A blog by Mary Hawley, designer/realtor
“Colour is, on the evidence of language alone, very bound up with the feelings.”
― Joanna Field
Many things contribute to the overall look and feel of a room but none more so then the walls. Here, where there is more to meet the eye then any other feature, we have the opportunity to create a welcoming atmosphere. The walls do not need to be the most prominent statement of the room, but a subtle enhancement of other more important features.
Now, I love using a splash of bold color, but for the purposes of selling a home I stick to a soft and muted palate. Deep color can “close up” a room making it feel smaller while muted, light shades bounce the light around and give a feeling of space. What do most buyers want for their money – big and bright! Another thing to remember is that you are trying to appeal to the largest number of possible buyers, so utilizing your favorite color on the dining room wall may turn off that otherwise perfect buyer who doesn’t embrace that color. Here is the same room, same dining table, but repainted light value to open up the room.
Always test the color! We all want to save a buck when we can, but don’t skimp here. Purchase the smallest size of your possible paint selections and try them all on multiple walls in the house. Paint a section about 2 feet wide and 3 feet tall, move over 6 inches and put up the next color so you can see all your selections right next to each other – the winner will be obvious.
Now we will talk about the color shade, or what I call it’s value. Basically, the value is affected by how much white has been added to the base color, or hue. Color needs light to be seen, so the darker a room is the more value (or color) you will want. When I choose a wall color for a project, I usually take the paint cards offered at the paint store and choose a color I like, then I also test one value darker. I may then choose a completely different card and choose two values from that one. I would recommend using 4-6 different colors to test. Look at them at different times of the day. You’ll be surprised how they will change.
Whether you are painting to sell or painting for your own enjoyment, this is the improvement where you will receive the greatest return for your money.
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