11/21/2011 

5 Frequently Asked Questions about Paint Colours for Renovations

 

Renovations are a great way to give a home or office a face lift but often leave the areas that are not renovated looking worn-out and tired. To prevent this from happening then read what can be done to help this with minimal expense.

 

 

To answer this question, you need to ask a few more questions, for example

a) Is the home being renovated for personal use, or is it to sell or rent it out?

b) Is the home being renovated to create a modern open plan living space or is the home a character home where you want to retain the character of the time in which it was built?

 

a) If a home is being renovated for personal use then this answer depends upon the likes and dislikes of the person or people occupying the space. If the home is for rental purposes or for sale then a neutral paint pallet for the interior is recommended so that the home will appeal to a wider market. If you personalize the space too much then potential clients have trouble seeing themselves living in it. Clients’ likes and dislikes of colour may not be the same as yours, and a neutral colour scheme allows them maximum flexibility with their furniture colour choices. Even though the paint colour is an easy thing to change first impressions count and once an impression is made it is very hard to change.

b) In an open plan living situation, the trend currently is to carry the main wall colour in a light colour all the way through the home. You may like to use tonal changes of a particular colour that flows seamlessly though the home and gives the illusion of more space and open vistas. You could also use an accent colour outside to draw the eye past the interior to the exterior, assisting the illusion of greater space.

 

 

Colour does not stand alone. In other words the paint colour takes on colours from other surfaces in that space. You need to consider the largest surface area that is remaining in or being put new into the renovation. In most cases the largest fixed area is the living area floor followed closely by the kitchen bench top. If the largest area is flooring and is being put new into the home then try and obtain as large a sample as possible of the flooring and place the paint swatch vertically next to it in the space that it is going. Move the samples around in the room at different times of the day and look at it in different light conditions.

 

 

The answer to this question again depends upon the person or persons occupying the home. If you are staying in the home for a long period of time and don’t intend selling in the future then why not make some statement with the wall colours such as in the recesses to display art work or accessories or on outdoor walls. Again, if the home if to sell or for rent then keep the paint scheme light and neutral. In other words let the walls remain in the background and use art work and accessories such as cushions, throws and rugs to give colour to the space. A light neutral scheme creates a positive psychological effect. Dark cramped spaces lead to feelings of depression and claustrophobia.

 

 

A lot of the time people will have an idea of what they like. It is always good to keep a scrapbook of pictures of colours, rooms and the look that you are trying to achieve. This is a great starting point. From here research paint websites and pick up brochures that give suggestions of colours that work well together. Keep in mind that you are trying to tie old and new together so the colours selected need to work with the largest area in both the old and adjoining new section of the home.

 

 

Often a favourite piece of art work is a great place to start with choosing your accent colours.

Take into account what the room is being used for. Some colours are more restful in bedrooms such as green but others are better in eating areas such as red or yellow in studies.

Also, take into account what is being kept in place in the home as this will determine the colours chosen that will work with existing pieces of furniture, flooring, bench tops etc.

 

 

If you are trying to keep in character with a period home then research that period carefully for the typical characteristics of the paint colours and detailing used for that period of time. For example in the Victorian period the moulding around the top of the wall tended to be painted in a colour richer than that of the wall colour, the dado rail tended to be darker again. Woodwork tended to be painted

in dark colours and wood graining was often used to imitate more expensive and exotic woods. The doors were often a dark paint colour or grained to imitate wood.

 

The trend for modern homes today is to keep the entire colour scheme light and bright. Doors and skirtings can be painted in a colour that is a lower percentage of the main wall colour or if a young family is involved, you may want to take the doors and skirting boards to a slightly darker colour than the walls so it does not show little hand prints. Just remember doors and skirting boards take a lot of knocks. Use paint with a higher gloss content as it is less likely to chip.

 

Always consider context. A huge home will look smaller if painted in a darker colour and visa versa. A colour in a shadowed area will become a darker colour of the original. If you choose a white paint internally for your home pick all your other internal colours first to see if the white you have chosen will go. There are whites and then there are whites!

 

Renovations when done well give a great sense of satisfaction on completion however they can sometimes be quite stressful when living in the home. If you would like to have the stress taken out of the whole renovation process then contact Kate and discuss your options with her.