color wheel (Photo credit: unleashingmephotography)We all have a color pallet we love, and for some of us, well, we're the quintessential color "junkie" loving all colors. While we may have many passions on the color wheel, it is important when it comes to our home to be careful in our selections. Choosing colors you love is the easy part, knowing where and how to use them is another story.While many designers may advise you to explore all sorts of colors, and encourage you to try them in your home, it is incumbent upon them to also help guide you in the process.
Trying wild colors such as oranges, purples and reds are a great way to display your creative side, you may have to do a little self analyzing to figure out if these color additions should be long term or short term choices.
Here area few questions to ask yourself prior to making bold statements in color for your home:
1. Do I change my mind frequently?
If you tend to change your mind a lot and find yourself changing up your rooms furniture placement, etc. you may want to add bold colors in simple ways rather than to commit to large surface area colors that are often difficult to change without a lot of coats of paint. Bold paint colors that go on large surface areas can change a room in many ways and be costly to correct, often requiring primers and more paint.
2. Do I tend to follow current trends?
If you are a die hard trend follower with design, then you no doubt are aware that about every 5- 10 years you will have to switch it out. This can in some cases translate into some serious money depending on how far you go. If the trend is just about color, try adding some color into the room via decor and seeing how you "live" with it, prior to making a bold move into a bold color choice.
3. Do I mind putting in a lot of work for a temporary trend?
As stated, trends come and go, and when you go all out to create a home based on trends, there will be a time and place when the winds of change come about. The work to undo a trendy idea can be huge. Remember when everyone was crazy for Country blue? Well many do, and as soon as the 90's came around there were people assembling en masse at the local hardware store looking for ways to strip the colors off of their kitchen cabinets, and cover it up on the walls.
4. Will I be moving in the next five years?
If you're planning on moving in the next five years, it is a good idea to pass on the wild paint schemes. Studies have shown that homes that have wild color pallets sit on the market, translate to more work for the potential buyer and don't sell as fast. In a struggling housing market, this could be a bad idea if you plan on changing locations within the next five years.
5. Am I sure I want large surfaces filled with this color?
You know, what seems bedazzling and lovely on a paint card/chip at the paint store may be a disaster when seen in your home on a large wall. There are many software programs,(see *link below) available that can help you see your room with the color you select in advance before you commit to buy. For those who are not computer savvy, take home a small can of paint and try a small patch of wall. Take note of which walls you paint, how light effects the color during the day and how the paint color works with the rest of the design scheme in the room.
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