Be Fresh: Wake-up Your Walls

Marci Pratt is a staging specialist and designer with Staged Elements, a company that helps individuals design and stage fresh looking homes. She shares three simple ways to freshen up your walls and provide an instant wake-up to any room.

PAINT

The New Neutral: Gray

• Rockport gray-Benjamin Moore

This is a true cool gray that can be used as an accent to give FOCUS & CLARITY to a space. This color can be used in a hallway, office, or family area. Accenting with gray is an awesome way to showcase a photo gallery to add emphasis to the pictures and help to draw the eye in. This technique is easily achieved when the photo wall is the same color as the rest of the room, only one shade darker or lighter. Keeping the display clean and simple is the key. In an office gray can help eliminate the feeling of clutter and creates an organized harmonious feel.

• Flax-Restoration Hardware

This is a brown with undertones of gray, giving any room a dramatic spin on elegance. This is a great color for those who are not brave enough to use a true gray but still want a more modern look. Keeping this color grounded with other neutrals adds a rich freshness to your walls. By even adding textured ivory drapes or clean white wainscoting it will draw the light in and add contrast to the room. We recommend using this in a bedroom, dining room, or living room.

WALLCOVERINGS

Phillip Jeffries Ltd.

This traditional design technique used throughout the world brings a finished look to any room. You may be thinking of the wallpaper trends that filled our homes 25 years ago, well that’s where it’s different now. It’s reinvented designs are used mostly on one wall as a focal point to the room and not closing in the space while covering the entire room. It is often complimented by detailed woodwork and traditional furnishings. To capture it’s true essence it should be highlighted with simple decor such as mirrors and lighting so it doesn’t take away from the beauty of the pattern and texture. Popular wallcoverings include large print with monochromatic colors or a natural textured fabric in neutral tones to finish a room off.

WALLFLATS

www.Inhabit.com

This modern trend is a great way to add dimension and freshness. Its 3-D repetitive design gives the illusion of art. It can be used on 1 or more walls, painted or stark white, or even in commercial settings giving off a clean and modern feel. It is made from bamboo pulp and is 100% biodegradable. This is ideal for renters that need a temporary fix because they can be applied to a wall using a light adhesive. Can use these as a headboard, in vintage kids room, as art or to create a modern dining room or a studio office. They are sure to impress.

Staged Elements is a local staging and interior design firm that can help you with showcasing your home if it is on the market or with customizable design. Consultations start at $35/hour.