PROPERTY NEWS - Repainting is one of the easiest ways to spruce up a property and give it a much needed makeover. However, choosing the perfect colour can be a challenge, especially with today's multidimensional property market with its ever-changing styles, preferences and trends.
"Leading interior designers, property specialists and paint manufacturers all agree that neutral, muted and natural tones are the way to go," says Richard Smith, manager of Pam Golding Properties' Hyde Park office. He adds that this trend is not only visually enticing and fashionable, but it also has many practical advantages and can make a property more marketable.
"Neutral colours can add elegance and sophistication to any room and also provide a feeling of calm and serenity to a property. Steer clear from bright and saturated colours as they are more personal and particularly subjective. Strong colours that do not appeal to a prospective buyer may negatively affect their perception of the home and ultimately their buying decision," he adds.
"Usually, when potential buyers view a home, they try to envision how their furniture, art and décor will look in the new space. By using subdued, neutral colours, potential buyers are given more of a 'blank canvas' to work with, making it easier for them to picture themselves living in the home. This instills a feeling of familiarity that may increase the possibility of a sale."
Do not assume that using neutral colours will result in a bland and lifeless home. In fact, subdued colour palettes allow for greater exploration of texture and depth.
"Don't be afraid to use textures that resemble natural elements like stone, wood, cement, sand and even foliage. This will transform your home into a tactile journey form the moment you enter," notes Smith. Furthermore, you can be much bolder when creating focal points.
Due to your overall tone being muted, there is a smaller chance of the interior becoming 'too busy', giving you more freedom to experiment with interesting décor elements. Smith says that bright furniture in the living room, bold and colourful wall art in the bedrooms and rich variegated splash backs in the kitchen are but a few ways to give an edge to the interior of a home.
- White is very reflective and is therefore considered a bright colour. Instead of using white, try beige or light grey.
- Never use more than three colours in one space and stay within one colour family.
- Grey is seen as a common denominator within colour families. It can darken or lighten an area with ease and has the ability to make colour pop. If you need one more colour in your palette and you are stuck, chances are that a variety of grey will solve your problem.
- Make use of accent walls. On one wall, use a darker or lighter tone of the main colour you chose. This will add depth and space to a room.
- To create synergy throughout the property; make sure that you have a unifying element that brings your colours together. This could be anything from wall art to a piece of furniture that contains most of the colours in the room.
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