Buying a home is a one of the most important financial decisions we make, and it follows that we will want to put our own signature on it. Sometimes there are colors chosen by former owner that just do not suit our personality or any of our furnishings, and a change is needed.See the advice that follows under – Major Changes.
Freshening Up for Sale
Often sellers will take a look at their home in the company of a Realtor and determine that some changes are well advised to improve the attraction of quicker and higher offers from buyers. This may include removing wallpapering or borders, are changing a wall that has a very dark tone that worked well with furnishings that are not intended to be offered with the sale.It is often recommended that if you have a lot of furniture, that some be removed to give rooms a larger feel. If scratches or damaged walls are present, it would be best have them touched up in their current color. Matching paint colors is easy these days, and most painters and suppliers will do this service for you.
Major Changes –Refurbishing for a new look
Okay, lets assume that you are wanting to make major changes, and you want to do it right. I first recommend that you plan to spend some time viewing new homes open houses, and bring your digital camera. Checking out some home shows and collecting some brochures is another good idea catalyst, and finally have a look at some Home Décor magazines to give you some further ideas.
Start by separating and collecting a dozen photos of what appeals to you, while still seeming marginally realistic. A decorating consultant can often look at your picks and determine common factors that will be of great help to you. The following are some items to watch for:
Are there strong contrasts between walls and trim?
Are rich colors being used?
Do your favorite have sparse furnishings?
How predominant is white in your choices?
Are more than one wall color used in these samples?
Can you determine a common theme of colors?
If your doors of a fifties home are natural wood finish, and all the sample you have selected show white doors; you may be on to a decision that will have quick results. Another common factor is that size and profile of trim has changed over years and you may do well to consider upgrading yours. Many painters, can also do trim upgrades, and when combined with a painting project- it may be cheaper than you think. The last three bedroom home I did was 1100 square feet and including materials the doors, baseboard, windows were re-fitted for under $1,500.00.
I mentioned the trim and doors first, because it is important to consider what factors are limiting you from moving towards moving your home towards the samples you found. Next make note of your homes ceiling heights and walls surfaces. There is little you can do about the fact that your samples may have twelve foot ceilings and yours are eight, but if your home has textured plastered walls, you may want to consider a skim coat to smooth out the walls in your common areas.
Alas, we settle on the colors:
Sometimes choices are easy if you are confident in what you want. For those whom are less sure, it can be a bit more complicated. If you have found samples, and they are all of different color schemes, the fun then begins. If you are decidedly not going to replace all your furnishings, then we want to make sure to consider that your choice of colors will not clash with your furnishings. If you are sticking to lighter shades, this becomes less of a concern.
If is important to note that even though you may not be already confident in a color choice- it does not mean that the decision becomes simple. I think the process at this point should be about reducing the possibilities and being confident as to what you don’t want. Use large swatches of a varied selection of colors. Eliminate one by one and get down from 6 principle colors –down to 2. Then work with swatches that show multiple shades of the same colors. Do not be discouraged if something does not jump out as a yes, but instead be patient and consider what shades seem the least objectionable. I recommend spending a day or two with the colors views in different lighting to see if you are warmer towards one. If the shade you choose is the lightest- sampling a lighter shade on a wall may be the key. If your preference is the darkest shade, then sampling a darker shade may be best.
The most frequent dilemma I assist clients with is the desire for rich colors, but the accompanying concern about darkening the room. A darker room seems more crowded and smaller. It is also common to find that one partner prefers to stay with light walls, while the other adventurously wishes to add richness and life. Also, consider how many items like pictures you will be hanging and whether that will contribute to making the room seem busy if walls are darker. I recommend that if you have one wall that gets good lighting and is suitable; that you consider that wall to be a feature wall with a darker shade of the same colors used on the other walls.
Colors add not only your personal signature to a room or home, but they also can create the atmosphere of somewhere you feel invited to return each day. It is important that you do not rush your decisions, if you hope to foster a welcoming place that your family enjoys spending time in,
How to Choose Colors for your Home