Ace Hardware Shares Tips on How to Bring the Top Red Carpet Trends From Hollywood's Biggest Night Home

OAK BROOK, IL--(Marketwired - Mar 4, 2014) - With fans still buzzing about Hollywood's biggest night, consumers are looking to the styles they saw on Sunday's red carpet for tomorrow's hottest trends and must-have looks. From on-trend pastel shades of blue and pink, to classic Hollywood black-and-white glamour with modern updates, people everywhere are taking inspiration straight from Hollywood A-listers and translating it into their everyday street style. Taking a page from their book, Ace Hardware, the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the industry, has teamed up with their Design Experts to provide consumers with tips and tricks that will bring Hollywood glamour into their home, making people's living spaces as fashion-forward as themselves.

With over 30 years of combined interior design and color selection experience, Ace's Design Experts -- Julie Richard (Boston, Mass.), Nathan Fischer (Orange County, Calif.) and Katie Reynolds (Dallas, Texas) -- have compiled décor tips and color recommendations from Ace's Clark+Kensington® paint+primer in one line to give consumers the tools and advice needed to add star power and create a designer look throughout their home.

"This year's red carpet featured an array of styles like textured neutral gowns with sequin and geometric embellishment, pops of vibrant, bold colors and the classic mixing of black and white. All of these, when brought into the home, can add a stylish and sophisticated look," said Ace Design Expert, Julie Richard. "Our red carpet-inspired tips and Clark+Kensington color recommendations will allow homeowners to update their décor with on-trend aesthetics and colors that are sure to put their living spaces on the 'best dressed' list!"

The following décor tips and Clark+Kensington color pairings from Julie, Nathan and Katie will create an award-winning look throughout any home:

• Classic red and other bold, vibrant colors were seen on some of the night's top nominees and with a little creativity these colors can be easily brought into your home décor. When incorporating a statement color into the home, paint an accent piece such as a chest of drawers or a console table instead of the whole room. Clark+Kensington Red Dragon 05D-5 or Clark+Kensington Bold and Beautiful 06D-5 in a high-gloss finish are ideal shades of red to add glamour. You can also try Clark+Kensington Work of Art 36D-5 for a bold blue tone. Be sure to dress up either palette with stylish hardware and accessories for a timeless look.
• Champagne and shimmering silver gowns with metallic embellishments brought simple elegance and an energetic flair to the red carpet. Bring this fun, sparkled style into your home by pairing mirrored or polished metal furniture with glass accent pieces, silk or satin fabrics or a sequin-embellished pillow. A simple gray or white wall color such as Clark+Kensington Abstract Gray N-C26, Clark+Kensington Bone White CW-W2 or Clark+Kensington Falling Rain N-C25 acts as the perfect backdrop for the room's glittering accents.
• Pastel tones were seen all over the carpet, including gowns in tones of baby blue and light pink. To create a serene space try painting the walls a pale blue such as Clark+Kensington Sparkling Water 34C-1 or Clark+Kensington Barbados Blue 34C-2 or for a more feminine look, try a pale pink like Clark+Kensington Tippy-Toe Tulle 05C-1. Pair any of these colors with white or with more colorful accessories from the same color family, such as an orchid pillow with pink walls or cobalt blue pillow with blue walls. To extend the calming look throughout the space, try a whitewashed floor.
• From the impeccably tailored mix of black and white menswear to the sleek black gowns with touches of cream, lace detailing and sheer overlays, accented black ensembles were a popular look all night long. Pairing black and white in the home can create an equally classic look. Try painting small rooms or hallways a sleek black such as Clark+Kensington Black Truffle N-C24 or Clark+Kensington Black Sand 37A-5. Decorate the walls with eclectic framed art, brass hardware or pair with a white door in Clark+Kensington Designer White 1066. The pops of accenting colors against the black walls will create a bold statement that will also help make the space appear larger. 
• Neutral gowns accentuated with textural elements such as geometric details and floral embellishments were also spotted on the red carpet. Bringing this look into your home can keep a space from feeling one-dimensional. Pair a neutral sofa or chair with various textures such as sheepskin or cable knit blankets or bring interesting beading and crystals into the room on lamps for an eclectic feel. Layering various sheens on walls can also create a sophisticated look with depth. Try painting your walls with alternating stripes in two closely tinted hues with different finishes. A great combination to achieve this look is Clark+Kensington Silent White CW-C1 in a matte finish paired with Clark+Kensington White Opal CW-C6, in a high gloss finish.
  
  

Clark+Kensington, a premium line of paint+primer in one, is available exclusively at Ace Hardware and its semi-gloss finish was ranked #1 by a leading consumer magazine in recent tests of interior paints. The paint line features designer-selected hues that cover the entire color spectrum, providing homeowners with a selection of beautiful, livable colors that meet each their varied needs.

For more information on Clark+Kensington or Ace's Design Experts, please stop by your local Ace Hardware Store or visit www.pinterest.com/acehardware.

About Ace Hardware
For 90 years, Ace Hardware has been known as the place with the helpful hardware folks in thousands of neighborhoods across America, providing customers with a more personal kind of helpful. In 2013, Ace ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Home Improvement Retail Stores, Seven Years in a Row" according to J.D. Power. With more than 4,800 hardware stores locally owned and operated across the globe, Ace is the largest hardware cooperative in the industry. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Ace and its subsidiaries currently operate 14 distribution centers in the U.S. and also have distribution capabilities in Shanghai, China; Panama City, Panama; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Its retailers' stores are located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and approximately 60 countries. For more information on Ace, visit www.acehardware.com.