Affordable interior design changes....Are there any?

In light of the current economic environment many of us have asked ourselves, are there affordable design changes for my home? The answer is yes; painting. A new coat of paint can give a space a whole new look, for a minimal cost. A little work is required, but the rewards are well worth it.


First decide what walls to paint. Are multiple rooms being painted or just one room. If the room being painted can be seen from another space, such as seeing the living room from the kitchen, you want them to be unified. This will probably take painting both spaces if you want a color different than the existing one. Personally if you are painting the one room, you should paint the other, so that they all have the same fresh look.

Next decide if all of the walls are going to be the same color or if there is going to be an accent wall. If you choose to do an accent wall realize that you have created a focal point in the space. Be sure to organize your furniture and other décor around this focal point for the most unified space. Accents walls enhance a room by offering the space a point of orgin.

Before you choose your paint colors you need to consider the following:

1. What kind of mood do I want my space to have?

Deciding on the mood will go a long ways to avoiding “painters remorse”. The color green is very calming, so painting a room this color would offer a more relaxing atmosphere in your space. Where red can have the opposite effect. I recommend to my clients that they go in the middle. Using burnt orange or a deep red has a dramatic feel without being aggressive.

There is so much information on colors and the moods they invoke that I can't cover it all in this short entry so check out this website for more information: http://freshome.com/2007/04/17/room-color-and-how-it-affects-your-mood/

2. Do I have enough light in the space for the color I have chosen?


Many of us prefer dark paint colors. But, if your room has little light, using a dark color, such as chocolate brown, can absorb a lot of it. If you want to use a dark color, use it on an accent wall. Then have all of the other walls a lighter, more neutral color.


I recently did this in a bedroom. There was only a small, single light source, making the corners shadowy. By white washing three of the four walls, and having a dark accent color only on the focal wall, the bedroom is much brighter. Brightening the room makes the space feel larger than it did before.


To summarize, be sure to choose your colors based on the end objective. Choose the right mood for the room and be sure your other décor items can be arranged around the new focal point.

If you have any questions about painting please email me at questions@yourharmonydesign.com