Color Trends For Home Improvement

Color trends change from year to year, influenced by societal and economic changes. In general, the year 2010 saw homeowners using paint to personalize spaces and add impact. For some, this meant using a bold color on one wall as an accent to a room painted in predominantly subtle hues. The economic downturn made paint an attractive means of do-it-yourself home improvement, with some homeowners aiming to spruce things up before putting their homes on the market.

Small Improvements

People are pulling their belts in and rather than plunging into major renovations; homeowners with skills are applying them to small home improvements. Adding a kitchen breakfast nook to a bedroom or to a home office is a popular do-it-yourself job this year. When you're ready to paint, think about what you want your breakfast nook to say. You want this space to be both functional and warm. The color palette should be comfortable, clean, and fresh. Say good morning with colors like pale gold, honey, and tan. Add depth with gray, and freshness with yellows and coral tones.

Your bedroom and media room seem blah and much too beige. The solution comes from above. Paint the ceiling midnight blue instead of boring yourself to sleep with white. Or make the room "wrap" well, by painting the ceiling in a different shade than that of the color used on the walls. Looking for something softer? Paint the walls in a pastel shade and the ceiling in a contrasting pastel hue. The following ceiling colors are useful for warming up rooms used for sleeping, bathing, and family time: pastel blue, shell pink, midnight blue, wine, and eggplant.

Home Staging

Fixing up your house to make it marketable is called "home staging." Many property owners are looking to sell their homes in this economic climate and paint offers an inexpensive means for home improvement. The aim should be to make a good first impression. You want your home to beckon to potential buyers and say, "Welcome." Here are some good color choices you can use in various combos in kitchens, family or living rooms, and foyers: A crisp white in tandem with khaki tones, blues in the mid-tone range, sand and off-white, black.

Color is all about personalizing your space. But it's also a bargain method, tried and true, for making a space look better. Even a novice can create a signature look with paint colors.