Lifestyle
Today’s Neutral Pack a Punch
A fresh coat of paint can work wonders to update the look and feel of your home. That’s one reason why taking up the brush and roller is often a recommended upgrade when preparing a home for sale. And when it comes to choosing colours, more often than not, your real estate agent will recommend neutral hues.
“Neutrals allow prospective home buyers to picture themselves living in the home,” says Marian Barry a broker-owner with Royal LePage True North Realty in Fort McMurray, Alberta.. “A pallet that is too strong may not be to everyone’s taste. But no need to despair, today’s options go far beyond the typical beige.”
Barry points out that neutrals today have a lighter touch with a slight shift toward pastels. She recommends the following tactics to choose paint colours to rejuvenate your surroundings and do the heavy lifting should you decide to sell your home:
Select a shade drawn from prominently displayed artwork, accessory or furnishings. Doing so will ensure that your home is one step closer to ‘show time’ if and when you decide to sell.
Consider adjacent rooms. Think about how your chosen colour will interact with adjacent rooms. Strive for complimentary hues from a colour wheel to provide natural flow from room to room.
Consider what time of day the room will be most often used. While you may be tempted to paint a basement room a bright sunny yellow, if the room is to be used most often in the evening, hues of blue, green or gray may be more appropriate.
Bring home a paint sample or oversized paint chip. Make an informed choice and consider how it looks in your room, and under various lighting conditions, before you commit.
More information on enhancing and preparing your home for sale can be found at www.royallepage.ca.
