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The Color Purple

By Ana Hitzel

Home Stager with AccentPositives Home Staging 658279

October 04, 2009 04:46 PM

THE COLOR PURPLE

The color purple is really hot now days. Yes it is. It's splashed all over the design magazines and TV shows, it's the "it" color at this very moment. Purple has always been by oldest daughter's favorite color.

Now I am not afraid of color and never have been. Bright reds, greens of all shades I can work with and it will not look like a Christmas scheme. I love the challenge of making bold colors work in spaces. I never feel the urge to plaster or cover everything in whites, tans and beiges, never have. When I enter a home on a Consult I make every possible effort to work with the existing color scheme unless it is very dirty or dingy and not salvagable.

I must confess that Purple and Pink scare the living daylights out of me. They take me back to many former house hunts where I ran across the purple and mauve color scheme. This color would cower me in fright and indecision. I absolutely hated it and was very vocal about it to anyone who would listen. When I think purple, I think Barney The Dinosaur.....yea let's not go there!

Recently though, I have seen some really exceptional use of the color purple in Staging. It gives me pause and makes me think there is hope for me yet. I just need to get over it and take the plunge. So I thought it would be really great to see some examples from any fellow Stagers out there who are using this color and how. I recently saw a blog where the color purple was worked in through dining room chairs. Absolutely beautiful.

So it is my hope that any of you fine Stagers out there that are using this very trendy color will post some of your examples to inspire those like me who are chicken. Either Redesign or Staging examples would be great. Also, I would like to know if this color is getting good reviews from clients both Redesign and Staging.

Happy fun and safe Halloween!

AccentPositives provides economical and effective Home Staging Consultations. We are located in Corona and service the Inland Empire Area of Southern California. Call 951 833 8529.

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Ginger Foust

Certified Staging Professional - Oakhurst, CA

Home Stager Oakhurst CA, Dream Interior Redesign & Staging

Ana, I've always told staging clients that any shade or tint of purple is not a good idea when staging. Do I need to change that now. Maybe just use it with accents and accessories...but on walls???

Oct 05, 2009 03:07 AM

Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging

Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR

"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Ana ~ As you said, purple can be a stunning color -- when used in staging, perhaps best used in accents like throw pillows, dining room chair seats, and accessories.

Ginger ~ Purple walls for staging? Not in any of my clients' homes LOL!!

Oct 05, 2009 04:01 AM

Diana Young

Staging Seattle, King & Snohomish Counties - Edmonds, WA

Hi Ana, Purple is such a taste specific color, especially when it's bright! We recently staged a home where all the bedrooms had an eggplant purple colored carpet. Our goal was to make the purple part of the overall color scheme, not te it. Here is one of the twin bedrooms we staged with the purple carpet:

Oct 05, 2009 08:39 AM

Douglas Fischer

East Oahu Realty - Selling Honolulu, Hawaii Condos - Honolulu, HI

When I used to sell in Palm Springs, California, I used to love showing a condo where every room, every where was bright pink and bright lime green. Shag carpet, wall paper on light switches, etc. It was like stepping back in time. I kid my clients that all colors and styles eventually return!

Oct 05, 2009 08:47 AM

Ana Hitzel

AccentPositives Home Staging - Corona, CA

Professional Home Stager Inland Empire

Hi Ginger, thanks for commenting. I would work with it, but It's not in my wheelhouse as far as picking it to decorate or stage with. I agree with Charles P that my personal preferences may play in to my choices when staging and designing for someone although I try to keep that to a minimum.

Hi Maureen, I agree the accessories are a great way to work it in...art, pillows and such, walls not so much for me either!

Hi Diana, your work is a great example of really toning down a strong color. Eggplant carpet might send most of us running for the hills lol! Beautiful job and thanks for sharing your picture.:)

Oct 05, 2009 08:58 AM

Ana Hitzel

AccentPositives Home Staging - Corona, CA

Professional Home Stager Inland Empire

Hi Douglas, you are so right. Just like fashion as I see leggings are back in vogue for the ladies. It all makes it's way back around. In my visits to homes in Palm Springs, Salmon seemed to be quite popular....YUK sorry, can't take it LOl. Thanks for stopping by and Aloha.

Oct 05, 2009 09:01 AM

C. Bartch

Newark, OH

Oh my Ana, I can do purple accents but not an entire wall or fabric covered furniture! I actually like it with orange & gree. I'm a basic color fan for the biggies and then on those trendy colors adding a splash of accents.

OMG, did Charles say mauve was coming back, just shoot me now : /

Oct 05, 2009 09:25 AM

Sharon Tara

Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH

Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

I agree with Cynthia, just shoot me if mauve comes back. My mother had mauve in every room and we moved her out of the house we found mauve candles in every drawer and closet. I'm a little bit mauve traumatized.

Oct 05, 2009 10:22 AM

Laurie Calhoun

Gloria Home Staging, Inc. - Winter Springs, FL

Seminole County FL Home Stager

Purple and pink really are personal colors, and I wouldn't think they would have wide application in staging beyond accessories. But they could certainly make a home stand out from the crowd if used well. Let's just hope the color forecasts are not completely accurate. A dusty rose by any other name is still mauve.

Oct 05, 2009 01:39 PM

Ana Hitzel

AccentPositives Home Staging - Corona, CA

Professional Home Stager Inland Empire

Hi Cynthia, I like it on accents too, I think a room using this color on the walls has to have the perfect light, some shades can turn out either too cold and others very very obnoxious.

Hi Tara, Mauve should only be used by professionals LOL. It has it's place.

Hi Laurie, I agree totally! Thanks for commenting

Oct 05, 2009 03:01 PM

Cathy Lee

CL Design Services Home Staging - Danville, CA

ASP, IAHSP, RESA Danville, CA

HI Ana! I did receive my paint fan right ater our meeting-I use it all the time. I would contact her. Maybe she lost your contact information.

Oct 05, 2009 04:26 PM

Julea Joseph

Reinventing Space - Chicago, IL

Julea Joseph House Stager - Reinventing Space

Ana,

Purple indeed is a hot color, it has been sneaking into the decor palette over the past few years. For those of us that carry fabric lines, it's been in the new samples books as a stand out. Purple can run the gambit from your Lilacs to your Prunes. I just picked out Arresting Amber SW-6034, for a client's two story family room as the fireplace accent wall color

Paired with Golden Fleece SW-6388 as the main color

Can't wait to see it up on the walls!

Oct 06, 2009 12:11 AM

C. Bartch

Newark, OH

Hi Ana, I had to come back to your post, I recently attended the International Furnishings and Design Chapter meeting here in GA and purple was the top color they stated as being the new big thing. I do like Julea's choices above, very classy!

BYW~ love your new avatar, too cute!

Oct 06, 2009 12:46 AM

Ana Hitzel

AccentPositives Home Staging - Corona, CA

Professional Home Stager Inland Empire

Thanks Cathy, I think I lost her contact info, we're both not doing to well!

Hi Julea those samples look great togehter. I did recently see purple on a fireplace accent wall but It was a wrong shade, that looks much classier and rich. Thanks for commenting.

Hi Cynthia, I will have to step out of my comfort zone and have some fun with it!

I have been using the avatar for my outside blog and other non AR blogging. I am in the process of getting new pics to replace my old webcam photo and figured it was a more fun replacement for the moment, so thanks!...still not as cute as that little bit above!

Oct 06, 2009 02:21 AM

Kathleen Garvey

HomeSmart Cherry Creek - Denver - Denver, CO

Denver's Neighborhood Expert - Listings & Sales

The raspberry tones are what has really drawn more interest in design shows these days. I have always liked the mix with rich royal purple as well....against a vanilla background. Also wonderful with steel grey. Very contemporary in feel and can refresh a room when used in moderation!! Accents for me, less so for a large piece.

Oct 06, 2009 10:51 AM

John Novak

Keller Williams Realty The Marketplace - Las Vegas, NV

Henderson, Las Vegas and Summerlin Real Estate

Hi Ana - I haven't seen too much purple lately. Most of the homes here are still variations on beige. A little splash of purple sure would liven it up!

Oct 06, 2009 10:59 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Home Stager/Redesign

Hi Ana- I actually love certain shades of purple and used Benjamin Moore's Violet Stone in a small bath area in one of my own previous houses. But to use it in Staging? Perhaps in accessories, And, please no more mauve, we're inundated with it here in South Florida!

Oct 06, 2009 12:51 PM

Ana Hitzel

AccentPositives Home Staging - Corona, CA

Professional Home Stager Inland Empire

Hi Kathleen, that rasberry color is really strong but I have seen it used beautifully in accent or accent walls.

Hi John, too much beige does make for sleepy town! I know lots of houses you see are tan outside, you walk in and everything is tan too, yawn! Another vote for purple:)

Hi Kathy, yes I believe Florida is the CAPITOL of mauve haha. I can only imagine some of the challenges you face :)

Oct 07, 2009 03:40 AM

Candice A. Donofrio

Next Wave RE Investments LLC Bullhead City AZ Commercial RE Broker - Fort Mohave, AZ

928-201-4BHC (4242) call/text

WOW haha Barney is right! HEHE

I agree the fuschia is gorgeous. But it does take a special circumstance to make it work. It sure does in that pic.

As for mauve/dusty rose, ERRRRR...I'm in the Southwest, and it was REALLY prevalent thru the 90s. Aqua and mauve carpet! Eeeeeeee!

Oct 11, 2009 05:01 AM

Ana Hitzel

AccentPositives Home Staging - Corona, CA

Professional Home Stager Inland Empire

Hi Candice, I prefer to leave those colors in the sunsets of the southwest. I lived in Tucson for a few years and remember two things the most. The gorgeous sunsets and the crystal clear night skys with all the stars.

Oct 11, 2009 01:10 PM