If you are looking to do one thing to spruce up your home then painting is the answer. Whether you have recently bought a new house and are looking to freshen it up, without doing any renovations, or seek to make changes to your existing space, paint will do the trick.
Unless you have painted your home within the past three years chances are your colour scheme is a little drab and lacking interest. Most people have been slow to embrace the vibrancy of the colour trends that are hitting home right now. The strength of the tones is a shocking contrast to the tranquil neutrals that have invaded our spaces for over a decade.
Colours are coming up in apple green and eye popping pink. This doesn't mean that you should run out and buy tins of these dramatic tones but you do need to be prepared to bring them into your home with neutrals of depth.
Implementing colour:
Find a good painter and plan to vacate the premises for at least a weekend. Make sure to include all trim and doors in this project as wear and tear will show up next to freshly painted walls.
Start with one strong neutral, painting main living areas in this tone and then add colour to one or two rooms. Bring in accessories throughout the house in the accent colour.
Benjamin Moore 'Putnam Ivory' is a warm neutral shade with strength. As an accent paint a room in 'Navajo Red' and bring in accessories in this vibrant red tone, which offers a hint of orange.
For a more sophisticated look paint walls in Benjamin Moore 'Silver Fox' and accent with 'Gentleman's Gray'.
For a 'colour-me-happy' look use 'Benjamin Moore 'Cream silk' as a staple and splash 'Cedar Green' throughout adding hot pink accent pieces for a fresh fun look. Be sure to paint trim and baseboards in a true white to let these bold colours stand-out.
When bringing in new paint colours keep old furniture in mind. If you choose a neutral shade, in a tone that works well with your existing pieces chances are the accent colour will be picked up in the furnishings as well. Choose colours wisely as you don't want this project to be the start of many more to come...
