LRV Means What to Me?

Light Reflectance Value is a numerical rating assigned by paint manufacturers to each color they make. This number is an assessment of the amount of light and heat that color will reflect on a scale of 0 to 100. Pure black has an LRV of 0, absorbs all light and heat, and can get very hot. On the other hand, pure white has a reflectance value of nearly 100, and can keep a space light and cool. All colors fit in between these two extremes. A color with an LRV of 50 will reflect 50% of the light that falls on it, and one with an LRV of 23 will reflect 23% of the light. 

When a new space is being designed, the LRVs can be very important in selecting the proper lighting. For example, in a workplace environment proper planning can be paramount in color design for settings such as individual work surfaces, hallways, and everything in between. From an energy-reducing and sustainability point of view, a wall painted with a higher LRV color can support lighting plans and reduce the standard number of fixtures required to enable employees to efficiently and safely perform their tasks.

But what does knowing a color's LRV mean to a homeowner selecting colors for the interior of their homes?  I don't think that it means a whole lot.  The value refers strictly to the lightness or darkness of a color. When selecting color pallets for a home, we try to create spaces by invoking a specific feel.  For example, a low-contrast, low-saturation scheme is used for relaxing pallets. For warm, engaging and inviting color schemes, we mix warm and cool colors.  For more traditional and formal spaces, higher saturations of warm and cool colors can be used.  I have never used LRVs as my overriding guide in selecting colors for a house.  It's important to note that the number of windows, which way the windows are facing, and the finish of your paint will also impact the actual visual reflectivity, as will the number of lamps, overhead lights,  accent lighting – any lighting -- in the room.

However, it is certainly possible to create a low contrast color pallet by selecting colors with LRVs that are – say - no more than 10 points apart.  When more impact is needed and you want a room or area to make a statement, have an impact, or simply be better defined, the LRVs can and will vary widely.

LRV can sometimes be misleading, so please use caution. Yellow is a very reflective color and is probably the color most likely for people to make an error selecting. It’s too green, it’s too lemony, limey, or simply so doggone bright that you want to don your sunglasses when entering the room.  On more than one occasion, I’ve been asked to correct a yellow space where the homeowner thought they were selecting a neutral, golden creamy color and ended up with a loud yellow.  Because here’s the thing:  there is a difference between actual visual brightness and the Light Reflectance Value and visual brightness. When choosing colors – especially yellows – it’s so important to consider the actual visual intensity (that is, how bright or dull the color actually looks).  This should be a more prominent consideration than the LRV number.

Summing it up.

LRV is to be used as a guide and is not a standard by which to choose colors, but it certainly can be an indicator to help you out.  It can be used as a point of reference for predicting how dark or light a color may look and -- therefore, how your room will feel -- once applied.

Sell Higher | Sell Faster | Sell Smarter

www.ballantynehomestaging.com | 980.322.5825 | carol@ballantynehomestaging.com

4511 Bainview Drive Mint Hill

Check out this completely updated and renovated ranch floor plan in the wooded Mint Hill subdivision of Bainbridge. Conveniently located off 485 and 51, this 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath ranch with library/office space is truly move-in ready.

From the beautifully landscaped ½ acre yard with in-ground irrigation to the welcoming front porch and large backyard deck, this is a family-friendly house that is also perfect for entertaining.

MLS #2029430 listed at $215,000. To view this property, contact Mary Abel, Allen Tate Company, at 704.497.7722.

  http://www.homefinder.com/NC/Mint_Hill/77295600d_4511_Bainview

 

        

www.ballantynehomestaging.com | 980.322.5825 | carol@ballantynehomestaging.com

Should I put hardwoods in the kitchen?

Although a classic flooring choice, hardwood is often considered in areas throughout the house where perhaps other choices are more practical.  Remember that form should always follows function, so use caution when considering wood flooring in high moisture areas such as the kitchen and bathroom.  That being said, one of the great things about hardwood flooring is the range of choices.  Sometimes this can lead to confusion and indecision. To avoid this from happening to you, set up priorities and guidelines to help you select the proper hardwood for your application.  Here are some tips:

1.  By hardness. If you are installing a hardwood floor in a busy office area or commercial space, then it makes sense to choose a harder variety of hardwood. (And remember to higher a professional installation company.)  However, if your traffic is more moderate and residential, then a middle of the road wood that is more easily cut and handled like a red oak makes good most sense. And how do you judge hardness, exactly? Ask you flooring professional to explain the different types of hardwoods and constructions of -- and if you really want to show off just how smart you are --  check out the Janka hardness test. 

excess expansion and contraction of maple
wood in kitchen of old farmhouse

2.  By stability. Some types of woods tend to expand and contract more than others.  For example, a hard maple floor tends to be a little less stable than a red oak, which is a softer wood. This is a question of how stable a species is when exposed to its environment. It’s important to consider these factors which affect expansion and contraction for the living area and humidity levels in the site you’ve chosen. 

3.  By grain patterns. Some species have prominent grain patterns, like oak and ash.  Others, like birch and maple, have less distinct patterns but are beautiful. Some love the intricacies of grain patterns, while others find them too busy and distracting. The choice is really all about your particular taste.

The grain and color of these wide oak planks
make it a good choice if you want to bring nature indoors.



4.  By natural color. Every type of hardwood offers its own color range, from light, pale yellow to the darkest darks  and everywhere in between. So, when shopping for hardwood flooring with color in mind, it’s best to make your choice based on a range of color, rather than holding to a single color. And remember, real hardwoods can be stained a myriad of color, but go cautiously with the popular dark stains that may cover up all the natural grain.

http://www.ballantynehomestaging.com/ | 980.322.5825 | carol@ballantynehomestaging.com

Selling a house is like a steeplechase race horse jumping over hurdles.

Selling a house is like a steeplechase race horse jumping over hurdles.

Some race horses make the jumps look so easy; they run and jump in rhythm under the jockey's guidance. As a home seller, your job is to make home buyer's hurdles easy to jump. Home buyers make up their minds about a house on each step they take or every barrier they cross. You need to make sure your buyer crosses each barrier. Here are eight hurdles for you to win the house race.

Hurdle #1 Listings Advertised with Benefits.

Buyers make up their mind about the online or print listing whether or not to continue reading. That means they approve of the basic features and price.  Home shoppers must see something that makes your house stand out in a buyer's market. To entice a buyer to email the listing agent or pick up the phone and call about your house, the buyer must read some benefit that they need or desire. This should be your property's best benefit to the buyer, such as "Enjoy the panoramic views of Charlotte’s skyline from your large deck and entertain in style with custom barbecue" or "Move right in without fixing or painting a thing. Owners will even help with your costs."

Hurdle #2 Curb Appeal that Pulls the Buyer Inside

When shoppers pull up in front of your house, the first glimpse must impress them enough to get out of their vehicle to see what's inside. For condo sellers, the development has to pass approval and your unit should stand out with added appeal like large potted plants near the door in colorful containers. The typical house needs pizzazz near the front door to draw the eye into the house.  You must entice the buyer to cross the threshold to see what's inside.  The front porch and door should be clutter free and clean, with a good mix of color.
Hurdle #3 First Impressions Entice Buyers

Inside, the typical home buyer makes up their mind within 15 seconds whether or not they're interested in your house. This is why the first sighting inside must pass inspection and peak interest, a critical role of Home Staging. 

Hurdle #4 Lasting Impressions Sell Houses

To encourage shoppers to spend more than the usual four minutes previewing a house, enlist the help of an Accredited Staging Professional® and employ their strategies. Buyers select a home based on their emotions. They choose the home they connect with and one they think "feels like home." This just doesn't happen in four minutes.  Houses that make buyers envision living in the home, enjoying a better lifestyle, and entertaining friends help buyers make up their minds.

Hurdle #5 Yard Signs that Attract the Eye without Destroying View of Home

The yard sign should look professional and not take away from the appeal. Many over-sized yard signs clutter the landscape. Put the sign to the side a bit and consider a shorter sign for smaller houses. Instead of wasting words with the all the amenities, make the phone number legible from the street and list the best feature not obvious from the curb. QR codes, while popular with Realtors®, haven’t caught on with mainstream buyers yet.

Hurdle #6 Non-Generic Sales Flyer

Perhaps a house shopper will be interested enough to get out of their vehicle and pick up a sales flyer. This means that the flyer needs to be written with sales copy that gives motivation to see the property. A black & white (i.e., boring) generic flyer with a long list of features should be rewritten using Marketing Psychology with strong benefits to the buyer.

Hurdle #7 Make the Purchase Easy

Buyers make offers on houses when they feel comfortable with the paperwork. If you're selling by owner, have a basic contract on hand that doesn't confuse buyers and have a closing agent or escrow officer draw up the formal documents later. If you're selling by agent, your agent must be trained on how to handle negotiations beyond just filling out forms.

Hurdle #8 Keep Sale on Track for the Finish Line

During the sale process, monitor all the closing details. Keep your home staged for the most important date: appraisal day. Invite you buyers to return early in the sale for their walk through so they stay "in love" with your home. Make sure all the appointments are made and kept, such as inspections, and contracts signed on time.

Turn house shoppers into motivated buyers, help your buyers jump the hurdles, and you'll win the house race.

www.ballantynehomestaging.com | 980.322.5825 | carol@ballantynehomestaging.com