Whether you are home staging, painting a new apartment, or giving your house a makeover, color schemes can present a problem when giving your home a spruce. You want your space to have enough variety that it is interesting, but you don’t want it to look like you used every color in the Crayola box. Not only that, but the way you choose color can depend on the type of home you have and your reason for the makeover. This week at CORT we’re covering ways to re-color according your home’s needs. Read on for our best color scheme tips for houses, home staging, and apartments.
Color Scheme Basics
Ask yourself: How do you want the room to feel? Maybe you want your game room to be energizing, or you want a relaxing bedroom, or perhaps you want your living room to feel sophisticated and modern. What colors do you associate with those feelings? Also think about what colors you already like. Look at the clothes in your closet, for example, or draw inspiration from the colors of your favorite season. If you surround yourself with the colors you like, you’ll want to spend more time in the rooms with those colors. Try and limit your full color palette to no more than 5 colors, then mix and match those colors as you move through each room. This way, your look will remain cohesive without having to resort to going monochromatic.
Colors for a House
As you choose new colors for your house, draw from your color palette strategically. You’ll want to separate each room’s individual color scheme into 3 parts: its primary color (the most dominant color in the room), its secondary color (the color of its smaller components), and its accent colors (the colors used in the accessories). This kind of methodical separation serves just a guideline, of course, but having ground rules can really help you as you choose furnishings and paint.
Colors for Home Staging
Choosing colors for home staging is a slightly different matter. When home staging, you are creating an environment that is neutral to any one decorating style but is still welcoming and attractive. Therefore, if you are home staging, it is recommended that you use more neutral colors rather than a color palette that makes a statement. While a bold blue or deep green may look great with your décor, it may put potential buyers off if they don’t share your tastes. With the right home staging, a buyer should be able to envision their own décor in the space. Decorate with furniture rental pieces to match your neutral colors so that you create an inviting space that prospective buyers could see themselves inhabiting.
Colors for an Apartment
Unfortunately, apartments don’t always come pre-painted in an attractive color. If you find yourself in this situation, don’t worry. A punch of color can personalize any apartment. Remember, however, that too many colors in a small apartment can interrupt the aesthetic flow of the room, making it appear even smaller. If your lease doesn’t allow you to paint, consider temporary wallpaper, or change up the colors of your slipcovers, throw pillows, or furnishings to freshen up your home’s look.
More Color and Home Staging Tips
For more décor and home staging advice, check out the CORT Pinterest pinboard called Home Staging Inspiration. There you’ll find even more color scheme ideas, painting tips, and other tricks! You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
