You’ve seen how gray has become the norm for new construction and renovated homes in the last decade. We’ve seen it in the form of paint, furniture, and decorations. Rip out the carpet, replace it with hardwood flooring, paint the walls gray, cabinets white, add a gray couch, and you’re done. They call this look “millennial gray”.
Why do they call it “millennial gray” when plenty of Gen X’rs and Boomers bathed their homes in gray? We don’t know, probably because they blame millennials for everything, but we can’t solve that problem here. Back to the gray. Or is it grey?
However you spell it, it has been everywhere. The perk of gray is it’s neutral. There’s a lot of versatility. Now, it’s coming to an end as tastes change (thank you everyone, gray is so played out it’s just now grayed out – Jason). People are ready for something different. It’s time to bring back some color to the world, are you ready for color and unique interior design? We are (well, Jason is)!
Why should you use colors?
- Stand out- accent walls and accent pieces help differentiate each room. You could have a room where 3 walls are a neutral color, with a 4th wall painted a bold color. Or the whole room is painted neutral, but you have a bold couch. Or an office where the built in shelving serves as the pop of color.
- Feels more spacious- brighter tones can open up a room and help the space feel larger ! Darker shades can lead to rooms feeling smaller.
- Add character- as thrifting has become more popular, and people are willing to experiment with interior design, there’s room for one-of-a-kind spaces that can’t be replicated like this gray and white color scheme.
How can you implement color ?
- Accent wall or an accent piece- as we mentioned earlier, we can still use and appreciate the neutral aspect of gray, but can consider some other colors. A soft tan, pale green, or powder blue- there are a lot of options. Pick something neutral, then consider adding an statement wall or piece. For a wall, you can add texture (such as wood paneling), wallpaper, and/or a much bolder color. Or use cabinets, artwork, table, etc. You can see in the photo below that they chose a turquoise for the statement wall, then added a blanket in the same color to tie it in. You can also choose different shades of the accent color for smaller decor items.
- Look at all aspects of the space- curtains, artwork, furniture, flooring, fabric, paint color, decor pieces, light fixtures, and more. Those are all an opportunity to use color! Thrift stores and Facebook Marketplace are a great place to start when looking for affordable pieces.
- Think about the versatility – whatever you do, you’re likely changing it in the next 5-10 years, so find ways to balance what makes you happy with what balances the budget. While fresh paint makes homes more desirable, no amount of color increases a property’s value, and your decor is going with you when you move.
Of course, no amount of new paint will fix everything, so if you’re looking for a new space altogether, you know we can help! Give us a call or text at (717) 371-0557, let’s talk about where you want to go next!
Your Friends in Real Estate,
Jason Burkholder Team
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Jason Burkholder
Kelly Burkholder
Jaci Hoosier
717-371-0557 direct or text
Hometown Property Sales Group, LLC
717-207-8093 office
57 E Main St
Lititz, PA 17543
Info & ideas pulled from this article written by Evelyn Long for NAR.
