Seattle Real Estate News

Choosing the right colors

Painting walls a new and exciting color is a quick and affordable way to update a space and give it a fresh look. Here are some secrets to help you with the process:

1. Do not pick your color in the paint store. Finding the right color is all about

context: the shape of the room, the amount and quality of the light and how it all plays with other objects in the room. Always test a color in the space you are painting.

2. Do not look at the color sample at an arbitrary angle. Color is all about how the light hits it. If you are painting walls, hold the sample vertically; if its the ceiling hold it up above your head. This will give you a more accurate indication of what the color will really look like in the end.

3. Test against a white background. Because colors influence one another it is best to test the new color against a white background. Simply use a large piece of white paper to blank out the old color.

4. Do not rely on small paint sample. A large sample will reveal the true undertones of the color to test against the undertones of other elements in the room.

5. Do not paint your sample on the wall. If you cannot get a large color sample, get a sample of the actual paint and paint it on a poster board NOT directly on your wall. This way you will be able to text your colors on different walls and even in different rooms.

6. Move it around. With your large sample boards, you can put some poster putty on the back and stick them on your walls to get an idea of how colors will look and to see how the light affects the color at different times of the day.

7. Find the bossy fixture. If you are working with existing finishes, find the one that is the most prominent in the room; it might be the carpet, the counter top or even a a large piece of furniture. The undertone of that fixture will influence what colors work best for the room.

Using color, we can create a home that relaxes, energizes and focuses us where and when we need it most. Depending on which parts of the house:

Bedrooms.

For the bedroom, it's best to choose peaceful, relaxing colors that will help you get a good night's sleep. The color blue evokes a sense of calm, relaxing and said to bring down blood pressure, respiration rate and anxiety levels. Light greens are said to make people feel serene, comforted and refreshed.

Kitchen.
The kitchen is a place for happiness and community. Choose a color that will inspire you to cook for and spend quality time with loved ones. Yellow kitchens tend to make people feel happy optimistic and inspired. Yellow is said to activate the metabolism and make people hungry. Browns which emulate the color of the earth which can be associated with the fresh food we eat. Crisps whites will help your kitchen a clean airy feel.

Bathrooms.
Your bathroom is a place for self-care and self-love. Go with colors that make you feel relaxed, refreshed and confident. The calming effect of light green and blue make them great choices for the bedroom as well as the bathroom.

Office.
The office is meant to make you feel productive and undistracted. Gray tones are

detached and steady which may help you feel less distracted and more organized. Green is considered to be a color of concentration as well as one of the bet colors to look at over a long period of time. Green also represents tranquility.

Paint Vs. Primer.
Primers are designed to to adhere to to surfaces and form a binding layer that is better prepared to receive the paint. Paint in turn is the colored substance that is spread over a surface that is spread over a surface to dry and leave a thin decorative and protective coating. Paint primer products don't do either of those things well and they tend to thicken more quickly and dry much too fast for a smooth overall appearance. Primer and paints should be used separately as they we meant to be applied.

Oil or Latex/Acrylics.
Oil-based paints dry to form an inflexible coating that blocks moisture and they tend to become brittle and yellow over tie. Oils paints are great for metal and steel and are used as primer to cover very heavy stained areas. Oil paints also tend to get rancid and attract mold easier and need turpentine or paint thinner to clean up, fewer color choices than latex and more expensive to buy.
Latex paint is water based product based on vinyl and acrylics and can be cleaned up with water, Latex paint is also more elastic and allows water vapor generated inside the house to pass through the paint film and latex offers more colors and is cheaper to buy. Oil is solvent-based while latex is water-based and contains low or no VOC material.

Spray Vs. Brush Exteriors.
Spraying is a fast-application process that can achieve single-coat coverage, offers a smooth finish that is free of brush and roller marks and can get hard-to-reach areas. Spraying requires more technical skill as well as longer prep and cleanup times. It produces uneven coverage unless you back-roll it used more paint overall and is not conducive to windy day application.

Brushing you have excellent control, very good adhesion, uniform coverage and get into nooks and crannies better, The downside is that brushing is slow and laborious and can require two or more coats and can leave brush marks and obstructions on surfaces making for difficult applications.

Make rooms pop with these off-the-wall color combos.

Turquoise and Orange. It may sound like an off pairing, but the color combination can be quite inviting especially for those looking to create a modern decor. The blend of turquoise often viewed as a warm-season color and a more traditional orange can appear timeless and modern.

Black, White and Red. It is one of the most popular color combination in both fashion and home decor. Add a pop of red, and you have the recipe for color success. Fun, crisp and clean, this color combination can be used in living spaces or in a kitchen.

Yellow and charcoal. Whether it is mustard, lemon or chartreuse, yellow is an innovative, modern and creatively dynamic color when paired with a cool color such as gray, whether it is a light gray or a deeper shade such as a charcoal.

Dark blue and charcoal. This is an instance when the two cool colors work well together. With the shade of blue, don't be afraid to go with rich and bright tones as these shades will create an inviting contract when paired with gray.

Dark blue and black. This color combination works well in fashion and home decor.

Gray is a sneaky color but it is a favorite for painting interiors. Grays have

undertones of blue, purple or green and yo want to make sure the undertones are compatible with surrounding tile, furnishing and fabrics. For a real smack-in-the-middle gray - try Repose Gray. It goes great with pink and creates a neutral background. Amazing Gray has a greener undertone, while Passive is cooler with more blue.