Your Home & Color Coach

Color is back in season as we watch the light neutrals fade off into the distance. Here are 5 areas of your home where you can add color with a paint roller or a brush. But scroll to the bottom for a gasp of OMGosh please do not do this!

ADD COLOR TO STAIRS

I am a huge fan of painting the stairs — pretty much anything but white. The ombre effect on the stair risers creates a fresh relaxed look and is a great way to bring in an accent color. Or you can paint the whole stairway. The stained wood treads look spectacular popping off the dark gray woodwork.

ADD COLOR TO SHELVING

This color application has been around awhile, but I am still a fan! Painting the back of your display shelving is such an eye-catcher. And it can highlight your collections. What an opportunity to add color — and so easy! Or you can paint the whole inside of each display cube a different color for a playful focal wall.

ADD COLOR BEHIND THE TV

It doesn’t have to be black, but camouflaging the TV is a great idea. Any dark color will help. Or if you rather like a large touch of black, make the TV wall a colorful focal point.

ADD COLOR TO THE CEILING

Whether you want to paint just the ceiling and molding around it as an accent or go up over the ceiling with the wall color to enlarge the room, painting the ceiling will add drama. But white in the room offers a fresh contrast and keeps the room from feeling like a cave.

ADD COLOR TO A WALL OF BOOKSHELVES

Your painter will love you (oh, that’s you?) if you decide to paint the entire wall of bookshelves the same accent color. For one thing, the sheen on the paint will stay the same. And there is no cutting-in or taping-off required. In a light-filled room or a library, this color application will set the mood for sure.

WARNING! DON’T DO IT!

OMGosh… please do not try this last one at home UNLESS you are a designer, your ceilings are high already, and you have enormous windows. Yes, it’s dramatic, cool, and trending to paint walls, trim, and ceiling all one dark, dramatic color. And yes it’s quicker and easier when it’s all the same. But here’s what happens:

• You lose all architectural detail (moldings, fireplace, wainscoting — if you don’t have any, you might not care).

• You lose all contrast that helps you see color (because say it with me, “white makes colors pop”).

• You add reliance on light — either from windows or lamps — to see anything in the room.

• You risk the wall/ceiling color influencing the colors of everything else in the room.

• You risk making your furniture look drab.

• You risk triggering your seasonal depression on a daily basis.

• And the elephant in the room: If you want to sell your home anytime soon, dark-and-moody just doesn’t sell. It will cost a fortune in primer to paint over all that surface area.

But as they say in the biz… it’s just paint!

If you need help with color, feel free to comment below, hit the button for a Color Consultation, or shoot me an email at yourcolorcoach@gmail.com.

I would be happy to help you.

Hope you have a Colorful Day!

Barbara, Your Home & Color Coach

Tagged: Color, color trends