The Bright BC Home That Will Have You Thinking Over the Rainbow This Holiday Season

This resolutely bright front entrance speaks to Maria’s passion for colour, especially zesty hues of green and yellow. These are repeated throughout the house, but for those lacking colour confidence, a zingy-hued front door (like this one) is a great way to experiment with dramatic palette choices. We like how Maria complemented the bold acid green of the door with the softer green tones in this rug from HomeSense. The takeaway? Variations of the same tone – from intense to muted – always go together. We also love the eye-catching high-low gallery wall, which features pages taken from a illustrated book and presented in white IKEA frames. A simple door wreath is festive and lets the colour shine.

The energy of the bright entryway extends itself to the living room where a riot of colour and pattern dazzles. What’s most interesting among all these fresh shades however is the unexpected black and white rug. Maria had originally chosen one with yellow, green and beige stripes, but when she put it in place, it lost its vigor. “I learned something that day,” she says. “Crisp, bright colours really sing with the addition of black and white.” The rug’s floral pattern is nicely echoed in the cheery artwork from Anita Lindblom of Vancouver Island’s Bluedot Art Studio.

There is something resolutely daring and imaginative about dressing two adjacent sets of large windows with raspberry-pink drapes – a high-impact alternative to neutral. Maria’s choice of this berry hue packs a bold punch and, while the drapery is in place year round, it feels especially fun and festive during the holidays. Repeating it in wrapping paper, ribbons and fresh flowers creates a curated Christmas feel. We like the addition of the carved wall hanging (a Winners find) both for its powerhouse pattern and the way it subtly demarcates the living room.

A masterclass in mixing vibrantly hot and sunny colours, this space still has a nuanced elegance thanks to Maria’s palette savvy, which she happily shared with us. “To keep a colourful room sophisticated rather than bohemian, I suggest using a maximum of three colours and mixing them with neutrals like black, brown and white.” The various tones keep the eye moving, as does the playful placement of holiday decor throughout.

This showstopper tree stands in Maria’s family room and the space embraces the design adage of using what you have – in this case, her childhood collection of National Geographic magazines, artfully stacked on the shelves flanking the fireplace. It’s a small but cohesive detail that creates stylish continuity with the yellows in the living and dining area.

The deliciously pink nutcracker, a gift to Maria from her sister, plays up the raspberry of the living room’s drapery. The gift boxes are decorative and are neutral enough to lend themselves to any colour scheme.

Maria’s skill of mashing up monochromatic neutrals with lively splashes of colour is on display in the living room’s fireplace. The succulent shades and the generous abundance of cascading garland come to life against a mostly white backdrop. White stockings further ensure the garland remains the star of the show. The bits of traditional dark green and red hues are infused with splashes of lime, pink and yellow for an original and bright take on holiday decor.

“You can never go wrong with wreaths and garlands at Christmas!” says Maria. “They come out every year, and even if I consider a different type of decor for my fireplaces, these two elements always strike the perfect note.” This garland in the family room exudes warmth with the addition of breezy orange bulbs and metallic gold accents. The wreath and garland pairing is a great idea to copy too, especially in a small space where it can take the place of a tree and still feel fun and festive.

A punchy alternative to trad red and green can be found by exploring the colour wheel. Here, variations of lime green and deep pink conjure up holiday charm in an unexpected way. Glittery touches help anchor the classic feel.

Not sure what your holiday colour scheme should be this year? Look to your furnishings! A sunflower-yellow cushion and fresh green throw on a white Barcelona chair are perfectly complemented in the fireplace garland for cool cohesion. Bonus: the chair, cushion and throw are year-round beauties that don’t have to be packed away after the holidays.

Even the most jaded Scrooge would be taken with this tree. Variations of three strong colours – bright green, orange and pink – have high-impact appeal that’s tempered with jewelled flashes of gold and judicious pops of white (a nod both to winter and the decor). The mix feels dramatic and fresh and inspires tree-trimming reassessment. Who wouldn’t want their tree to look this lively?

Reflective and glittery ornaments in all shapes and sizes fend off the formulaic. The mix of scale is cheery and allows for some breathing space between styles.

“In a nod to the raspberry living room drapes, I placed this wreath in the family room and added more pinks along with orange in the Christmas decorations,” says Maria. “You can see how keeping strong colours in the same value (or saturation) lets them co-exist happily.” Indeed – it also forms great continuity, a hallmark of good design, whether for the holidays or year-round.

While there are so many engaging details to savour here, we can’t help but zoom in on the playful treatment of the dining chairs. The mix of masculine striped backs and sunny yellow seats makes these a cool focal point. And there’s more! The ones facing the table have white and black polka-dotted backs for further pattern play. The materials are also ingenious: wipeable leather seats – a boon for dining chairs – and just a small amount of fabric for the back which means you can splurge here as square inches are scarce.

A walnut-coloured Parsons-inspired table anchors the dining room and its straight lines are a strong foil to the chairs’ curved backs and curled legs. A crystal pendant light softly illuminates without interfering with sight lines.

Maria ensured that the gorgeous pendant light was installed with a dimmer switch and hung so that its glow was reflected in the mirror – a great tip for creating ambience. She added a square wreath to the window (a cheap-and-cheerful supermarket purchase) as contrast to the room’s round accessories.

A handwritten place card in a bulb is a simple touch that yields impressive results – who doesn’t love a personalized setting? We like how even Maria’s plates echo the decor, specifically the living room’s black and white area rug.

Painted white, this second-hand buffet looks brand new and is a pristine perch for holiday flowers and drinks. Maria created a snowy effect here by adding a white feathery boa. The tabletop has ideas to spare: from the single stems in bud vases (a wallet-friendly bouquet alternative) to the store-bought chocolates removed from the packaging and elevated with elegant plating. The greens and yellows are in sync with the decor for further visual impact.

Holiday decor needn’t end at the Christmas tree. We like the way Maria subtly layered in festive touches in her snowy white kitchen. A silver ornament and potted fir tree are easy ways to create cheery continuity without overpowering a practical work space. The fir is also a stylish complement to the kitchen’s year-round green accessories.

Simple greens, whether snipped from the backyard or purchased, strike the right holiday note in the kitchen. Placing them in a kitchen container, like this white pitcher, creates a casual air with informal charm.

We defy you not to fall in love with this custom-made leather bench. Fitted with practical leather and finished with handsome nail-head details, it is a stylish focal point. It’s also Maria’s favourite spot for morning coffee (it has a view to the garden). The Santa boots are a sweet nod to the season.

Traditional gingerbread houses are right at home among Maria’s non-traditional colour scheme. “Colour is happy! I believe in colour all year round and love the extra notes of sparkle and shine during the holidays.”