway could get a makeover. Ready to commit to an entire weekend? You can transform a living room or guestroom with a modern look that can work well beyond the holidays.

According to Sara McLean, Dunn-Edwards color expert, many of the holiday color trends are a big departure from the traditional red and green. A full list of the 2013 holiday trends and corresponding color palettes can be found on her blog, specs+spaces^®. “One fun color trend is airy pastels, with colors like Pale Jade (DE5681), Envious Pastel (DE5576) and Early Blossom (DE5049) she said. Think sugar spun treats, macaroons and a whimsical tree that sparkles. A great one-day project might be to use these colors to paint a powder room.

“Neon brights with vivid orange, purple or sapphire will be popular, too.” She points out that while you might not want to paint an entire wall in a neon color, you can bring those colors into your décor with luminescent glass, bright ornaments and textiles. Or paint a piece of furniture in an eye-popping shade. Then paint the walls in warm neutrals like cream, woodsy brown or gray.

“ We're seeing resurgence in the Alpine chalet experience with winter adornments, like toboggans, show shoes and cross-stitched samplers,” she said. “It would be an easy project to paint your front door a fun pine tree-green in a rich gloss.” In a similar nod to traditional décor, there is an emphasis on made in America, incorporating denim, plaid and gingham and a focus on primary colors.'

The nature-inspired woodland winter trend brings the colors and creatures from the outdoors into the living space. In an afternoon, you could paint a wall in the dining room in a rich gold, chocolate or copper; and incorporate decorative ornaments with owls, deer, songbirds, rabbits and snowflakes; plus bring in interesting branches, berries and pinecones from the garden.

A painting project for the entire weekend might be to transform a complete room with a vintage inspired look that pairs Victorian with a harder edge. “Combine industrial colors of charcoal, silver and jade with lace, crochet and tassels,” she explained. “This look transcends the holiday season and would still be relevant and stunning into the next year.”

McLean points out that changing color is an easy DIY project, with one or more walls, a front door or piece of furniture. For more ideas from Dunn-Edwards, trends and suggested palettes, visit its specs+spaces^® blog and Pin Boards.