Staging with Pantone's Colour of the Year

Pantone is a company recognized throughout the world as the leading authority on colour. Every year a colour is declared as "Pantone's Colour of the Year" and this year's colour (2015) is.... Marsala.

In recognition of this lovely, deep and rich colour, I'm sharing some before and after pictures of a master bedroom we staged using this colour.

To give you an idea of how the staging process goes, I will take the 'before' shot during my initial visit to the house when I meet with the homeowner for the pre-staging consultation.  During this initial visit, I will give my recommendations of improvements that should be done prior to listing the home for sale as well as other tasks to complete in preparation for my next visit, which is when I come back to stage the home. Because each home is different, my recommendations will differ depending on the home. In this particular case, the house was fairly new, so there were next to zero repairs or upgrades needed. The walls were neutral in colour and still in good condition, therefore repainting was not necessary. Keep in mind, when I present my recommendations, it is entirely up to you as the homeowner to decide how much time and money to invest in this endeavor. If there are budget restrictions, we can prioritize the work and scale down how many rental items are brought in for staging.

So here is the 'before' shot....

Before

The following reveals my thought process when I am assessing your home and how I plan for what rental items are needed for staging....

These are small changes but all these enhancements make a big impact on the room's appearance, as you can see here in the 'after' shots....

After

After

The most significant change was adding the white duvet to the bed. This immediately brightened the room and accentuated the deep, rich marsala colour used in the room. The white also offsets the dark colour of the furniture and the floors, keeping the room from feeling dark and dingy.

As for the colour of the year, marsala?... Back in the day it was called 'burgundy.' And, well, it certainly brings back memories of my youth... as do several other colours that have come back in popularity, like emerald green, navy blue, gold, and amethyst. Usually, my initial reaction is why???? But, somehow we are able to keep it current and learn how to use it in slightly different ways that are better, fresher and modern. And we learn to love it all over again!

Here are some images I've gathered to give you more ideas of how you can incorporate the color, marsala, into your home.

Images: Pantone; Imelda Smith; Urban Outfitters; Apartmenttherapy; Etsy; Dailyfix; Cococozy; Style Me Pretty; decor8; The Everygirl

Current Trends in Color

Talk about a long winter!  Thank goodness the May flowers are blooming despite the snow we had in April!  Spring has fully arrived!  And for the real estate industry, this is the time where we make hay while the sun shines (no pun intended)! :-)  As seasons change, so do trends and in between all the activity that is happening, I am able to keep current in the design world through lots of seminars, workshops, and events that are available to our trade. Most recently I had an opportunity to hear from the president of the Color Marketing Group (CMG) and trend analyst at Global Color Research, Mark Woodman.  This event was organized by BeBetter@ and held at Coast Appliances in Vaughan.

Mark gave a great talk how we can source information on color trends through nature and travel. We can see the connection of these colors expressed through fashion and interiors.  He also shared some insight on the psychology of color, its cultural references, and the language of color.  So you ask, what are we seeing in color now that's hot and what will we continue to see for 2014???  Here is what the expert had to share....

1)  WHITE

White evokes a sense of cleansing, escape, and renewal.

White with bright colors gives a clean, fresh and modern look.

2)  TONED

Tone hues are soften browns, charcoals, tans, beiges, and varied grey colors.

Cerused wood furniture is loved for its tone hues.

3)  WHIMSY

Mixing "old" with the "new" and adding a hit of the "unexpected" (pops of color).

An eclectic mix of color using curated pieces are the most interesting design.

4)  BLOCKED

Mondrian influenced design

Monochromatic color blocking

Which of these trends that we're seeing in color do you like?  I personally like white and toned (ha!... says the stager... that should be no surprise).

Photos:  Better Homes and Gardens; Tobi Fairley Interior Design; Sarah Richardson Design; The Aestate; Cococozy; Apartment Therapy; Housetohome

Pantone's Picks for Spring 2012

While my mandate, as a stager, is to neutralize your home, adding hits of colour in the right amount helps create interest and appeal. Here are Pantone's Top Fashion Colours for Spring 2012. Stay current and on trend by incorporating any of these colours into your home decor. If you're not sure how, let me help you! :-)




Cheers!
Imelda

Photos: The Perfect Palette

Fall Inspiration

Warm up a neutral decor with sumptuous colours of the fall. Here's a nature inspired palette of well chosen accessories in shades of brown, orange, and red. The grey leather sofa provides a neutral base for hits of these warm fall colours.

Wishing a Happy Thanksgiving to everyone here in Canada. We have some beautiful weather in store for us this long weekend, so enjoy!

Cheers! :-)
Imelda

Photos: Pinterest

Fall Colour Trend

GREY... the new 'go to' neutral! Consider this colour if you're looking to repaint or redecorate. Punch it up with an accent colour like yellow or blue. And should you be selling your home in the near future, you'll be up-to-date on the latest colour trend.

You'll see this listed as #1 in House & Home's "Fall Home Trends." Check it out and see what else is new to look for this fall.

Imelda Smith
Home Staging Design & Consulting

"Positioning Your Home For a Quick and Profitable Sale"

visit www.imeldasmithhomestaging.com