Brush Up: Change The Look Of Your Home With A Simple Coat Of Paint

There should be a whole new line of home improvement products called Inspired by Quarantine, because hello — it’s happening. According to CNBC everything is up, including remodels, add-ons, outdoor living, etc.

Seriously, there are so many stats and all of them are up. Like way up. 

One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to transform your space is paint. It also has an incredibly high return on investment. (Opendoor says painting the interior results in a 107 percent ROI and painting the exterior leads to 55 percent ROI.)

Professional color consultant Tiffany Confer with The Color Collection totally agrees. She says paint can stylize your house, especially the exterior. If you want more of a cottage look, use one color for everything and save the pop of color for the door.

Looking for something more modern? Try a high-contrast combination by pairing light paint on the brick and dark paint on the trim. Black and white is a classic combo we’re seeing a lot of right now. Confer added, we’re also seeing cedar accents pop up on siding or cedar posts on porches. It adds texture and warmth, too. 

But back to the overwhelming task at hand, how do you even pick a white?

Well, you can grab a bunch of paint chips and swatch up your wall. Or if you want to nail it the first time, you can work with someone like Confer. She said every white has an undertone and she can help you find the perfect tint. 

She’s been doing this a minute, too.

Six years to be exact. In fact — *credential alert* — she helped launch the color consultation business for Sherwin-Williams in Dallas-Fort Worth and averaged 500 to 600 consultations per year. Which means she hasn’t seen it all, but she’s certainly seen a lot. 

With any paint, especially on the inside, Confer said the first thing you have to decide is how long you’ll be staying in the house. If it’s going to be awhile and you want to do something a little unconventional, go for it. If you plan on selling soon, keep it neutral.

Whites are hot right now, too, so it’s easy to stay on trend and still keep your house market-ready. 

Speaking of trends, Confer said monochromatic interiors are the latest and greatest. Keep the wall and the trim color the same and let varied sheens add interest. (Flat on the walls and satin on the trim.) It’s a clean, fresh look that goes with any interior.

“Navies, blacks, charcoal grays, emerald greens — anything that’s rich is the way to go.”

Tiffany Confer, The Color Collection

Now, get this. Accents are still in but in a whole new way.

It’s no longer about the one wall behind your headboard. These days accents are a lot more interesting. Confer said we’re seeing people paint ceilings, add wallpaper or just let their accessories add color. She said that ultimately color is personal, but if you need somewhere to start, deep, bold colors are in. Navies, blacks, charcoal grays, emerald greens — anything that’s rich is the way to go.

In kitchens, Confer said white works. People love it because it feels clean and fresh and can also make your space feel bigger.

If you’re looking for something timeless, go with light floors, light countertops, and light backsplashes, too. CURVEBALL! Confer said stains are coming back for cabinets and the hottest stain going? WALNUT BROWN. Like brown brown. Not red or gold, but good ol’ classic brown. Who knew?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, again, Confer is here to help. She’s done everything from commercial to multi-family, but residential is her specialty. She loves historical homes, ultra modern and mid-century modern as well. But as you can tell from the photos, she can pretty much help you with anything you’ve got. Hit her up at [email protected]. Rates are available by the hour or per project.