Paint- what's in a color?



We are often asked by friends and clients: What color should I paint my walls? Should I go neutral or can I put color up? Should I cover up my "colorful" walls with something more neutral, and if so, what's the neutral go-to color now?



With new construction home sales on the rise and existing-home inventory low, we find ourselves 
touring model homes with buyers more and more often these days. Our 2 biggest takeaways? Wallpaper and non-neutral paint colors are BIG. Wallpapers come in traditional adhesive-backed and the newer peel-and-stick (pros and cons would be another whole blog!). We see wallpaper on accent walls, partial walls, and whole rooms. Grasscloth never has completely gone out, and it's back, bigger than ever.  According to homesandgardens.com, even wallpaper borders are back.

Paint, too, is used on accent walls or above sideboards in a formal area or headboards in the primary suite or sometimes as just a swath down the middle of wall to make a statement. Wainscoting and board and batten lends themselves well to adding a splash of color. Pairing a white wall with a deeply-hued accent walls and bold color accents on cabinets, islands, wainscoting, and trim is quite popular! We've seen lots of greens- especially sage, but also olive and, dare we say, hunter, and also a lot of navy and charcoal or slate. Many even say green is the new neutral! As for neutrals, we've all heard gray is on its way out- or that it has at least it faded to greige (yes, Agreeable Gray is still agreeable!), but shades of white and cream are the new neutral go-to. 



Southern Living suggests the top 5 paint brands range from navy to green to pewter and various off-whites. And the interior paint that sells a house the fastest? "Neutral paint colors help to sell a house quickly because it allows potential buyers to imagine their personality within the surroundings. White, beige, taupe, grays, and blends of these colors are highly marketable paint colors." 

The bottom line, though, is paint your home what makes you happy and suits your style, whether that's olive green or orange in to complement your mid-century modern furniture, or bright whites contrasted with navy and charcoal for a modern decor. Add grasscloth if you want some texture, or a wallpaper mural to add interest. We like to say, wallpaper is strippable and paint can always be repainted!


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