Yes, U Can Do Color!

Ok, so I can't tell you how many times this has happened to me. I go and see a client for a color consultation ( this is when a client has a room or series of rooms that they would like to paint but have no clue what colors to use in their space. This consultation is done for a flat fee in a smaller home, although I may just charge my hourly fee in a larger house, typically over 4,000 square feet) and the first thing that I hear is, "I like neutral colors like beiges, browns, taupes and tans." Are you serious? Do you really like those colors? Their next usual response is either, well it makes it easier to decorate because you can just add "punches of color" ( see, someone was watching HGTV again) or it's better for resale value to have a neautral color pallette. To which I normally reply, "Well are you planning on moving soon?" And I usually get a puzzled look shining right back at my gorgeous face.



Tell me why do we feel we have to decorate our house for the person that has yet to move in five years from now? If you are not planning on selling your home in the next four years, you need to paint your home in colors that will satisfy YOU. And most likely, that is not Baked Potato! Why are we scared of color anyway? Truth is most of us aren't. We paint our walls tan and then buy a blue sofa. You're not scared of color, you're just scared to put it in the right place. Here's some color therapy for you. It's only a can of paint... It's only a can of paint... It's only a can of paint. Say it with me now. Why the mantra? Because a can of paint costs $20 on average. A sofa can cost a few grand. Why are people so scared of spending $20 on a color that they like and putting in the background of their room.? If you hate it, you can always paint over it again. And there are ways to make sure you like what you put up before you put it up on the wall.



Sherwin Williams, whose paint I absolutely adore, makes sample quarts that cost $5.00 a pot. Sure, you can get smaller samples, but I like the quart for a reason. One big mistake that people make is that they take that small sample and take a brush and make a smattering on their wall the size of their head, then try to decide whether they like the color on their walls. WRONG!



Take your sample pot and go to several areas of the room that you are about to paint. You need to be certain that your color will work in a few different ways. If you are too nervous about doing this on your walls, go to Michaels or your local craft store and purchase a piece of foam core. ( a thick piece of poster paper with a thin layer of foam inside)

* Next, take a paint brush or small foam roller and paint a large section of the board, at least a 2' by 2' square or a little over half of the foam core.

* First, take your painted square and place it behind your major piece of furniture in the room and look at how the color compliments or contrasts against your furniture.

* Now, take your paint to an area of the room where natural sunlight hits it. So many times I get calls from clients that say " I loved this color and then I saw it in the light and now it looks pink. I hate pink!" Sometimes a color will look great under your overhead light or in the latter part of the day, yet look entirely different in the sun or as you first wake up. You have to love your color, no matter the time of day. Colors also show their undertones depending upon what they are next to, which brings me to my next step...

* Finally, if your room is open to another adjacent room. NOW, THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE FEEL THAT THEIR ROOM COLORS SHOULD MATCH OR HAVE A SPECIAL COORDINATED FLOW FROM ONE ROOM TO THE NEXT, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY ARE CLOSED OFF OF EACH OTHER AND SEPARATED BY A DOORWAY OR EVEN A DOOR. THIS IS SOOOO OLD SCHOOL WAY OF THINKING. IF YOUR ROOM IS CLOSED OFF FROM THE NEXT ONE, THOSE COLORS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH EACH OTHER. THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE IN THE SAME FAMILY; THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO BE FRIENDS! If your home has more of an open floor plan, like your family room is open to your kitchen; take your paint color to the area or end of the wall where your one color will end and the next room's color begins. One of the largest mistakes that I see in homes is that a client will have two adjoining rooms in two different shades of a color- like a tan and one room has a cool tan and the adjacent room's tan is warm. What a fashion faux- pas!

If you've done all of these steps and you are happy with your color choice, paint your room. If not, another sample is only $5.00 away!

No matter what, whether you are doing it yourself, or hiring a painter, paint is the simplest way to transform the mood of your room. Beige is not the only neutral in the world, anymore. There are neutrals in every hue of the color wheel. If you are still unsure, you can always consult a design professional. Painters are good at what they do... and that's painting. Don't ever ask their advice on colors. That's not their field of expertise; they know how to put it on the wall. And more than anything, paint for yourself not someone else. More than likely, when they have bought your home in 2013, they will be doing the same thing!