Stand in front of your home, look at it like you have never seen it before.  Use that scrutinizing eye to see if it needs a paint job, trim repaired, perhaps screens or blinds fixed.  Walk in the front door; don't look at the decorating, look at the bones of the house.  Are there stained carpets? Broken cupboards? Loose railings?  Often, we live with things everyday that become invisible to us.  Hold up your mirror and look hard.  Most new homeowners want a house that is move-in ready. The prospect of having to do repairs on a home they just purchased may turn many of your buyers off. To help this problem before you put your home on the market, review this list of repairs or improvements that give you the most Bang for your Buck.

Jill M. Banks

Happily Better After Room Redesign & Home Staging 

Just because the walls are white doesn't mean you can't have a home that reflects your personality and color preferences.  There are ways to "fake it" without painting; if you do it right, you won't even notice the white walls! The first step is to choose a color scheme. An easy way is to create a coordinated color scheme is to find an item (e.g., window treatments, picture, fabric, rug, etc.) that has a pattern with colors you like, and use it as a guide. Pick three colors from it; choose one as the main color (try to use it about 60% of the time) and two others as accent colors (use them 30% and 10% of the time, respectively).

Once you've decided on a color scheme, the key to creating a colorful room with white walls is to make sure the color flows throughout the entire room. This can be accomplished by using your chosen colors in the room's vertical elements (walls, windows, bookshelves), and repeating those colors on the horizontal surfaces (tabletops, seating, floor). Don't try to match the colors of each item exactly; slight variations within the same color family make for a more interesting mix. Here are some basic guidelines to get you started:

Vertical Elements

The vertical elements in the room have the biggest impact when injecting color into a room with white walls. These are the best places to incorporate the colors in your color scheme. Go for patterned, rather than solid, window treatments (curtains, roman shades); and be sure the pattern has some white in it to help it relate to the white walls, so the introduction of color isn't too jarring.  Next, add wall art (framed posters or prints, canvases, vintage signs, etc.) that features some of the same colors in your window treatments to reinforce the color scheme. Mirrors and wall sculptures can be used too, and they should contain at least one of the colors from your color scheme.  If you have a tall entertainment unit, dresser, or bookcases, add accents (vases, statues, picture frames, candleholders, etc.) to the shelves that feature one or more of the colors in your color scheme. Lamps are another vertical element that can add a pop of color; if the lamp's body is plain, pick a colorful shade, and if the lamp body is colorful, keep the shade neutral.

Horizontal Surfaces

Now that the vertical surfaces are done, start incorporating color into the horizontal ones. An area rug covers a large part of the floor, so it is a great way to continue your color scheme. Either a solid or patterned rug is okay, as long as it relates to your scheme. Try using accent furniture (chests, ottomans, chairs, and tables) in one of your scheme colors or with painted details, decals, or inlays to further distribute color throughout the room.  On your sofa and chairs, add pillows and throws to provide the final big pops of color and pattern to the room, and use tabletop accents and floral arrangements to fill in those spots where color may be missing.

By following these guidelines, your rooms can be full of color  without applying a drop of paint to those white walls!

Happy decorating!

Jill M. Banks is the owner of Happily Better After Room Redesign & Home Staging, an award-winning firm specializing in home staging, room makeover, and professional organizing services. Since 2009, she has helped clients throughout southern NJ reveal the fabulous potential in their homes and offices, whether they plan to sell or stay. Her expert advice has been featured in Burlington County Woman and Camden County Woman magazines, "The Joyful Organizer" podcast, MSN Real Estate, AOL Real Estate, BHG.com, and several decorating blogs and websites. She is one of the expert panelists for eLocal's Home Expert Network, and writes on interior decorating topics for Examiner.com.  

Fresno, CA - E. Vartikian Avenue    

  

Rent: $1,725.00/mo.  

Great neighborhood in Clovis Unified School District. Pool (service for yard & pool included). Inside laundry, kitchen redone w/granite counter tops and new appliances. Formal dining room, family room, living room (w/doors). Master bdrm has 2 walk-in closets. Outdoor built-in propane BBQ.