{ Paint the Town Red or Better Yet Tan }

After spending a great Father's Day by the pool with the kids and friends I am finally home at the computer putting in a bit of work.

I have been doing a bit of color consulting lately and wanted to post a picture of a staging job that I did with a great color scheme but it just needed to be more "dramatic without distracting" to the buyers.

This was a great space, filled with light and a fireplace! That is always a winning factor for a buyer in the northeast. But lacked the furniture and accents that finished the look. Here is a little list that is KEY thinking when making the home buyer ready. After being painted and fully staged...I love how it turned out and the space had an offer in 8 days after being on the market for 121 days.

When sellers are repainting their houses prior to listing I choose a neutral theme of only three colors.  The exact paint color scheme is selected depending on floor color and other architectural elements (fireplace surrounds, cabinets, tile etc.) and the style of the house.  For the main color I use a neutral hue-usually a golden or taupe tan.  For one or two accent walls I use a darker coordinating shade of gold or brown or clay.  I use a lighter tint of the main color for the bathrooms and kitchen.  These color schemes give the house interest and drama without being distracting.  This also gives buyers a great starting base to add more colors as they choose.


I always use an eggshell finish because it is easy to clean and reflects light well helping to brighten rooms.  Flat paints are best for hiding flaws in the walls but they absorb light, which can make rooms feel darker, and they are hard to clean.  Pearl finish has a low sheen and makes colors brighter and more intense, I like it for doors and trim.

Color groups are referred to in terms of temperature.  Reds, oranges and yellows are considered warm tones and add intensity and energy.  Greens, blues and purples are considered cool colors and have a calming effect.  Brown and orange are strong warm color examples great for accent walls.  Steel blue, gray (Benjamin Moore Templeton gray) are excellent colors on the cool side of the color wheel, great in bedrooms.


Let me know if this was helpful, I love to hear your feedback.