When attending art school, one of the topics covered, usually in a class of it's own, is COLOR. How crazy, right? Really---what is the importance of taking a whole class about color? Well, look around! It's amazing the role color plays in our world and what it says about us as individuals. We use color to describe us from our clothing, our cars, our haircolor (LOL), our home's interior, our home's exterior, our furniture, etc. Think about it, though. What would our lives be like if it were all black and white?
Color plays a significant role in the emotional impact the homes possess. Take, for example, a home that has an interior painted with very vibrant HUES* of red, yellow, blue and green. The first thing that comes to mind is juvenile artwork and crayons. Chances are there are few people that could walk into a home painted with these colors that could see anything beyond the COLOR. There is more of an emotional disconnect here. Take a home whose interior is painted ultra bright white. There no use of color...just bright white. Walk through a home like this and the feeling is cold and sterile; afraid to get comfortable. Or, what about a home with an interior painted with different hues of green and beige? The feeling is more calm and neutral thus more inviting. Which interior would attract more interested buyers?
The fact that most people use color/colors that reflect themselves, and their lifestyle, in their home is important to consider when selling it. The current homeowner is moving out and trying to sell their home to someone else. Serious consideration should always be given to painting the interior to attract more buyers. This is part of the neutralization process. Neutral doesn't have to be 'white' or 'beige', per say. There are so many variations of whites: they are simply TINTS* of color. The same is true of beige; there are so many different tints and TONES*. Take into consideration the natural lighting of the room and the right tint and tone of white or beige can be selected. The secret is to save the color for the accessories because they can be packed up and moved out---the paint stays!
Another thing that can easily be related to: furniture! What happens when a potential home buyer is not in the position to buy new furniture for their 'new' home? That means what they currently own is coming with them. And, let's just say, they own a burgundy living room set. They can easily move that furniture into any neutralized room. If that home buyer walks into any living room that is painted something that they could not move right into and comfortably use the house as is, they are going to be discouraged. The fact that they are going to have to repaint automatically gives them negotiation power! Put yourself in the home buyers shoes and think of yourself...what would you do?
*COLOR VOCABULARY:
- HUE: The basis of the color itself, ie: red, green, blue. Lighter or darker variations of the same color. Example: light blue and dark blue are the same hue.
- VALUE: The lightness or darkness of the color. Example: Light greens, medium greens and dark greens are the same hue, but have different values.
- SHADES: Dark colors closest to black. Example: Darkest reds, darkest greens, etc.
- TINTS: Light colors closest to white. Example: Lightest blues, lightest yellows, etc.
- TONES: The intensity of a color, either brightness or dullness. Gray is added to color to dull the intensity of a color which therefore creates a darker tone. Less gray=lighter tone.
Painting a home to neutralize it can be part of the moving out process. The house should no longer reflect the home owner and that's OK...aren't you moving out! Moving is an emotional roller coaster and taking the steps to separate is part of the process. Take baby steps, one at a time, until you can get up and running. Get the house ready the right way and it will sell faster!
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