From fiery red to sunny yellow, some colors come with inevitable reservations, especially when using them in central spaces, such as the kitchen. However, Erin Napier is inviting us to do it anyway.
'When it comes to using bolder colors in a room, you just have to not care about other people’s opinions,' the HGTV designer shared exclusively with H&G.
'It's the same when you're trying to choose a baby's name before they’re born, and you tell your mom, and she says, ‘Oh really?’, and that’s never a good sign. Just don't tell her the baby's name, or in this case, just paint your room.' And her advice couldn't come at a more apt time.
Erin, best known for Home Town, has released a book, Heirloom Rooms, that encourages us all to create a house that is entirely ours. This can be anything from paying homage to our family's heritage by decorating with antiques to painting our kitchen cabinets our favorite color, because if we want to, then why not?
Designed by Erin Napier
'In an episode of Home Town, one of the homeowners, Iris, loved bold colors and patterns, and she wanted it everywhere, so I gave it to her. So many people watched that episode and said they could never live with a red kitchen, but in the end, all that mattered was that Iris loved it,' Erin says.
And Erin's ideology translates to any hue we may have reservations about bringing into our home. Whether we want a pink living room or a green powder room, her teaching rings true – the only thing we need is the confidence to go for it.
'Let's stop worrying about what other people think about our red kitchen or our green cabinets and just enjoy our spaces. Everything is tangible,' she says.
'Yes, I might say something different in 15 years, but that's okay – it's our right as people to change what we love. If you love red now, then oh baby, paint your kitchen red and enjoy every moment.'
Erin Napier is a designer and entrepreneur with a fine arts degree who started her career in corporate graphic design before founding her own international stationery company, Lucky Luxe. She co-stars alongside her husband, Ben Napier, in HTGV's Home Town and has authored three books, including Heirloom Rooms (published by Gallery Books).
As mentioned, Erin's beliefs come into play in Heirloom Rooms, her newest book that emphasizes how our homes are supposed to change over time.
'Heirlooms that are ever-evolving, I wrote that in the preface of my book, and it's completely true that our houses are not stagnant – they’re going to change so much over the years, so don't be afraid to let that change happen,' she comments.
'In some ways, I’m afraid of change, but in a house, we should embrace all changes. Enjoy it, it’s fun.' We're picking up a copy via Amazon below.
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