Guest Blogger: How to Brighten and Enlighten your Sterile Interiors

Guest Blogger #382, Entry #977, February 25, 2012

Many homeowners think that the only way to sell a house is by turning it into a neutral nightmare, with white walls and nary a scrap of color on wall, floor, or cabinet. Others install hard flooring throughout with the intention of making cleaning easier (or maybe they just like having cold feet). In any case, you may find when you move into a new house that it lacks the warmth and personality that you’re seeking in a home environment. Hopefully you saved some money on the purchase price, because there are plenty of ways to turn the sterile and uninviting rooms in your home into warm and vibrant spaces that will beg to be visited. Here are just a few tips to help you create the welcoming home you’ve always envisioned.

Brighten up your stale interiors

Image via: Mix and Chic

Add color with paint

The easiest place to start is with paint, and you might be surprised by the level of change that can be accomplished by simply adding some color. Of course, the trick is to choose the right color and you’ll need to think about the atmosphere you want to create in a particular room rather than simply selecting a hue that happens to be trending right now. In truth, you may want to consider whether or not you’re going to change the flooring first. If you’re installing green carpeting, for example, you might not want to paint the walls orange. But if you’re going to stick with whatever flooring is currently in your home, or you’re set on laying a neutral foundation, then by all means move ahead with the paint.

Choosing the right colors with your feelings

Now, consider how certain colors will make you feel. If you’re looking for a little passion and spice in the bedroom, for example, you should go with a hot, saturated color like a deep red, a burnt orange, or a plummy purple. Just keep in mind that darker colors tend to make a room look smaller, so if space is an issue you may want to go with a lighter shade or just do an accent wall in the saturated jewel-tone of your choice. You can also go with relaxing, cool tones like robin’s-egg blue or sage green; these are good choices for living and dining rooms. And if it’s mental stimulation you’re after, say in your home office, think about a bold, bright shade like hot pink, lemon yellow, or cerulean blue. You’ll be amazed how these colors will make you feel each time you enter a room.

Choose colors that inspire you

Image via: House of Fifty

Decor and personal touches

Next comes decor, and here you can add as much warmth as you want. In terms of furnishings, plush options are always going to be more inviting. And if you want to create a space that seems homey and lived in, don’t go too minimalist. Obviously you don’t want your house to look like an episode of Hoarders, but throw rugs, pillows, blankets, and plenty of personal items (like photos, books, and heirloom tchotchkes) will go a long way towards making your space appealing to your family and friends.

You don’t need a pharm.d. degree to know that a sterile, clinical room is better suited to a doctor’s office than your home, so get rid of the white-washed walls, the cold, tile flooring, the spare, bare décor, and the bed that looks like an army cot. Creating a warm aesthetic isn’t hard to do (and it doesn’t have to cost you a lot) when you understand the impact that a splash of color, a few comfortable furnishings, and some personal touches can have on a room.

For more interiors tips on Stagetecture, click here.