3 minute read
Once You Pop: Boost Curb Appeal with Bright Colors
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by Julie Young, House and Home Writer
If you want your home to take center stage, consider creating some curb appeal on your front porch with a pop of color. Although it is one of the most overused cliches in design, there is a reason it is a classic. A pop of color can give your porch some serious mileage while showcasing your personal style.
Photo courtesy of Weaver Furniture Sales, Shipshewana
STUCK IN NEUTRAL
As a general rule, designers and builders love to lay a foundation with neutral shades so your home blends in with its surroundings, but the front porch is one place where you do not want to get stuck in neutral. Why not make a lasting impression by choosing a bold color for your front door that not only welcomes guests to your abode but also gives them something to talk about once they are inside.
Painting a front door turquoise, red or other unique shade is an inexpensive way to make a dramatic difference right away. You can also bring even more attention to a covered porch by painting the ceiling a lighter but complementary color and setting the whole look off with a floral arrangement that will accent it beautifully.
Your porch and patio furniture also have the opportunity to add some pizzazz to your home’s exteriors, whether they are finished in a color that reflects the season or coupled with festive cushions, pillows and outdoor accouterments that encourage guests to stay awhile. Weaver Furniture Sales in Shipshewana offers a wide range of chairs, patio sets and bistro tables constructed of quality wood and poly lumber products to fit your needs and lifestyle. And what porch isn’t complete without a good swing? Weaver offers neutral and colorful options for its 5-foot poly grandpa swing.
“With custom options to choose from, you can create the perfect pillows/cushions for your home’s outdoor space,” Weaver’s website states.
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COLOR CONSIDERATIONS
Not sure what a color can do? Try some of these to achieve your overall porch goals!
Red: Evokes passion, love and anger, and looks great with white, blue, beige, grays and blacks. Orange: Offers energy, happiness and vitality. Pair it with turquoise, navy and cocoa. Yellow: Conjures hope and good cheer. It really pops with purple, lavender, turquoise or bright blue. Green: Symbolizes serenity, abundance, nature and new beginnings. Couple a soft lime with powder blue and white. Blue: Brings to mind calm, fluidity and responsibility. Looks awesome with slate gray. Purple: Evokes creativity, nobility and richness. Consider chartreuse and sand to give it an earthy tone.
THE WOW FACTOR
Once your base has been established, it’s time to layer in patterns and materials through your accent pieces to help pull the space together. Use your live material to develop a color palette, and then let your imagination take over as you find planters, outdoor rugs and fixtures to incorporate. Don’t be afraid to combine vintage with brand-new, metal with glass and shabby chic Shutterstock.com with the sleek.
Debbie Carpenter, ASID, owner of Sweet Water Interiors in Goshen, offers homeowners a number of unique pieces in her showroom and shop that can help reinvigorate your porch while adding some color to your world.
“Our shoppe offers everything you need to customize the space you live in,” she states on her website.
Color is both a science and an art that can calm, enlighten and refresh any property. Play with your paint swatches until one catches your eye. Remember, if you take notice, other people will as well. Even if you are too shy to make a radical change, adding a bright throw pillow onto your porch swing will start the ball rolling and allow your imagination to wander through a rainbow of possibilities. Who knows where you may end up?
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