After a drab winter, people want to enjoy their space, and that means new hues<\/p>\n
Published Apr 13, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 4 minute read<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.<\/p>\n Based on what I saw at the recent Ottawa Home and Garden Show, the city has never been so eager to throw off the dull, drab tones of late winter and embrace the sunny side of spring.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Exclusive sports coverage by Bruce Garrioch, Ken Warren and Tim Baines, in-depth crime and news from Gary Dimmock and city life coverage from arts writers Lynn Saxberg and Peter Hum. 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Plus, daily newsletters and events.Unlimited online access to Ottawa Sun and 15 news sites with one account.Ottawa Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an Account<\/p>\n or<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Decorative planters placed throughout the show floor were laden with fresh tulips, daffodils, and real blooming magnolia trees, earning plenty of attention.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Recommended Videos<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n I saw more than one person reach up to stroke the sherbert-esque magnolia blossoms, checking if they were real.<\/p>\n People seemed enchanted by a hot tub from Gatineau\u2019s Trevi Pools and Spas that glowed with multicoloured lights. And over at Dalmen Windows, window casings in fire-engine red and rich teal caught everyone\u2019s eye.<\/p>\n The vibrant hues at the show are reflective of a bigger trend. Slowly but surely, Ottawa residents are getting a bit bolder. \u201cPeople are coming out of their comfort zone and choosing colour again, trying colours that make them happy,\u201d shares Jenna Miller.<\/p>\n She\u2019s the owner of the Painter\u2019s Daughter, a residential painting service company, and she\u2019s observed that customers are willing to try something new after a long period where understated greys enjoyed unparalleled popularity.<\/p>\n So what\u2019s behind this push to liven things up? One explanation points to the pandemic. People who spent more time at home embraced DIY decor projects, and grey was very popular over the past five to ten years.<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n But now, not only are people naturally starting to itch for a new look, they\u2019re especially keen to leave their pandemic memories behind. Fresh paint it is!<\/p>\n Another factor, as with so many trends, is what we see in our media. Miller is observing more television shows which feature characters living in beautifully tinted homes \u2013 if you\u2019ve seen the gorgeous blue interior of the Kids Ruin Everything home, you\u2019ll know what she means!<\/p>\n She\u2019s also noticed a trend among people between their mid-40s and mid-60s. Many of them are in the empty nest phase of their lives, and they\u2019re ready to start enjoying their space. That means new hues.<\/p>\n Word of mouth is a powerful factor when it comes to colour and once someone sees a change in their friend\u2019s house, they want to make a similar change for themselves. \u201cBravery with colour is contagious,\u201d says Miller.<\/p>\n Daniela Browning is another home decor expert who\u2019s observing a similar trend. Browning is an owner and interior designer with River Oak Interiors. People were flocking to her booth at the Home and Garden Show, thanks in part to a gorgeous display of Sarana Tile.<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n I was among the many fans of the richly pigmented tile. Browning\u2019s observed that Ottawa tends to be a neutral-loving city, but lately we\u2019ve been branching out. \u201cPeople are pushing their boundaries,\u201d she told me.<\/p>\n However, there\u2019s still a hesitation when it comes to really going all the way with bright hues. It\u2019s easy to see why. Embracing bold shades and unexpected tones looks a bit different when it comes to permanent and semi-permanent fixtures like tiles.<\/p>\n Unlike paint and other home elements that are comparatively easy to change, something like bathroom tile is very likely to last 20 years or more. Browning often advises people to go for what she describes as \u201clittle pops of colour\u201d to add personality to a space and make a field of neutral tiles really shine.<\/p>\n Interestingly, both Miller and Browning noted that blue was trending among their clients as of late. Browning shared that both blue and green were popular among the people she works with, while Miller reported that blue was particularly popular this spring.<\/p>\n Is this proof that we are all craving some crystal clear skies after such a drab winter? Miller also noted that people tend to lean towards cool shades like blue in spring and summer, and she\u2019ll see more people talk about warm tones like terracotta in fall, so she\u2019ll often double-check with clients to make sure that they\u2019re certain about their choice and not just swept up in all the lovely autumn leaves around them.<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n So if you\u2019re eager to add a splash of colour in a room or two, or if you\u2019re itching to get an entirely new look complete with tiles and remodelling, how can you make sure you\u2019re going to be happy with the work and the price?<\/p>\n I was able to catch Sandra Lynn Thomson\u2019s presentation to get some insights. Thompson is Vice President at Thomson\u2019s Edge Kitchen & Bath, and she shared that, for projects big and small, it\u2019s crucial to: \u201cFind someone who is unbiased who can help talk you through what each quote means.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s sound advice. That way, you\u2019ll go into your project with confidence, and the only decision you\u2019ll have to brood over is just how bright you\u2019ll go!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Share this article in your social network<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Breadcrumb Trail Links Homes After a drab winter, people want to enjoy their space, and that means new…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":601505,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194295],"tags":[49,48,20739],"class_list":["post-601504","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ottawa","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-ottawa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/601504","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=601504"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/601504\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/601505"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=601504"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=601504"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=601504"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Jenna](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0411-os-craving3-scaled.jpg\")
Jenna Miller, owner of the Painter’s Daughter, says customers are willing to try something new after a long period where understated greys enjoyed unparalleled popularity.Article content<\/p>\n![\"Ottawa](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.9.1\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-osun.svg\"){kind=logo}
<\/p>\n![\"Trevi](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0411-os-craving2-scaled.jpg\")
A hot tub from Gatineau\u2019s Trevi Pools and Spas that glowed with multi-coloured lights is reflective of a bigger trend, people are coming out of their comfort zone and choosing colour again.<\/p>\n![\"Daniele](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0411-os-craving1-scaled.jpg\")
Daniele Browning, owner of River Oak Interiors observes that Ottawa tends to be a neutral-loving city but lately people have been branching out and pushing their boundaries.<\/p>\n