Home Staging® is an intricate and thoughtful process. One of the most important aspects of it is color. Color can make or break any home, and is never more critical then when your home is for sale. While you might love your eggplant color scheme, will buyers? Is your color scheme a few years out of date? Was it trendy in the 90’s but a little out-of-style now? There is a lot to think about when you are looking at what colors your walls are…and that is why working with a qualified professional Stager® will make all the difference!
Before picking up a brush, work with a professional home Stager® to determine your color palette. Many suppliers out there have massive selections, so you should be able to find something that appeals to everyone’s design aesthetic.
While picking out colors, remember that colors and emotions go hand in hand. Try to think of the emotional reactions the colors may evoke in the viewer. For instance, reds are aggressive colors, stir strong emotions, and are irritating if overused. You want colors that will attract buyers, not repel them. Colors that make them feel at home, comfortable, and happy. While some rooms might call for some colors to up the emotional ante – basically, you want to keep your potential buyers in a good state of mind.
If you have a home on the smaller side, color can help you create a sense of great space. The prevailing theory is that lighter colors will make rooms seem bigger, while darker colors can sometimes make it feel like the walls are closing in. Dark colors are also known as “subtractive” colors because they pull light out of the room. This is what causes the feeling of the room closing in on you and the perception that the room is actually smaller than it is. But a dark accent color on the short wall of a long room can also give the appearance of that wall receding.
For small spaces, the best color scheme is monochromatic – including the furnishings as well as the paint. You can use two shades of color from the same family for a tone on tone look that is calming. Plus, if these colors match the upholstery color, the room will feel even larger.
Flat, dark color such as browns, deep reds and dark grays are great for the increasingly popular media room as these colors absorb light. The flat finish will not reflect any of the blue-white light projected by the equipment while folks are watching their favorite movie or show.
A final factor to consider is whether you are going with a “Pro” or going to do it yourself? While you save money doing it yourself, sometimes these projects can be done quicker and cleaner with a painting professional enlisted in the process. If you choose to work with a professional to help you stage the place – it might be easier and cost effective to hire a painting professional too. Too many people spend extra money trying to “clean-up” a bad paint job, or lose money by having to reduce the price of their homes to get it sold! Remember, it’s great to do as much as you can yourself – but sometimes, you really need to call in the Pros!
