Color, color everywhere
Yet all we see is Greige. You know - it's grey, no wait, it's beige. Or is it "Dove"? It's that one colour that all builder-grade carpeting is. It's the new white! Truly though, grey is now considering the best option for a neutral colour. It has replaced white, tan, beige and cream as the new go-to in every designer project. I think that's because it really goes with everything and there's not a colour in the palette that it doesn't enhance. Unlike tans or beiges, which can easily turn on you and become brown or yellow, grey stays fairly true to it's roots. You can dress it up with purples, pinks or teals, or shush it into the background with black, navy or even other shades of grey. Red or maroon take it on a modern spin. There should be a book written about all the shades of grey! A book about design I mean.
Moving along, grey is such a friendly colour to designers because we cannot mess it up. I've not yet received a complaint from anyone using grey in their home. And let's face it, you can find virtually every piece of furniture, every textile, and every floor covering in grey. You can't miss it! The newest trend for the kitchen is slate which is like stainless, only it actually looks really good for years to come. It doesn't show fingerprints as much and unlike stainless steel, cleans up beautifully and doesn't turn orange-ish over time from the rust build-up that sneaks under that topcoat on the older SS appliances. Pair that with some marbled counter tops, grey porcelain wood-look tile and creamy grey cabinets and you've got yourself a very fashionable kitchen, my friend. Throw some teal glass tile on your backsplash and your guests will want to hang out in your kitchen all night long! (Because that's where everyone ends up anyhow. You might as well give them something good to stare at and envy.,..)
The question still remains, if grey is so awesome, why do designers always talk about a "pop of colour"? We have to say that very phrase every time we discuss a room we've designed. It's in the by-laws of being a designer. Seriously though, you do need to have some colour in every room. You might want that soothing neutral room you see in the magazines and covet because it looks so peaceful but take a closer look. See that all-cream bedroom that is ubiquitous to every trade mag? Notice the artwork in those neutral rooms - there is colour. Maybe just a hint of lilac or green, but it's there. Then notice that there is a vase beside the bed or on the coffee table with some flowers - green and purple also. There's some throw pillows that are so light lavender that they might be mistaken for cream but they are indeed purple. You must have some colour in your home because it's how we create what we call "harmony" and how we tell our story and lead people through our homes. You might not even realize that you're doing that now, in your own home (and if you look and can't find that harmony, room-to-room, you need to call me ASAP to come fix that).
The most common items I have to request for my staging clients to buy are throw pillows, towels and either flowers or fruit. So many homes now are lacking in colour and when a buyer walks into your home, you want them to be drawn from one space to the next. Sure, they're strolling through anyhow because they're Realtor brought them there, but unless there is that pull to the next area, they aren't really feeling the connection that you want them to.
Whether updating your home or staging to sell, find your inspirational colour and put a little bit into each room. Go slow at first - ease on into it. Pretty soon, you will start finding things that tie into your decor and add them here and there. You'll be happy you did. I promise.
