Good News Color is in Again

Hope is slowly being restored in the housing market; and while the numbers may not be close to what they were a handful of years ago, new home starts are popping up across the U.S. Another reaction to the recent recession is that current homeowners have decided they’ll stay- put and instead of making a move and chosen to update their existing home. Lastly, there are opportunists who are buying foreclosed homes as investments and are then performing makeovers for future sale when the market improves.

Together, these factors are influencing design trends. Not surprisingly, many homeowners will to stick to the “safe” – tried and true – colors as their primary home choice. And frankly, it’s understandable that safe neutrals will continue to dominate people’s choices as they remain uncertain and concerned about false stops and starts in the economy. These neutrals include all the light whites as well as light and mid-tone beiges. Interestingly enough, many folks are becoming more comfortable using colors in the gray family – a great example of how interior color trends eventually translate into exterior design. As gray has become a more prevalent interior option, it’s likewise made strides as an acceptable and stylish exterior alternative.

Also important to note – because the “green” movement continues to evolve, with more people becoming aware of the ramifications of the ecological issues, there’s a rise in the number of houses that are being designed with more natural color schemes such as green and brown. The big color story is actually related to accents and accessories; in other words, those elements that are easy and less expensive to change or update. Shutters are a great place to show changes in trends.

We see that colors such as wines, plums and blue-greens – which were once considered “unusual” as exterior accents are now accepted as somewhat conventional. The inclusion of more and larger windows is also on the rise. And, by deliberately incorporating color, grille patterns and architectural styles, window are having a dramatic impact on the overall look of a house. It’s also predicted that house designs will include more porches, from small to wraparound. This element offers many opportunities for the addition of cleverly designed posts, columns, corbels, mantels and decorative moldings. This front porch movement, is said, to have been caused by the increased number of people wanting to stay home and enjoy the company of their family, friends and neighbors.

It’s important for existing home owners who are considering an update to the look of their home and potential buyers who might be preparing to make decisions about the style of their future home, to keep in mind that their color and materials choices should reflect their personality and can, with very little effort, boast a custom look with remarkable curb appeal.

For more inspiration, visit: our Inspiration page.