Well, according to www.decoratorsecrets.com, the color for 2010 is YELLOW. Yellow is the color that makes us think of warm sunshine and bright happy spring days. Yellow is a primary color, one of three primary colors and when mixed the primary colors will make up the basis for the other colors in the spectrum.
Light lavender is another color being recommended for bedrooms. Since purple is often associated with royalty this may be a "trick" to try and help all of us in this slow economy feel better when we go to sleep in our purple bedroom.
Gray has made it on the list again. I am pretty sure, I saw this mentioned last year somewhere also as a new neutral color to try and replace the beige color that has been around forever. Most people still prefer beige, it tends to blend better with wood furniture and greenery.
Another one of my favorite sites for color advice is MyPerfectColor.com and this site reports Benjamin Moore HC-35 Powell Buff as the top selling paint.
This color certainly looks like a beige to me!
Going with the latest color trend is never really the best advice when you are staging a home. Since most home owners paint their walls every five to ten years (my opinion), you need to make sure when you suggest a wall paint color that your client can live with this color for the next 5 years.
Before you pick a wall paint color, there are a few thing to consider:
1.) The size of the room. In a smaller room, you will want to go with a lighter wall color to make the wall appear to recede.
2.) The amount of natural light in the room. Sunlight is reflective, so a room with six very large windows may need a paint color that is a little darker.
3.) The ceiling. I like to paint ceilings a lighter shade of paint as the walls as long as the room is large enough to support an added design element such as this.
4.) The style of the furniture in the room you are painting. The wall paint color needs to complement your decor.
5.) The adjoining rooms. The wall paint color needs to also complement the paint in the adjoining room, this is how you create a well put together home.
6.) The taste of your home owner - if this is an interior design job. If your home owner is planning on living in this home for the next 10 years, she/he can basically paint the walls any color they want to. Remember, an interior design job is completely different that a staging job and should be based on the home owner's unique taste's.
When in doubt of the color you want to select, you should paint color boards and look at them during different times of the day and in different lights. I recommend NEVER to paint directly on a client's wall, why leave a mess on a client's wall when you can use a paint board. You can order small boards on the MyPerfectColor website, and use blue painters tape to secure it to the wall or ceiling.
I do not see beige going anywhere in the home staging world, it is such a nice neutral that is a better option than a stark white wall.
What are your thoughts?
-Kate
Kate's Home Staging and Redesign now sells semi-custom window coverings at discount prices. Our window coverings include roman shades, Levolor and Dynasty blinds, faux wood blinds, bamboo blinds, woven wood blinds, cornices, valances, sheers, and drapes. Our roman shades can be ordered in 100% pure silk, linen, cotton, or designer fabric. We also offer Benjamin Moore color consultations and test color boards, interior decorating, home staging, and redesign. Please visit http://www.kateshomestaging.com for more info or call 845-538-3623. All window covering appointments include a free 30 minute design consultation for the same room. We serve Passaic County and Bergen County of New Jersey. We are an affiliate member of the Passaic County of Realtors.
