Adding Color/Adding Value To Your Home

Add Color to Your Home
Color has power. Colors can influence how you feel, how you look, and what your home reveals about you. We also associate certain colors with specific times, places, and people - and those associations are not always pleasant to recall. People carry all sorts of opinions about colors and color combinations. Someone may enjoy orange and brown together, while another may think that combination should be kept in the past. But beware, do not forget that color trends tend to repeat themselves in new ways.

Color trends are influenced by clothing styles, home décor fashions, and innovations in manufacturing. Designers can work with colors and patterns like never before, as the paint and textile technology continue to advance. Synthetic materials now allow for shinier glosses, an easier to work with metallic, and brighter reds.

Current Color Trends
Colors that soothe the sense and reflect nature have taken precedence in this year's trends. Just about any color found in the outdoors would match the current trends. These colors provide a warm feel. Sage greens, olive tones, turquoise, brown, camel, tulip red, deep yellows, grasses, ocean grays and blues are the naturally inspired colors of the year.

Modern Accents
Simply updating bedrooms and living spaces with bedding, curtains, and newly painted walls can make drastic improvements. Consider using a "cosmetic" color with a warm color; or select a shiny mauve with metallic silver; or choose a neutral shade for a more sophisticated touch. For a more masculine or contemporary style, use a dark gray or graphite with a silver, cream, or brown.

Living and family rooms can be simply and relatively inexpensively updated with a sofa slipcover in a solid neutral color. Then you can just add some contrasting pillows, throws, and lampshades as finishing touches.

If you don't want to change the paint color of the bathroom and kitchen, try adding a new accent color by changing the towels, rugs, and curtains. Accessorizing can improve the overall mood of a room that's dominated by white fixtures and appliances. Touches of chrome and silver add a modern touch too. Think about getting new dishes, glassware, tea towels, or even brightly colored cookware to dress up your kitchen.
Your home is a place to express yourself and find refuge. Choose colors wisely.