Failing to Make Repairs and Stage Can Cost You

Decorated, Not Staged 

A lot of of the houses I see on line these days either have no staging at all, or there's been an amateur effort by the real estate agent or seller who don't understand the difference between decorating and staging. The ineffective and sometimes harmful pictures that result put the house at a significant competitive disadvantage. Of course attempted staging usually is better than none at all, because failing to make repairs and paying no attention to cosmetic appeal can really cost you.

The Crucial First Few Seconds

Most people know that today's buyers begin their search for a home on line, and you have seconds at most to get their attention in a positive way and make them want to visit in person. It stands to reason that if the pictures of your house aren't attractive, buyers will quickly move on to the next listing and you've lost an opportunity. If prospects do come and your house doesn't impress them by being clean, inviting and well maintained, you've either lost the sale or inspired a lower offer than you might have gotten if you'd made certain it was in sound condition and professionally staged before listing.

Case Study - Failing to Repair and Stage

To emphasize this crucial point, here's an example of how failing to make repairs and stage (or doing it badly) can squander the equity you've worked years to build. 

Let's say that houses in your development have been selling for $250,000 - $285,000. 

• Repairs and professional staging costs are estimated at $2,500, of which a generous $500 is allotted for staging. You decide not to spend the money. 
• A comparable staged house down the street in showing condition is listed at $275,000.
• You decide to list your house for $265,000, thinking that a lower price will attract buyers and more than compensate for not doing the work. You forfeit a significant amount of money at the outset, and that's just the beginning. Because your house doesn’t photograph well, there are only a few showings and no offers. Keep in mind that had your house been repaired and staged, it could have been listed at a higher price, helping to offset the cost of the work and it would have been much more appealing.
• The staged house down the street sells quickly for $270,000. You get anxious and reduce the price $5,000 to $260,000. 
• More time goes by without results. You reduce the price to $257,500. 
• After a long wait, an offer finally comes in at $255,000, pending the buyer’s inspection. You're down $10,000 from the original (low) list price.
• During the inspection damage is found. The buyer demands a price reduction of $5,000 to cover repairs. Your original estimate for the same work was $2,000. 
• After going back and forth, you agree to sell for $252,000. 

Here's What You've Forfeited:

• the difference between the potential and actual initial listing price
• plus the difference between the listing price and the selling price
• AND you've paid higher costs for repairs, the costs of continued upkeep and the costs of lost opportunities, like being unable to buy that perfect new house you wanted. 



Let’s Add This Up: 


YOUR HOUSE                                THE HOUSE DOWN THE STREET
 AS IS                                                AFTER REPAIRS AND STAGING
        
$265,000 list price  $275,000 list price ($10,000 more)
$252,000 sell price                           $269,900 sell price ($17,900 more)
                                                                   - $2,500 staging and repair costs                   
                                                                $267,400  (+$15,400 more net)
    
With repairs and professional staging, the seller in this example had $15,400 more profit and a faster sale. This is a conservative example since the average difference in selling price nationwide between staged and unstaged houses is usually about 17%. And remember, this happened because you didn't want to spend $2,500.




Home Selling is a Competition 


The main point to understand about selling your house is that regardless of market conditions, you're competing against every other house in your price range. Your competition includes properties in your development and properties outside your immediate area, many with highly motivated sellers who are determined to make their house stand out. That's a big pool for discerning buyers to choose from. 


Don't put your house at a disadvantage. Be a smart seller and do the work so that your house is ready to be a strong competitor from the moment you list. 

How to Choose a Paint Color for Exterior Stairs

Before - Stair Risers Accented in the Trim Color

It's fairly common to see front stairs and risers painted different colors, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's the best approach. I believe that the only details that should be painted an accent color are the ones that deserve the attention, and stair risers usually don't qualify for the spotlight. 

In the "Before" picture the stair risers were painted in the trim color and the deck and stair treads were painted a green that clashed with the yellow walls and the cement walkway. Between the excessive accenting and the color clashes, far too much was going on. 

The house was about to go on the market and it was essential that the picture of the exterior for the MLS listing have maximum appeal. In a perfect world I would have recommended a color change for the walls, front door and storm door, but that wasn't in the budget. 

After - Treads, Risers and Deck Painted One Color

The deck and stairs were in poor condition and had to be painted. That created the opportunity to make the house a little bit more photogenic by correcting the color disharmony and reducing the number of accented details.  

I recommended using a single color on the deck, treads and risers, one that was chosen to coordinate with the house and cement walkway.  In the "After"  picture you see the benefits of treating the stairs and deck as a single unit. 

Some Color Considerations for Exterior Stairs

Here are some color considerations for exterior stairs, particularly front stairs:

• What are the colors in the permanent details of the house and landscaping, such as in roof, walkways, stone foundation, key flowering plants, etc.? You have to consider all these colors when choosing the stair color.
• What paint colors are used on the house and trim (wall color, front door color, trim color(s), etc.)? Do they work well with the permanent details? The stair color should coordinate with everything. You might be able to use the stair color to create more color harmony between the house colors and the colors of the permanent details, if needed. 

• Consider the architecture of the house. Are there already lots of accents, or does the house need more? If more pizzazz is needed, are accented stairs the best way to provide it?

I think restraint is usually the best approach to accenting, so my preference in most cases is to use a single color for stair treads and risers. As the "Before" and "After" pictures demonstrate, using one color creates better flow because your eye takes in the stairs as a single unit, as opposed to seeing the stair components. 

What you might have thought to be a simple matter, painting the stairs, is in fact something that has a big effect and deserves thought.

When it comes to color selection, whether it's for stairs, the whole exterior, or for the inside of your house, success comes down to choosing the right colors and using them in the right places. Color selection is the phase that receives the most emphasis, but I believe that where you put the colors is equally important. Color placement done correctly is a powerful tool that can correct many design shortcomings, showcase the best, hide the rest and help your house live up to its potential.

If you have a painting project coming up and would like help with choosing and placing colors, call me at 828-692-4355 to schedule a color and design consultation. If we do the painting for you, this help is a free part of our services. 

About Those Closets

A BEAUTIFULLY PAINTED, COLOR-COORDINATED CLOSET

"Don't include 

painting the closets." 

Roger hears this all the time when he's doing an estimate. Maybe it's the prospect of cleaning out the closets so the work can be done, or it's an attempt to save money, or a bit of both. I get it. But I'd like to put in a good word or two for painting the closets anyway. 

When You're Redecorating

If you've chosen a new color for the walls, leaving the closets "as is" could suggest that you didn't care about doing a high quality job, or that you forgot to paint them. The room will look unfinished and the overall result will be less polished, harmonious and attractive than it could have been. 

Most closets get a lot of wear and tear and the walls become scuffed and dirty. A dirty, dingy closet in an otherwise nicely painted space is jarring, and every time you open the closet door you'll wish you'd painted the interior.​ In a master suite with generous closet space, lived-in closets, especially if they've been left in the old color, can be a significant detraction. 

When the closets include painted shelving, plan to paint them too. We prefer using an oil base enamel for durability. Allow time for shelves to cure, usually at least a week, before you put your things back. Ask the experts at the paint store for guidance on how long this will take for the product you're using. 

When You're Selling

DONE RIGHT, EVEN A SIMPLE CLOSET ADDS VALUE

Painting the closets is a smart move when you're selling. Newly painted clean, fresh closets enhance the perceived condition and value of the house. Unpainted closets might suggest that that house wasn't well maintained, or that you weren't diligent about preparing it for sale. 

If the house is unoccupied and the closets are empty, it's even more important that they look their best, or dirt and damage will be in plain view. I think of unpainted, lived in closets as little pockets of truth that show some of the wear and tear the house received.  
The two big reasons that sellers should paint the closets are:

Condition
Clean painted closets will help make visitors more confident that the house is well cared for. Dirty, dingy closets will undermine your selling strategy.

Cosmetic Appeal
Freshly painted closets contribute to the cosmetic appeal that helps that house photograph well and makes buyers fall in love so you can sell more quickly and at the best price. Dirty, uncoordinated closets create a negative impression.

So when you're deciding whether or not to paint the closets, please don't automatically reject the idea. There are several good reasons why you should clean them out and make a fresh start with a new coat of paint.  

If you're redecorating or getting ready to sell, call me at 828-692-4355 to schedule a estimate. As one of our painting clients, you'll receive a free paint color consultation to help find the perfect colors for your project, including the closets. If you would like advice on how to prepare your house for sale, schedule a staging consultation, including paint color advice. 

Negative Space - A Powerful and Versatile Tool

Negative Space Example
from marthastewart.com

Contrary to what the word "negative" suggests, negative space can be a very good thing. When it's used properly, negative space is a powerful and versatile design tool that can have a positive impact on everything from real estate marketing to our overall quality of life. 

Think of negative space as unoccupied territory, a place where the eye can rest between points of interest, allowing or creating a clear view of each. Another way to think of negative space is breathing room, or a pause in a conversation that gives you a chance to relax and collect your thoughts. 

The empty frames in this image allow you to see their shapes and colors, and because they're empty, they complement, rather than compete with the elaborate design of the settee. Your eye can take in the composition in as a whole, and then slowly appreciate the individual elements. 

How Negative Space Gets Lost

Negative space is often lost because of anxiety or guilt. Empty spaces make some people feel uneasy, so they put something, anything, in corners or on walls. Often, the pieces are too small, or serve no logical purpose in that spot, or are otherwise homeless, so they're put to work as space fillers. Then there's the gift that you feel you have to display, whether or not it works in your house. Negative space is also lost to "piling up." In the course of daily life, stuff has a tendency to pile up because it's put in a spot "temporarily", and then forgotten. Whether the cause is intentional filling up or accidental piling up, the result is visual clutter, the enemy of tranquility and organization, not to mention good design. Having too much stuff around is also stressful, and it can be detrimental to your health because it makes cleaning more difficult, providing collection points for dust and dirt and mold. 

Negative Space When You're Selling

When you're getting your house ready to go on the market, it's important to make it look as large as possible. One way to do that is to remove small pieces of furniture, superfluous accessories and the stuff of daily living, then be sure the remaining items are attractive and colorful, and that they're arranged with sufficient negative space around them to create the impression of spaciousness. This editing also enables you to produce marketing pictures that showcase the focal point of the room, such as a fireplace. After all, it's the architecture you're selling, not your stuff. Another benefit of editing is that it forces you to start packing and begin the process of letting go, so that your house can become a marketable product, instead of a home. 

Editing To Create Negative Space

When I do a staging or redesign consultation, editing is a crucial part of my work. We're so used to seeing certain objects in certain places in our homes, it can be difficult to imagine how things could be different. Assumptions need to be tossed out the window to make a fresh start, so I like to remove all the decorative accessories from the walls and horizontal surfaces. This step may seem extreme, and sometimes the homeowner is stunned at first, but it's very effective because it helps me to really see the bones of the room and adjust the furniture layout, as needed, before selectively adding back key accessories. This step also makes very clear how well the paint colors are (or aren't) working with the flooring, counter tops, stone, tile, etc., and with the furniture. 

Make Room For Negative Space

Look around your house. Do you see any accidental or intentional accumulations of stuff? If you'd like to start fresh, call me at 828-692-4355 to schedule a redesign consultation. If you're selling and need help to prepare your house for effective marketing pictures, schedule a staging consultation. 

Remember the positive effects of negative space!

By:  Sandy LeRoy

Home Sellers: Prepare For The "Money Shot"

An Effective "Money Shot"

When you're selling, the single most important marketing tool you have is the "money shot" of the front of the house. It's the primary image that's used on MLS and the internet, and usually it's a buyer's first (or last) impression.

You Have Only 3-4 Seconds to Impress...

Over 95% of home buyers start by shopping on their computer, long before contacting a REALTOR to arrange to visit the houses they like. As they click through the search results from criteria they selected, the image of your house has only three to four seconds to capture their attention, and wow them. That immediate emotional response is crucial. If the money shot doesn't do its job, the buyer will dismiss your house from consideration and move on to the next one. 

Staging Creates Curb Appeal (and Better Pictures)

In the example above, the sellers of this former rental understood the importance of cosmetic appeal and did a lot of things right. I could nit-pick a few details, like the accented white vent and downspouts, the white threshold and the scalloped bed lines, but on the whole they were receptive to my staging and color advice, and did a very good job implementing many of the recommendations, as their time and budget allowed. The result was dramatically increased curb appeal that photographed well. I liked this project very much because it illustrated that staging works for everybody, not just for people selling expensive homes, and that a little money and effort can go a long way.

How to Prepare For The Money Shot

Here's how you can make sure your house is ready for its money shot when the photographer arrives.

• Analyze the house to determine if the paint is in good condition, the colors are attractive and that color is being used in the right way. That means you've accented only the things that deserve it, and camouflaged the rest, like downspouts, vents and utility boxes, by painting them in the wall color. The analysis should include decks, porches, etc. 
• If the house needs painting, get professional color advice to be certain the colors you use will harmonize with the permanent elements, such as the roof and stonework. If your colors aren't pleasing and well-coordinated, it will be painfully apparent in pictures. Here's my guide to finding colors that work:  Choosing Exterior Colors? Use This Questionnaire. 
• Get the door colors right. The front door should be painted in an accent color used nowhere else. The garage door should be painted in the wall color, not the trim color. Some doors are better painted in the wall color to make them texture, instead of an accent. To learn more, read Choosing A Front Door Color - A Baker's Dozen Mistakes to Avoid
• Check the landscaping and prune judiciously. If the picture shows overgrown trees and shrubs, you've created the impression that maintenance is too difficult to keep up with.
• Be sure the colors in flowering container plants or in the landscape aren't clashing with the house color. If there are clashes, prune or relocate the offenders.
• Add fresh mulch to all the planting beds.
• If the house doesn't need painting but it's dirty, have it pressure-washed, including walkways, decks, patios and the driveway, as needed.
• Analyze the shape of the front planting beds. Are they the usual narrow rectangles

  

  Curved Planting Beds

  along the front of the house? If so, using a half moon edger, re-draw the beds into sweeping curves to create a more gracious, custom and photogenic look. It's a cheap fix with big impact.  
• What about the light fixtures? If they're old or in poor condition, they should be updated. Choose a design appropriate to the house and in the proper scale for each location. Keep things simple and don't mix styles. 
• Remove small decorative accessories (wind chimes, elves, bird houses, dried wreaths, etc.) from the front of the house and the entryway. Outside clutter is as detrimental as inside clutter in photographs, and in person.
• If you do use container plants or accessories, be sure the style, color and scale are right and that they add to, not detract from, the features of the house. A busy look doesn't photograph well.
• Be sure no utilitarian items such as trash cans or hoses are visible when pictures are taken. Pick up any toys or bicycles. Move the boat, the RV and all the cars out of the driveway.
• On picture day, be sure the lawn is mowed, the edges are crisp and the walkways and driveway are swept. Sometimes you can get a better picture by hosing down the driveway and walkway just before the shot is taken to clean them and intensify the color of the materials.

When the pictures are taken, make sure you have several to choose from. Insist on having final approval of the money shot before it goes public on MLS or the internet. If it takes more than one try to get a great picture, it's worth the effort. Remember that this image is the bait that you're dangling in front of prospective buyers to attract their attention. The interest the picture generates (or doesn't) can be money in your pocket, or money forfeited. It's up to you.

By:  Sandy LeRoy

The Color to Avoid Using With Wood

I wish I didn't see it so often, because pure white walls in a room with natural wood trim and cabinets are a mis-matched pair in an unhappy marriage. 

Why Pure White Doesn't Work With Wood

Pure white and wood don't work well together because pure white has no earth tone component to marry it to the earth tones in the wood. With no color relationship, neither brings out the best in the other, and the combination looks like a mistake, instead of being warm, harmonious, inviting and flattering to both parties. The photo on the right from sfgate.com tells the story.  It's cold, bland, and boring, and nobody is happy.

Sellers Beware

When people don't know what color to use, or they plan to sell the house and want a neutral color, pure white often is the default choice, probably because they think it's safe and they can't make a mistake. Wrong! White walls do not produce attractive pictures for MLS and the internet, and you could be unwittingly sabotaging your marketing plan by making your house less appealing to buyers. If the house is vacant, the problem of mis-matched wall and wood colors becomes even more obvious. 

When you're selling, put color to work for you. Avoid pure white walls. Instead, choose a palette of coordinated colors throughout the house that works with all the permanent elements, like cabinets, flooring, tile, counter tops, etc. 

Wood Color Families

If your house has wood floors, cabinets or trim, you must consider those color(s) in every design decision you make, especially when you're looking for interior paint colors. 

The crucial thing to determine is the wood's color family because this information will point you in the right color direction. The most common color families are red, yellow, orange, brown, purple and gray. 

Basic Color Wheel

Once you know the wood's color family, you must decide if you want to showcase the wood or have it blend with the other elements in the room. If you want the wood to be the star, call attention to it by painting the walls in an earth tone version of the family's complementary color, that is, the color opposite on the basic color wheel. 

Let's say you have red mahogany cabinets. Green is the opposite of red on the color wheel, so you could choose a green or blue earth tone, in a light, medium or dark color for the walls. If you wanted the mahogany to blend with the walls, you could choose a mid range color in the red family. 

Other Colors That Aren't Good Choices

In addition to pure white, tint colors, that is colors that are one or more hues plus white, also aren't good companions for wood. For every hue there are variations mixed with white, and variations mixed with pure gray or black, so if you like green, use green. Just make sure it's the right green.  In the green family, imagine lime green (tint) vs. sage green (earth tone). When looking for the color to flatter your wood, always choose the earth tone version. Here's an earlier post that explains the difference in more detail:  Mixing Tint Colors with Shade Colors

Bewildered by Color?

If you need a little help, call me at 828-692-4355 to schedule a color consultation. Whether you're selling or updating, we'll find the colors that are just right for your project.

By:  Sandy LeRoy

Paint Color Consultants: What They Do, How They Can Help You

If you’ve struggled with paint color decisions, you have lots of company because color is a tricky subject. It’s very technical and very personal, and when you choose the wrong colors, they can be unattractive and uncomfortable to live with, and expensive to correct.

There’s a good reason why color selection is challenging. Color isn’t the property of an object. Color is light, and it changes all the time. Many things influence these changes, including the time of day, the type of lighting, the effect of neighboring colors and numerous other factors. That’s why the color that you liked in a friend’s house, or on the Internet, or in a magazine, won’t look the same in your house.

For a painting project to be successful, you not only need to find colors that will work in your house, you need to know where to put them. Professional guidance can help you add beauty and value to your house, while avoiding costly color mistakes.

Color Consultants: What They Do and How They Can Help You

When you call a color consultant for an interior or exterior paint color consultation, you're enlisting the help of a professional with a trained eye, knowledge of how to use color effectively and practical experience with what works, and what doesn't. Color consultants have different backgrounds and may not work the same way, but here's a list of the basic things I do: 

• Analyze the architecture of your house.

• Analyze the design and layout for the best approach to color selection and placement, including where interior color needs to stop and start in open concept plans.

• Analyze colors in floors, tile, carpeting, counter tops, pre-finished items, stone, etc. to be certain paint colors will harmonize. 

• Analyze the details of the house to determine which should be accented, which should be camouflaged.

• Consider the effects of natural and artificial lighting.

• Determine if color could address design issues.

• Analyze your belongings to be certain the key pieces will coordinate well with the paint colors.

• Recommend a palette of paint colors and sheens, including historic colors, if appropriate.

• Suggest features that could receive special decorative treatment, if desired.

• Recommend additional ways to make your house look its best, including cosmetic repairs.

Many of the items on this list apply to both interior and exterior projects.

What Does it Cost?

I charge $225 to do a two hour on-site color consultation with samples, and will often be able to help you with other design issues while I'm there. Depending on your location, a travel charge may apply. For an on-line consultation, call or write to me and tell me about your project.

When you consider what it costs to repaint after you pick the wrong color, and still not be sure you've chosen well, a color consultation is a bargain.

Benefits of a Consultation

For a more beautiful home with attractive, harmonious colors, get a paint color consultation. You'll create a space that you'll enjoy living in, and feel proud to share, and you'll add to the value and marketability of the house when it's time to sell.

To Arrange A Consultation with Sandy

Call me:  828-692-4355

Write to me:  Sandy@SterlingPropertyService.com

Interior Painting and Finishing Details - Notorious Quality Killers

Quality Matters

The term "quality" brings to mind superiority or excellence, and when it comes to interior painting and the installation of finishing details like moldings and hardware, quality is often lacking. 

I found an article on this subject in the San Francisco Chronicle many years ago and held on to it because I thought, "Here's someone who thinks the way I do". I wish I'd kept the name of the author (he was an architect, as I recall) so that I could give him the credit he deserves. Many points might seem obvious, but the list brings needed attention to some examples of the sloppy work that's all too common. Be aware of these notorious quality killers, and don't accept them. 

"Notorious Quality Killers

Here are some notorious quality killers that can sully a fine job at the last minute: 

• Indifferent painting is the surest way to doom a job. Although paint is the predominant finish on most houses, it often suffers from being carried out late in the project, when money and patience are at a low ebb. Poor workmanship results, either because the job is rushed, or because incompetent painters are hired in a misguided attempt to save money.  The quality killers: gloppy application, drips and runs, ragged or wavy brushwork along edges or paint on fixtures, finish hardware, masonry or glass. None of these  shortcomings should be tolerated.

• Moldings such as baseboard, door trim and ceiling cove are often treated as last-minute frou-frou by harried contractors, even though they’re among the most obvious finish items. Quality killers include inaccurate or open miters, ragged or splintered cuts, and gaps between moldings and floors, walls and ceilings. All standard moldings (such as door trim) should be installed plumb and square. Running moldings (such as baseboards) should align properly and have clean, tight miters. Gaps should be neatly caulked. The last step, mind you, is seldom carried out (unless you’ve hired a skilled painting contractor), but is imperative to any quality installation.

• Highly conspicuous finish hardware items such as door lock sets, cabinet pulls, towel bars, grilles and the like usually get hasty treatment because they’re among the last thing installed. Obvious lapses in quality include mismatched finishes (polished brass mixed with satin brass, for instance), off-plumb or misaligned pulls or trim plates, crooked towel bars and locks and catches that don’t engage properly. Insist that such items be neatly installed and placed perfectly plumb, level or square, as appropriate."

I'm so glad this this architect spoke up for quality. The saying that God (or the Devil) is in the details is true, and the people who set high standards for their work are the ones you want to hire. 

A Special Word to Home Sellers

If you want to price your house at the top of its range, be sure it doesn't suffer from these notorious "quality killers". Correcting them is even more crucial when the house is vacant, because they'll be in full view and very evident to buyers. Sloppy painting with cheap materials will devalue your house and make it more difficult to sell.

Roger at Work Patching Holes

Expert Painting and Cosmetic Repairs

Take a look around your house. Do you see any quality killers? If you need help to address them, a professionally trained painting contractor like Roger, who's skilled in making cosmetic repairs, can solve many of the problems described above, plus others that weren't listed. 


Call me at 828-692-4355 to schedule an estimate. 

Scale and Proportion: What's the Difference?

Painting Out of Scale With the Buffet

Have you ever been disconcerted by seeing a king size bed that fills a tiny bedroom, or by a lamp shade too small for its base, or perhaps by a massive flat screen tv that overshadows the fireplace mantle next to it? If so, you were reacting to a problem with scale (the bed and the tv) or proportion (the lamp shade). The two terms are often confused, so let's sort out the differences between them.

What is Scale?

Scale is how the overall size of one object relates to the overall size another object, or to the space in which it's placed. On the right is a painting that's much too small to fill the area above the buffet in a pleasing way. Instead of creating a harmonious composition, the painting and buffet seem unrelated, and the little painting looks like a orphan.

Choosing furnishings or accessories in the proper scale is essential to a space that works. Here are before and after examples from librariantellsall.com. The "art"  doesn't resonate with me, but the pictures do illustrate the point.

The Proper Scale Makes a Difference

Scale Issues to Avoid When You're Selling

One of the most common mistakes I see, particularly in vacant houses, is the use of forlorn, small pieces of furniture and/or accessories here and there in a misguided attempt to make the house look furnished or "staged". Not only do they look wrong because of scale, the style often is inappropriate for the location, such as the typical flimsy aluminum outdoor chair that gets dragged in from the deck, or the accessory that's wrong for the architecture of the house. It's much better to have no furniture and accessories than it is to have the wrong ones.

What is Proportion?

A Proportion Problem

Proportion is the relationship between one part of an object and another, measured in various terms, such as size, quantity or color.  An example in design is furniture. If the legs of a table aren't in the correct proportion to the top, the table could look silly. Or if the arms of a sofa are over or under-sized, the sofa is uncomfortable and unattractive. When you buy a replacement lamp shade, it has to have a pleasing shape and be in the correct proportion to the base. What other examples can you think of? 

Proportion is important because each time it's used correctly, it creates a little spot of harmony. When it's misused, something looks or feels "wrong". 

The Golden Mean

Some proportional relationships are more pleasing to us than others. The ancient Greeks came up with the Golden Mean, which expressed ideal proportions in a simple formula: 

Golden Mean Expressed as a Line

Golden Mean Expressed as a Rectangle

For ideal proportions, the ratio of the smaller section to the larger section should be the same as that of the larger section to the whole. 

This 2:3 ratio is found in nature and design, including the standard dimensions (4 x 6, 8 x 12, 16 x 24, etc.) of familiar objects, such as rugs and picture frames. Did you know that we have the ancient Greeks to thank for these things? 

Essential Differences Between Scale and Proportion

• Scale refers to the overall size of an object. Proportion refers to relative size of the parts of an object.
• The proportional relationship is constant regardless of size. Scale can vary, and there can be small, medium and large versions of the same item. 

"The basic rules of proportion and scale are unchanging. They are reinterpreted according to the needs of the time. I like simplicity and I believe in restraint. Above all, there should be harmony-of proportion, line, color, and feeling. The most important element in decorating is the relationship between objects - in size, form, texture, color, and meaning. None of these is in good taste in itself but only in relationship to where it has been placed and what purpose it is to serve."

Eleanor McMillen Brown

Keep Scale and Proportion in Mind

The next time you're considering a design project, keep scale and proportion in mind. If you need a little help, call me at 828-692-4355 to talk about what you'd like to accomplish and schedule a redesign or color consultation. 

Choosing Paint Colors for Interior Doors

A Door to Nowhere

This is a story about accenting decisions for interior doors, using the white door in the center of the picture as a case in point.

When I came to this house to do a staging consultation to get it ready to go on the market, I immediately noticed many details had been accented, including the doors, windows, wall vent, railing cap, doorway arch, baseboards, etc. 

The problem of seeing all those details first, instead of seeing the room as a whole, was exaggerated by the high contrast between the stark white trim and the walls. Left as is, there would be much less attractive pictures for marketing, making it a weaker competitor, especially because the house was vacant and all those details had nowhere to hide. Not only that, if prospective buyers came after all, the house wouldn't show as well in person as it could with a few simple fixes. 

Utility/Closet/Storage Area Doors

When I explored the room, I discovered that the center door led to a utility room, not to a living area. When the door to the adjacent powder room was closed, as it was most of the time, those doors side by side created visual confusion and focused unnecessary attention on a door that lead essentially nowhere. 

To create a more attractive, harmonious, photogenic impression, I recommended painting the utility room door (and all the other undeserving details) in the wall color to make them become texture that blended, instead of things that drew the eye. Even if you're not selling, it's a solution worth considering for your doors that lead nowhere, such as those to utility or storage areas, or to closets. 

Hallway Doors

Hallways are another good place to think about accenting decisions. In a long hallway with many doors, consider how much you want to call attention to them, particularly in the following situations:

• When most of the doors are on one side.  Accenting could make the hallway look lop-sided.
• Doors that lead nowhere. Accenting them could create confusion, as in the case above.
• When there is more than one type or style of door or cabinet door, particularly if some have more merit than others. Accenting everything could bring attention to doors that don't deserve it, or add too much detail.

Details

Resist the temptation to create even more detail with accent colors, as in the case of the arch in the room above, or this inset panel door. 

Before-Overzealous Accenting

After-Simple Texture 

Contrast

In addition to accenting with restraint, consider using paint colors with less contrast. One way to do that is to compare their LRV values (Light Reflectance Values) found at the back of most paint fan decks, and choose colors whose values are close, say no more than seven points difference. 

When it comes to deciding how to paint interior doors, there's a lot to be said for accenting wisely and keeping things simple.