Paint Color Sets the Mood

There is no better way to change a room than with paint color. You should think about what you want the room to feel like and then make the color selection based upon that. For example, if you want to accent a color, just paint a section of the room that color.

If you want to have a serene feeling, paint the room a cool color:

If you’d like to heat up a space, paint the room a sunny or  warm color.

Try painting the ceiling a different color than white.  It is unexpected, yet impacts the whole room.

Premiere Home Stagers does color consultations. We listen to what you would like your room to feel like and then suggest paint colors that evoke that emotion.  Your mood will change depending upon how you feel in that room.  Some colors we have recommended recently include brown with mustard, red with grey, pumpkin with green, and taupe with blue.  Let us help you color your world.

 

Summertime Porch

Some homeowners don’t realize the potential of certain spaces in their homes.  For example, this front porch is enclosed with storm windows that when lifted to expose the screens, the summer breeze wafts through.  The problem is that over the winter the porch becomes the “catch-all” space. Premiere Home Stagers saw the diamond in the rough.

Porch before

Notice the number of competing patterns. There is no cohesion, no flow, no comfort level. It does not invoke a peaceful space on a lovely summer afternoon sipping iced tea or lemonade.

Porch glider before

The homeowner had problems finding the correct size of cushions for this 3-seat glider so she cobbled together bedspreads and thin bench cushions to soften the springs.  When Premiere Home Stagers sought out cushions that would fit, they went to World Market and purchased six floor cushions.  They are the perfect size and oh so comfortable.

Porch Glider after

You can position these cushions so that the stripes are either horizontal or vertical–whatever is your pleasure.

After removing the clutter and mismatched fabric patterns, then re-arranging the layout, the porch becomes a serene gathering place during the day plus a welcomed relief from mosquitoes in the evening.

Porch After

Notice the colors aren’t all the same, but complement each other. By positioning the daybed at the end, there is more room for guests on the glider to enjoy the outdoor view. The rug runner is just the right size and ties the burgundy colors with the golden and brown colors.

Porch Dining

This is the place where you would want to go to read the morning paper while sipping coffee. Or, perhaps enjoy a casual lunch or dinner with friends.  Who doesn’t want to stay up late on summer evenings while watching fireflies dance about.

Front Porch After

Just imagine what Premiere Home Stagers can do for your cherished spaces!

 

Choosing Paint Color

Living Room

As previously written in past blogs, Premiere Home Stagers is happy to consult with you when choosing paint colors. We can be involved during your remodeling process, or after your project is completed.  In this case, we were consulted as soon as the drywall was finished. Painting is easier to apply when the trim is not yet installed because there is no “cutting in” and the painter can use a sprayer or a roller.

This homeowner lived in white-walled apartments for many years. She wanted to express her style with color. However, this is an historic house with white trim and cabinets. So, how does one choose paint color from the many choices? How do you avoid having a multitude of colors when going from one room to the next?

When you have white trim, you need to balance that with a darker netural color. The homeowner liked the color green, but Premiere Home Stagers thought a darker tan would be neutral enough, yet warm enough to accommodate green accessories.  She also wanted to paint the ceiling a light blue color.  Dark tan is the perfect choice.

Kitchen and Doorway to Sunroom

We decided to carry the dark tan throughout the main living areas–the living room, the dining room, the kitchen, and half of the foyer.  We thought a sunroom should be bright and cheery, and what better color than yellow to bring out green plants. 

To lighten the foyer, we chose a warm yellow that went all the way up the stairs into the upstairs hallway.  We chose colors for the bedrooms. The homeowner loves a light violet color, so we chose that for the master bedroom.  The second bedroom is a pumpkin color and the third bedroom is a light blue.

Paint Choices

We chose colors in either the second or third row from the end. The main colors are warm, whereas the bedroom colors are on the cool side—-perfect for a calm, restful night.  You’ll note that even though the homeowner likes the color green, we didn’t choose green for any of the walls. Instead, the green color will be in  the area rugs, the pillows, the artwork, and the delicate accessories –vases, candles, and plants. Then if she decides to change out her furniture and accessories, she won’t have to paint again.

 

Mini-Getaway to Chicago

Isn’t it nice to have a little getaway once in a while?  It refreshes your outlook in that it allows you to break away from your routine.

When I travel, not only do I notice the tourist attractions like everyone else, but I also notice the decor, curb appeal, colors, fabrics, and general layout of the places I visit.

Bathroom Wallpaper

Our hotel room was the smallest I’d ever had stayed at, but it had everything we needed and every square inch was utilized in the most efficient manner. After all, we were only staying one night and the location was perfect.  When we went into the bathroom, I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t all sterile and white.  I would probably have never picked out this wallpaper from a book, but it was absolutely stunning in this setting. Lately when we have entered a home for a staging consultation, we usually are telling the homeowner to remove wallpaper and paint a neutral, but not off-white, color.  However, in places where a person wouldn’t linger too long–like a bathroom, you can be more bold.

The Obamas' Home

One of the places that we saw on our tour of Chicago was The President and Mrs. Obama’s  house in Hyde Park.  While we couldn’t get to the front of the house due to security, we did manage a peek from the side.  Since the President was not at this home at the time, we were allowed to take photos and dawdle a little.   What is refreshing is that their home looks inviting and welcoming as if the neighbors are invited over for tea in the sunroom.

 

Signs of Autumn

Are there events that mark the changing of the seasons for you? One of my fall favorites is the quilt show at Olbrich Gardens (Quilts in Bloom, now-Oct. 11). I marvel at the the creativity and intricacy of many of the entries. These are works of art, not something to snuggle under!

The best part is how the whole thing is displayed, artfully and creatively. The quilts are hung in staggered fashion and offset by a spectacular variety of fall plants and flowers. I am captivated!

So if you, like me, need a lift to get your seasonal creative juices flowing consider a visit to Olbrich with a friend!

Profusion of fall color

 

Window Boxes

No matter where you are in the world, window boxes full of colorful flowers give a warm impression. I think that the people who live here are thoughtful, caring, and creative, regardless if that is true or not. It is easy to take care of window boxes in Europe because most people do not have screens on their windows. There are not many flying bugs, so people just leave their windows open. Since window ledges are wider in Europe than in America, the boxes stay in place without any fasteners. The summer climate is temperate and rains on a regular basis, so even when Europeans take their month-long holiday, the flowers need no special treatment.

 

Window Shopping

I’m back from a trip to Europe to visit my former exchange students. What a fantastic trip it was!  I went to France, Belgium, and Germany. It was wonderful to meet their families and be treated like royalty–especially when surrounded by castles.

One of my favorite things to do is window shop. I marvel at the visual merchandising that is done to entice one into their store.   It is the same with Premiere Home Stagers.  We want to entice a prospective buyer to purchase your house by grouping just the right furniture and accessories so that your home stands out from the rest.

These store windows are found in the Montmartre section of Paris.  I could have spent a whole day browsing, but then would have missed out on our boat trip on the Seine. Oh well, perhaps next time.

Fabric Tree

 

February Blues….and Greens and Yellows

 

 This is the time of year when we all need more color in our lives. Last fall’s colorful leaves are long gone and the spring’s blossoms are still sleeping under some snow and ice. The days are more gray and dreary, perhaps like our attitudes.

 So what to do?  Find color wherever you can. Put a colored scarf around your neck, buy some new bright towels for your bathroom, organize your summer photos, stop at the florist or grocery store and purchase fresh flowers. Here are a few photos that may help your mood.