Color: 101How to flip your new-to-you home from eyesore to "I love!"You have researched and planned your dream home for years. Your pinterest boards are stocked with luxury inspiration pictures. Your hopes are high. And when the moment is right to go house hunting, reality sets in: you can't afford that awesome new house with amazing finishes. In fact, you can barely afford the house with the 90's style finishes and dated color scheme. Does this sound familiar? It's ok if it does. Most people have to purchase previously owned homes and most likely they will hate what the other owners did. So, before your pull your hair out and scream "help!" let me share with your some color selecting lessons that will help you save money and love your new-to-you home.
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Problem Scenario: In the great room below you will find lovely floors, beautiful windows, and nice high ceilings trimmed with crown molding. Awesome room, right? Well, there was one thing bringing the excitement down for the new owners- those orange faux finished walls, dated tile, and pinkish cabinets. All the tones clashed and in the end felt dark and depressing. But budget wise, we didn't have a ton to work with. What to do? Some elbow grease and the right color choice turned this once visually confusing space into a light beachy atmosphere. After enjoying the before and afters please scroll down to find different lessons on how to select colors for your new home.
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Lesson #1: Not all Neutrals "Go" Together
In this scenario, there was a confusion over what "goes" together. Just because it is brown doesn't mean it will match. There are about a million different whites, greys, beiges, and greiges out there on the market. Some have green undertones while others are pink. As you can see the wall colors and cabinets have two different base tones and thus clash. If you have a hard time seeing the undertones, don't be dismayed. Paint stores will offer collections with coordinating colors. See which one fits your home and desired outcome. Hint: Wood tones play a huge part. Since wood is harder to alter than paint color it is best to start with the color tones that will coordinate with your wood. The examples from Sherwin Williams show woods with a warm base and cool base.
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Living Room Walls
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Warm Yellow/Orange Undertones
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Cool Blue/Violet Undertones
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Lesson #2: Colors Will Change Based on their Surroundings
Seeing, is not always believing. Take for example mirages in the desert or those optical illusion sketches of bunnies, ducks, and ladies. This is also true in the world of color. While we see color, our perception of it alters based on it's surroundings. Typically the opposite will occur. If the area around it is dark then it can appear light. If the area around it is orange, it can appear bluish, the compliment of orange. In the examples below you see different grey tones. In fact all the grey circles are the same gray. And all the two grey squares are also the same.
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This also works with cabinetry. The owners hated their orange faux finished walls and pale, grey-washed cabinets that actually looked pink. But amazingly, after we painted the walls a light warm grey the cabinets became less pink and more of a warm wood. And the grey wash now fits that breezy coastal vibe they enjoy.
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Lesson #3: Design for Today or for Tomorrow?
What do you do if you plan on redesigning the house in stages. First the painting. Then in a couple years the cabinetry and then the flooring. So on and so forth. Should you paint your walls to match that inspiration image you KNOW your house will be some day. The answer is simple...No! Here is the best advise I got from a design mentor
"when you first move into a house paint all the walls white."
Since that can be a bit boring I will extend to allow a light neutral. Why you may ask?
1. Just like above, you really don't know what colors your flooring and walls are. White will give you the best idea of true colors. After living with it for a while, then experiment and find the colors that will accentuate the unique features and lighting in your home.
2. Trends change. What you like right now will most likely change by the time you get to affording the new cabinetry and flooring.
3. Love it now! Choose a color that coordinates and works with your current finishes. It is relatively easy and cheap to paint and will probably be needed again by the time you make any changes.
4. What you consider ugly now might actually work once you remove the offending wall color. With the dark brown and orange faux finished walls the green toned tile and fireplace mantel were unbearable. Part of it was due to the clashing undertones but also because they added to the already heavy visual texture. Accented against our warm grey walls they now feel like appropriate and balanced.
"when you first move into a house paint all the walls white."
Since that can be a bit boring I will extend to allow a light neutral. Why you may ask?
1. Just like above, you really don't know what colors your flooring and walls are. White will give you the best idea of true colors. After living with it for a while, then experiment and find the colors that will accentuate the unique features and lighting in your home.
2. Trends change. What you like right now will most likely change by the time you get to affording the new cabinetry and flooring.
3. Love it now! Choose a color that coordinates and works with your current finishes. It is relatively easy and cheap to paint and will probably be needed again by the time you make any changes.
4. What you consider ugly now might actually work once you remove the offending wall color. With the dark brown and orange faux finished walls the green toned tile and fireplace mantel were unbearable. Part of it was due to the clashing undertones but also because they added to the already heavy visual texture. Accented against our warm grey walls they now feel like appropriate and balanced.
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