It’s been an interesting time for homeowners over the past year and a half. Without rehashing all that has happened since the COVID-19 pandemic began (we’re all very versed at this point), it changed the way people around the world interacted with each other, the outside world, and their homes. People have found themselves spending much of their time at home. Some people have discovered or rediscovered areas of their homes that could use more inspiration; in all senses of the word.
When anyone is forced to spend more time in their home, they’re likely to find areas that were neglected, forgotten, or had just become a little stale. For my work, this has meant more people are interested in colors and ways to change their home colors for the better!
Home Colors
For those unfamiliar with the term, “home colors” is a non-specific way of talking about the colors on both residential exteriors and interiors. It’s not exactly an accurate or articulated phrase, but I do like the idea that “home colors” are something that people are paying closer attention to as they spend more time at home.
As a paint color specialist, I love the fact that homeowners are taking note of the color schemes, palettes, and arrangements around their homes. Color-inspiration comes to those who have time to absorb their surrounding environments and let the creative juices flow, and it’s great to see more homeowners embrace the power of color.
Learn How Exterior Paint Colors Can Reshape Your Home’s Curb Appeal!
2020 Home Improvement Statistics – People are Energized!
A study published by Harvard showed that homeowners were spending more on home improvement even as the economy shrank by 3.5% in 2020. In 2020, the home improvement and repair market grew by 3% to 420 billion dollars in the United States.
According to a deep-dive survey conducted by Home Advisor on home improvement projects in 2020, the most popular project was interior painting, followed by bathroom remodeling, new flooring, landscaping, and kitchen remodeling. Considering that painting was most likely completed with the bathroom and kitchen remodels, 2020 saw lots of new color palettes and homeowners searching for color inspiration!
Taking Control of Home Colors
The first step in making home improvement decisions is to absorb the environment as it currently sits and find creative inspiration for change. As far as specific areas of the home that saw the most remodeling, the bathroom and kitchen are no surprise to me. These rooms are functional spaces that see lots of use and are subject to going out of style and into disrepair the fastest.
New Colors for the Bathroom
The bathroom is where people need to feel secure, comfortable, relaxed, and at peace to start the day off right. If the cabinetry, the plumbing, the lighting, and the bathroom colors put the mind into an anxious state, it’s a bad way to begin the day, especially when working from home.
I’ve had many clients ask for new bathroom color schemes since the beginning of 2020. Here are some ideas to update your bathroom for a whole new look!
- Light blues, whites, and rich greys
Using blue color in the bathroom is not a new idea, but for 2020 and 2021, I saw a rise in popularity of pale blues paired with start whites and rich greys. These cooler colors set the mind at ease and remind us of calm skies or soothing sights and sounds by bodies of water, a great color arrangement to start the day! Picture a bathroom with pale sky-blue walls, white cabinetry, and appliances with fog-grey marble sinks; it’s a soothing color palette that sets the mood for the bathroom space.
Bring Natural Colors into the Bathroom
I am also seeing homeowners bring nature into the private spaces in their homes. Rather than stark white on every surface in the bathroom, try incorporating woods, warm metals, and a bit of nature! Your sink? Try a color different than white, it’s time for a fresh new look.
It does not always have to be nickel or chrome, what about rose gold or warm brass? The cabinetry does not have to be painted wood, it can be stained wood showing off the natural richness of the grain and warm wood tones.
Another way to bring nature into the private spaces in your home is to bring plants into the bathroom. It brings in fresh accent colors, and what plant doesn’t love a steam shower from time to time!
Learn About the Power and Applications of Loud Colors!
New Colors for the Kitchen
The kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where gatherings happen, meals are prepared, and family and friends enjoy each other’s company. When the kitchen ages and is not taken care of, it can bring a downtrodden feeling to the whole house, which is why it’s so important to keep kitchens beautiful and functional, as many homeowners discovered when the pandemic began.
Gone are the days when the kitchen could only be white, creamy yellow or complete one color like a pale gray. There are no colors that are off-limits for kitchens these days. More homeowners want the kitchen to stand out as a statement of personality in their home. Here are some of my favorite home colors for the kitchen that have risen in popularity since the beginning of the pandemic.
- Greens, greens, and more greens!
Green has indeed found its way into every space of the home over the past year. Mint, olive, sage, hunter, you name it! All shades and hues of green have made it into the kitchen, and I love it.
I published a blog about the “new greens” and how the classic color has seen a resurgence in popularity with home design within the last few years, a fun read for sure!
Back to talking about kitchen design. Picture a beautiful kitchen with pale walls behind bold-colored cabinetry. The countertops and island are a pale gray stone or maybe even a stained wood or butcher block. Whether you are using stained wood or crisp white cabinets, the green carries the day with its timeless beauty. It is a classic color to add and makes a brilliant statement for years to come!
- Browns, steel, and stone
Strong colors have made it into the kitchen, but just because a color is strong doesn’t mean the space it’s in cannot be warm. Case and point, clients have asked for rich brown color palettes for their kitchens.
This is a kitchen I’d love to spend an evening in; picture a kitchen with exposed concrete floor and linen colored stone backsplashes, dark cocoa brown cabinets line the walls and stainless steel appliances rest within the floor-to-ceiling cabinetry. The cocoa brown brings warmth to counterbalance the steel and stone it’s surrounded by. There are accents of a sky blue alongside, auburn reds, and orange to liven up the kitchen. Love this idea? Think about the magic of what color can do in your home, now’s the time to experiment with colors that will make your kitchen simply irresistible!
Have You Found New Inspiration?
These times have been challenging, but I find happiness in the silver lining that families are spending more time with each other and using areas of the home that perhaps had been dormant.
Have you done any remodeling over the past year and a half? Have you discovered new colors for spaces that you never thought would work? Please share your stories. As a color expert, I always love hearing them!
Print
Great post Amy. I’m finding my clients are more sensitive to colors materials and are looking to make changes after spending a year at home. Many are gravitating to the warm nuetrals and organics like you point out.
Thanks Linda, I love hearing that your clients are gravitating towards the same color trend!
Great insight! I’m finding clients wanting to add a bit more color. I’m still asked a lot for classic blues and greens and blue-greens, but corals and reds are browns are showing up too for many people – we just did a whole office – walls and trim – in a deep rich chocolate brown! It was fabulous! And the neutrals are definitely trending warmer, finally!
I am so happy to hear that Janet, I can only imagine the warmth of the office you designed, it must be stunning!