Wagner Realty
September
18
18
Interior Design 101: Picking the Right Colors for Your Home
The color of your home's interior has a huge impact on how you feel when inside the space. It's amazing how much a paint job can transform a home. Whether you just moved into a new house or are preparing to put yours on the market, you want to choose a color scheme that evokes the right mood and will stand the test of time. Our real estate agents are excited to share a few tips to help you select the perfect color palette.
- Consider the Size of the Room
You've probably heard that darker colors make a room seem smaller, while lighter colors make a room seem larger. This is true, and it's the reason why you need to consider size and scale when making color changes. You can get away with using any color, dark or light, in a big and open space. But for a small bathroom or bedroom, you really want to err on the light side. - Don't Overlook Undertones
Colors can have either warm, cool, or neutral undertones. Warm undertones are reddish, cool ones are blue, and neutral ones are in between. In most cases, you want to stick with the same undertone throughout your home, even if you choose very different paint colors. For instance, you may want to do your living room in blue and your dining room in gray – but both with cool undertones. - Play Up the Architecture
Do any of your rooms have unique architectural features such as crown molding, built-in bookcases, or arched doorways? Use your paint choices to play up these features. For example, you could paint the built-in bookcases white, which stands out against your navy blue walls. Or, you could paint the crown molding burgundy with cream-colored walls. - Enhance Your Desired Mood
How do you want to feel in the room? In a bedroom, you likely want to feel relaxed. Blue, pale green, and gray tend to evoke feelings of relaxation. In a kitchen, you may want to feel awake and energized. Stark white, yellow, and touches of green can give you those feelings. Spend a little time looking at paint swatches to see how each color makes you feel. Then, pick colors that give you the feelings you want in each space. - Make Sure Your Colors Flow From Room to Room
This is especially important if your home has more of an open floor plan. You want to select colors that create a cohesive flow from room to room. For instance, you may want your navy blue living room to transition into a cream-colored dining room. Or, you may want all of your bedrooms to be pastel colors, feeding into a white hallway. - Look at Colors in the Light
Always bring paint samples home and apply them to your walls before you commit to one color. A color can look very different in natural light than in more yellow-toned light. If you're not ready to put samples on your walls, paint a sheet of paper and tape that to your wall. - Consider the Finish
A certain color will also look different depending on its finish. Matte finishes tend to evoke a softer, more sensual look. A semi-gloss or glossy finish will make a space look more posh and refined. Eggshell finish is somewhere in between and is, therefore, a popular choice in homes.
Follow the tips above, and you're sure to end up with a lovely, nicely decorated home. If you're still looking for Bradenton homes for sale or Sarasota homes for sale, feel free to contact us. Our friendly agents can guide you through the process.