Connecting thru Colors…
Spring is approaching, and with it comes the desire for change. Whether you just want to alter your aesthetic for the new year… or prepare your property for higher prices as a rental or sale… painting can be a wonderful way to affect change quickly and effectively.
Painting your apartment can bring wonderful revitalization to a space, but choosing the right color can be a difficult challenge. The color of a painted wall shifts depending on what type of light is striking the surface and what other colors are surrounding it, so there must be an awareness of variable light and physical context to achieve the correct color environment from wall to wall and room to room.
Interior design professionals often recommend the following concepts:
Paint Cards Before Walls -
Rather than painting small splashes of different colors directly onto your walls, it is far easier and more effective to paint two or three coats on a stiff paper card. This painted card can then be held all over the room, by windows and light fixtures and in dark corners, giving you a far better sense of how a color varies in different areas.
Link Rooms with a Guiding Color -
A common concern is how much color difference is acceptable between different rooms, as sharply divergent colors may clash and make the rooms seem disconnected. One way to link different color schemes together is by threading a guiding color thru each room of the property. A strong color could start on the baseboards and door frames in the hallway, and be seen again on the cabinets and wood trimming in the kitchen, and then be found on the shelves of the living room, and finally appearing in the bedroom on the window frames.
Take Bold Risks in Secret Spaces -
If a certain color really puts a smile on your face, but doesn’t make much sense in any of your rooms, it might be best used in the spaces you don’t often think about in terms of color. Closets, whether for clothes or condiments or cleaning supplies, can become a place of joyful colors that flash out when the door is opened… and then discreetly disappear when the door is closed. (Side Note: Bold wallpaper can also be a great way to enliven your closets!)
Paint Isn’t Just for Walls -
For old floors that are near the end of their usefulness, or inexpensive floors with a short time-line and an unattractive patina, one creative solution to breathing new life into them is to use high-quality paint with a matte finish. If the paint is durable enough you can create a vibrant floor with a new lease on life.
When You Can... Spend the Extra Dollar -
The concepts shared above are great if you want to handle your own painting renovation. But as with many things in life, you will likely get a greater result and far less stress if you hire a professional. Scheduling a consultation with a designer, choosing high-quality paints (like Farrow & Ball), and booking a professional painting crew are all options that will raise your painting project and your property to the next level.