Want a simple way to update your home that’s not too expensive?
Take advantage of the Pantone Color of the Year. Once it’s announced, manufacturers release items in that color, and you can usually get it at a sale price. We’re talking going big like paint or going small like throw pillows or towels.
Most years, the Pantone Color of the Year is bold. Even the color Ultimate Gray from 2021 was an intense color for a neutral. So it’s not the sort of shade you want to paint your whole house. Your neighbors won’t thank you.
What Is The Pantone Color Of The Year?
Pantone Color Institute is the division within the Pantone parent company that chooses top seasonal colors for runway fashions as well as the colors for global trends in color marketing.
Did you ever wonder why there always seems to be the same colors no matter where you shop?
Use this to your advantage to inexpensively change up the look and feel of your home.
Quick Ways To Incorporate The Color Of The Year Into Your Home
If you’re new to home decorating, have a small budget, or just want to play with a room, start small by creating a few colorful updates, and then evaluate how you like it. What you do with your home should bring joy. And if you decide that it’s not working for you, then you can quietly donate it.
If you do like the color, you can paint an accent wall or even your front door. Add in another accent color on the door frame. This provides a pop of color to the front of your home, and hopefully makes you smile as you walk up to the door.
Does It Increase Your Home’s Value?
If you’re thinking about selling your home, you may wonder if you will get a better value if your home appears to be current with trends.
To ensure your home is appealing to buyers, you need it to be layered, clean, and finished. The clutter needs to be gone, and you want to update your finishes (paint, wallpaper, tile, etc.). Layers are provided with accents like towels, pillows, and rugs.
So, yes, it is possible to increase your home’s perceived value if it’s worked into a plan to ensure the home looks warm, inviting, and move-in ready.
What You Should Know
The first thing people see when they walk in will make or break their desire to buy. We mentioned making the front of the house look clean and fun. The entryway should be open and inviting.
Utilize warm neutrals with tile, laminate flooring, and stone counters to make people feel comfortable and see themselves as being at home. Then complete a room with a colorful throw rug, pillows, and curtains. You could look into slipcovers for your chairs and couches that have a mix of colors to play with the feel of the room.
Bathrooms are easy to layer with towels. You can add some color through the backsplash tile as well. You can also paint cabinets with color highlights to brighten the room. To learn more about color, get home decorating magazines for ideas. You can also search online resources like Pinterest and Houzz. It’s also a great way to learn where you want patterns and where you want solids. And if you want to know the current colors, check out your local hardware stores and fashion magazines.
Most people are familiar with accent walls which are a different color than the other three that are painted in a neutral color. But did you know you can paint the ceiling a different color as well. Highlight this by using white crown molding to set off the transition between walls and ceiling. To learn how to mix colors, you want to get comfortable with the color wheel and what constitutes complementary colors compared to analogous colors.
More Fun Ideas
Ready for some wild ideas?
It’s important to have a plan before you start. Otherwise, you may end up with half a wall painted and a throw pillow you hate. The good news is you don’t have to spend a lot of money. Remember, you may want to redo everything next year with the next Pantone Color of the Year.
If possible, plan to spend the majority of your budget on good-quality foundations like flooring and counters. The rest can be with enhancements, accessories, and accents. You may not do this all at once, but keep in mind where you want to go.
Your plan will then help you fill in the rest as needed. For example, if you choose muted complementary colors, you’ll know to keep the Pantone Color of the Year as something that’s a small accent like a vase on a table if it is quite different than the other base colors you’ve chosen.
If the color mixes well with your choices, you can go bolder like a tablecloth or drapes and have the color center the room.
Let your imagination run wild.
Have Fun In The Bathroom
Once the Pantone Color of the Year is announced, you will start seeing it everywhere in clothing and household goods at your local mega mart stores. Add some fun to your bathroom by buying towels and a colorful accent rug.
Brighten That Basement
Yes, we’re going from one extreme to another. You can brighten up a dark basement with a bright Pantone Color of the Year. The year 2021 had Illuminating yellow and 2022 had Very Peri periwinkle.
These colors will reflect the lighting well, and make the basement seem cheery instead of dreary.
Plant Flowers
Yes, you can perk up the front of the house with flowers in planters. If the color matches the flowers, get the pots in neutral colors. Or, get neutral flowers in a colorful planter. You will be amazed at how much better your home looks with that pop of color.
The bottom line is if you’re going to decorate your home, have a plan and a basic set of colors. It’s easier to add accent colors if you have your home already decorated with neutral colors. Get your basics settled, and then start to have fun.
More Information
Here is a cool inside look at the Pantone color factory:
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