Interior Design: Most Popular Paint Colors
21 December 2006
What is the most popular paint color today? Believe it or not -- it's still white! Don't get me wrong... it's makes perfect sense. White goes with everything. It's such a reflective color that it can really spread light around the room. And it can make a room seem larger than it is. Of course, many people can be so tired of white because they've spent any number of years stuck in a white apartment. Too much white tends to have a very uncomfortable feel to it - almost like a sterile hospital room.
White paint can be perfect for a room with lots of color in it. A darker shade of wood on the mantle, decorative and dark furniture, and colorful large paintings can really "pop" on a white wall.
But more and more, people are choosing alternative colors for their living rooms, bedroom, dining rooms, and kitchens. Of course, when some consider their paint options, they can go overboard with it. While it may have seemed like a good idea at the time, a bright fuschia or pink wall color in the kitchen can get quite old after a while. And it certainly won't help at resale time.
But light shades of brown, blue, and yellow are still very popular. The faux painting trend has started to fade, as has the fad of multiple colors on an interior wall. But yellows are very popular in kitchens and bathrooms. Multiple shades of blue are favored in master bedrooms and boys' bedrooms. Pink and purple are favored in girls' bedrooms but they're trending more toward multiple and brighter colors as well. For the past five years or so, red was very popular in living, dining rooms and even kitchens.
When deciding on the interior paint color, the room itself is very important in the choice. Consider the size of the room as well as the available light. A small room will feel that much smaller with a dark color. Same with a room that has little natural light - a dark color could make the room smaller and feel more oppressive. On the other side, a very large room with a white or cream or light yellow could be perceived to be too large or undefined and unstructured.
Painting Trends:
Whatever paint colors you have in mind - don't buy your paint on your first trip! Take the largest sample sizes you can find home to your room. View that color in the light. If possible, get a small sample of the paint -- paint the room wall to see how it looks when it dries. And if you have a large room, make sure you mix all the paint together into larger buckets to make sure the paint is well mixed in case there are color variations.
If you don't want to paint the rooms in your home on your own, consider Construction Deal. We have a network of interior painters who can give your interiors the professional look that you're after. It's free to find a quality painting company - just post your request and we'll have the painters contact you!
White paint can be perfect for a room with lots of color in it. A darker shade of wood on the mantle, decorative and dark furniture, and colorful large paintings can really "pop" on a white wall.
But more and more, people are choosing alternative colors for their living rooms, bedroom, dining rooms, and kitchens. Of course, when some consider their paint options, they can go overboard with it. While it may have seemed like a good idea at the time, a bright fuschia or pink wall color in the kitchen can get quite old after a while. And it certainly won't help at resale time.
But light shades of brown, blue, and yellow are still very popular. The faux painting trend has started to fade, as has the fad of multiple colors on an interior wall. But yellows are very popular in kitchens and bathrooms. Multiple shades of blue are favored in master bedrooms and boys' bedrooms. Pink and purple are favored in girls' bedrooms but they're trending more toward multiple and brighter colors as well. For the past five years or so, red was very popular in living, dining rooms and even kitchens.
When deciding on the interior paint color, the room itself is very important in the choice. Consider the size of the room as well as the available light. A small room will feel that much smaller with a dark color. Same with a room that has little natural light - a dark color could make the room smaller and feel more oppressive. On the other side, a very large room with a white or cream or light yellow could be perceived to be too large or undefined and unstructured.
Painting Trends:
- Contrasting can be a great painting option. If you want a dark color in a particular room, you can paint the walls in the dark shade and to really highlight the color, you could paint the trim and ceiling a white, off-white, or comparable light version of the dark color.
- Darker browns have been replaced by burgundies and browns with a healthy dose of scarlet tinting.
- Pinks are not as popular now and are being replaced by light peach or salmon colors.
- Eggplant purples are hot now, but the shade must really work for the room or it can look very cheap and gaudy.
- Mustard yellow was previously popular, but the color has shifted to more of an amber or a brighter gold shade.
- The yellow-ish light green color has gone darker in shade, heading toward an olive and even a muted grass-colored green. These greends look great with a blue-tinted pure white color on the trim, baseboards, and crown moulding.
Whatever paint colors you have in mind - don't buy your paint on your first trip! Take the largest sample sizes you can find home to your room. View that color in the light. If possible, get a small sample of the paint -- paint the room wall to see how it looks when it dries. And if you have a large room, make sure you mix all the paint together into larger buckets to make sure the paint is well mixed in case there are color variations.
If you don't want to paint the rooms in your home on your own, consider Construction Deal. We have a network of interior painters who can give your interiors the professional look that you're after. It's free to find a quality painting company - just post your request and we'll have the painters contact you!
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Labels: Design Trends, Interior Design, Interior Paint, Paint Companies
When is the Best Time to Remodel?
15 December 2006
Construction is a seasonal industry. Because so much work is done outside, from installing a new roof to adding brick pavers to a backyard patio, the majority of remodeling and building companies always have more work lined up from the Spring through the Summer.Also, the Fall holidays and Winter weather don't have many homeowners thinking about adding their new swimming pool. I mean, who thinks about buying a new swim suit in the middle of February?!
So, it's obvious that the perfect time to talk a local remodeling contractor is during the Fall and Winter months - usually from October through March. Waiting until March, however, could still mean some delays.
Because most remodeling companies do not have as many jobs on their schedule, it can mean that you will have their undivided attention. Most renovation contractors are working on several jobs at one time -- you may hire a company to remodel your basement and they'll work on your house for two weeks straight. But they will disappear for two weeks while they wait for subcontract work on your room. During that wait, they'll be working on someone else's house. It can really add to the length of time that your house will be under construction.
So, if you'd like to make sure that a remodeling company is focusing on you and your home improvement project, the best time to have the work done is during the "off season." You may even get a better price on labor because there is not as much demand for their services! Don't be afraid to haggle to keep those costs down.
If you've got your plans in mind, or down on paper, and you're ready to remodel -- good news! We can help! Construction Deal will match you to a local renovation company to help you get your project done.
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Home Improvement Financing
Is Now the Time to Remodel?
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Labels: Home Renovation, Remodeling
Sunroom Additions
14 December 2006
A sunroom could be a great way to extend your house without actually building on a whole new room - - which can be very expensive. The sunroom alternative could give you additional living space at a fraction of the cost.Sunrooms started as a way to keep sunlight and bugs off a back patio or porch. With modern technology, they've become large comfortable rooms with thermal windows, insulation, and contemporary roofs and floors.
Why not just add a complete additional family room? Cost and purpose is the short answer. Adding to your foundation, putting up studs, drywall, a few windows and doors, and a matching roof to your home can be a considerable cost. Also, you may not need the amount of space for what you need in the room. The purpose of a sunroom can be to simply enclose patio furniture. You could also want to enclose your hot tub and you certainly don't need a home addition for that. Sunrooms can be used as a conversation room or family room, as an exercise room, or as a dining space.
What are the advantages of a sunroom? A sunroom can give you the best of both worlds - you can be practically outdoors, with open screened-in windows all around, but you'll be protected from the weather and sunlight. And it's a great way to be outside without having to be bugged by pesky flies and mosquitoes. A sunroom can also let you stay outside longer by giving you access to the back patio and still offering insulation qualities of a standard room in your house. Not only is it less expensive than a home addition project, a sunroom can be installed in much less time and without throwing you out of the house during construction.
What kind of sunroom can I have? The variety of sunroom options is limitless. You can get any size of room you need. You can have a custom built room or you can purchase a kit. Some you can install yourself and other require an installation expert. You can get your choice of the type of windows and doors, and even skylights, that you would like. You can get a flat roof or a cathedral ceiling installed. Depending on your climate, you can choose the R-value of your windows to make sure you don't get too hot or too cold during any season. Ceiling fans are a great option to add, as well.
A sunroom can be a great addition to any house, especially if you have severe seasonal changes or even problems with pesky bugs. And, it can be a great way to improve your home value. It can be an excellent investment. Make sure you get a good sunroom with the longest and strongest warranty available - don't trust any company that will not stand behind it's product.If you need to find a local sunroom company, you can post your project with Construction Deal. Let our network of sunroom companies bid on your request instead of trying to call them on your own. You can choose how many sunroom companies you would like to contact you. And, make sure yo uget multiple bids - the more bids you have and more options you can review means that you'll be able to save money.
Labels: Home Additions, Sunrooms
Planning to Improve Your Home Value?
06 December 2006
So, your current home is not quite your dream home? You know you'll be moving in a few years? I bet you're putting together a list of projects you want to complete in the long term to make sure your home is ready to sell, if and when you plan on moving.Let's face it - the average American moves every five to ten years. So, anything and everything that you can do to your home to improve the look and functionality could potentially mean a greater return on investment when you sell.
Everyone talks about renovating the kitchen and bathrooms in a house to improve value. But let me help you look as some of the smaller, less interesting but still very important tasks that you need to clear up first. These are the small tasks that a local handyman or contractor could help you with, if you can't do them all yourself, to improve the overall value on your home -- without spending very much!
Lose the Popcorn Ceiling - have you got those acoustic ceiling tiles or popcorn ceilings in most of the rooms in your house? Get them out. They've been an eyesore since the mid-eighties. Nearly everyone hates them and wants them gone. If you get rid of them and replace them with smooth drywall ceilings (possibly with some crown moulding up there), you'll win favor with potential buyers.
Air Conditioners in the Windows? Central heating and air conditioning is the way to go. Yes, it's very expensive to have it installed, but it will serve you well while you'll live in the house and serve you well when you go to sell the house. A very wise investment. In most states, it's practically expected and when it's not there, it can be a deal breaker.
Lose the Linoleum - If you've got dated vinyl, plastic, or linoleum floors or counters, you should think about replacing and upgrading when and where you can. There are even modern equivalents to the linoleum products that look and feel much better than the old stuff installed in your house from the 60's. New technology has improved most of the man-made tile and sheet products to make them look like natural stones and ceramic tiles.
Run for the Border - Remove all the wallpaper and borders that have tattoed your walls since 1984. Even faux paint is starting to fall out of favor. Go with quality paint in conservative colors that match the tone and style of the room and house. Paint is classic and much harder to go out of style (the colors may not be but paint is always "in.") If you need to find a painting company, we can help...
Peel the Paneling - Remove or paint over all the dark faux wood paneling in the house. It's been out for a long time but most people have been looking at it for so long, they've tuned it out. Fresh and airy and light is what people want from their home. Not dark and muted, which is what paneling provides.
Improve your home and you'll eventually improve your bottom line. The housing market is slow right now but it doesn't mean that it will be this way in a few years when you're ready to move on.
Keep Construction Deal in your bookmarks and remember us when you need to find a quality home improvement expert. It's free and faster than looking up remodeling companies at random from your local phone book.
Labels: Home Improvement, Home Renovation, Remodeling
Home Improvement Loans
04 December 2006
Whatever your remodeling project is, if you need to find financing for it -- we can help! Construction Deal has partnered with a major lender to make sure you've got your funding in place before you ever begin!Most major remodeling projects are very expensive. If you can afford to pay for the work "out of pocket", then that's the best way to finance it. If you need an outside source, you can apply for a remodeling loan on our site as well. This makes it easier for our homeowners - you won't need to search all over the world wide web to find everything you need to turn your house into a dream home!
You can apply and get approved in a reasonably short amount of time. You'll have your approved amount in hand - which will let you know how much you have to spend on the project! Then, you can use the Construction Deal site to locate a quality remodeling contractor in your area.
You can choose the type of loan that's best for you. You can apply for a home equity loan, a home equity line of credit, and more. In fact, you can even find a great rate on a mortgage. Check it out and see for yourself.
Labels: home improvement loan, remodeling loan, renovation loan
