Best Interior Paint & Furniture Colors to Brighten a Room

best colors to paint your interior

Natural light can work wonders in a room. But doesn’t it seem like every house has a place that lacks precious natural light? To bring light to the space, many homeowners use white furnishings and accessories. Contrary to popular belief, this doesn’t work all that well. Bright white furniture reflects natural light. When there’s no natural light for the furniture to reflect off of, the room can end up feeling flatter and darker than it initially did. 

Fortunately, there are plenty of colors you can use on your walls or for your furniture to lighten and brighten a space. When it comes to brightening the rooms in your home, the color experts and house painters in The Woodlands, TX, have some suggestions! 

Gorgeous Gray. Adding light to medium shades of gray to a dark room is surprisingly beneficial. Colors like Dove Gray or Greige keep things feeling warm and cozy whether you’re decorating a living space or a bedroom. If you’re not in love with the idea of gray walls, other warm-toned neutrals can work. Stick to the lighter hues like cream and beige to avoid making the room feel smaller and darker. 

Pretty Pastels. If you prefer light and feminine colors, try lavender or pink on for size. Both hues can instantly lighten up a room, whether you use them on the walls or purchase furniture with soft curves in these colors. Lavender and pink both come in a wide range of shades, from dusky pink to purple-based taupes. Contrary to popular belief, these colors don’t have to be overly feminine, which means they’ll work in virtually any room in your home. Incorporate accents of gray or white to complete the look. 

Yellow. For small bathrooms or bedrooms with minimal light, yellow is a great color option. Yellow can instantly add the feeling of warmth in a space, whether you use it as a wall color or spruce up an end table or dresser drawers with yellow accents. Remember, if you choose to work with yellow, incorporate enough general and accent lighting so that the yellow doesn’t fall flat. 

Rich Chocolate. While it’s generally true that you should avoid dark colors in spaces with low-lights, chocolate brown is an exception! This warm, inviting shade can make a low-light space feel ultra cozy. To balance out the rich tone, use furnishings made from light or white wood. Accessories, like window treatments and carpeting, should be light and bright to keep the room from feeling too heavy. 

Choosing the right colors for your home can be tough! Whether you’re choosing a color for your walls, your furnishings, or both, consulting with a color expert can help. Contact CertaPro Painters today to schedule your free color consultation. 

How to Choose Paint Colors for Your Home

choose paint colors

One of the most stressful parts of decorating your home is choosing a color scheme. Do you want to play it safe or make a statement? And just how many different shades of greige are there? With so many paint colors to sort through, deciding what color your walls should be can become time-consuming and frustrating. Here are tips on how to choose paint colors for your home and avoid color mistakes. 

Get inspired

The best advice for starting any new project is to find your inspiration. Designing a vision board is a great way to get your creative juices flowing. Think about what kind of feelings you want the room to evoke, like calming and serene or bright and playful. Whether you make your board online via Pinterest or cut out photos from magazines, you should be looking for scenes with colors that resonate with you.

Choose your furniture

Do you already have furniture you love? This can help narrow down your paint choices and makes the whole process a little bit easier. You want your furniture to complement your wall color so the room is cohesive. For example, if you have dark couches and end tables, you may want to paint your walls in a lighter shade to brighten up the space. 

Always get a sample

Most home improvement and paint stores offer samples for those who are torn between a few colors. Get as many as you want and then paint small patches of the colors in the desired room. Having the colors on the wall will allow you to see how the paint looks in natural light and throughout all hours of the day. Keep the samples up for about a week so you can get a feel for which one you like the best.  

When in doubt, go neutral 

If you really can’t decide on a paint color, it’s best to go basic. When you doubt yourself on color, chances are you don’t want a lot of attention drawn to the walls. Neutral walls allow you to add color throughout other elements in the room, like your art, furniture, pillows, blankets, and other decor.

Have a color consultation 

Sometimes you have to leave it up to the professionals. Most professional painting companies are ready and willing to help you. At CertaPro Painters West Hartford, CT, an expert will come to your home and give you a color consultation. A color consultant will help you navigate the sea of options to find a color that matches your home’s interior aesthetic and stands up to your family’s daily routine. 

Sure, choosing paint colors can be a daunting task, but always remember – paint is not permanent. You can always change it, so don’t be afraid to explore! 

How To Keep Kids and Pets Safe in the Home

When you have a pet, there are certain precautions you must take to ensure your home is safe for them to wander and roam. Add a baby into the mix and that’s double the protective measures! From furniture tipping to accidentally getting a hold of over-the-counter medications, there are many things your little ones can get into that need to be properly secured.

Invisible Fence® Brand Shields® Avoidance Solutions system can keep pets out of unwanted areas in the home, making sure both your pet and your little ones are safe around everyday household items.   

Check out this infographic, created by StayDog, with tips and information about keeping your pets and babies out of harm’s way.


How to Keep Kids and Pets Safe in the Home

Home Improvement Projects to Do Over a Weekend

Must-Have Decor for a New Home

Transforming a house into a place you call home can take a while. Major renovations, like kitchen upgrades and bathroom remodels, often require a big budget, a lot of time, and a lot of patience. Other home upgrades don’t require much time or money at all, but they can make all the difference when it comes to converting a space into one that feels like your own. In fact, all you need is a weekend! Discover how you can make beautiful updates to your house over a weekend. 

Spray paint your hardware. Sometimes, a simple swap is all you need to totally change the look and feel of a room. To refresh the look of your kitchen, bathroom, or even doorways, remove the hardware and spray paint it! Drawer handles and doorknobs usually have a dated silver or gold finish on them. The color experts at CertaPro Painters of Winston-Salem, NC suggest using spray paint in dusted bronze or nickel to give any door or cabinetry a facelift. 

Give purpose to your entryway. A few simple modifications can make a statement in your foyer. Install decorative hooks or a cubby system (if space allows) to serve as a storage space for coats, book bags, and purses. A slim table also works wonders in an entryway since it’s both stylish and functional. You can use this piece to toss mail, keys, and other items when you enter your home. Depending on how much space you have and how you decorate the area, you can create the look and feel of an entirely different room in your entryway.

Spruce up your laundry room. An often neglected space decor-wise, your laundry room doesn’t have to be a dull, lifeless part of your home. While it is a place to get your family’s clothing clean, it can also be a place that’s packed with personality. Rachael Lane, an interior decorator in Pensacola, FL, recommends covering bland, white walls with printed wallpaper or stick-and-peel wood planks. This little trick instantly creates interest in the room, regardless of how much time you spend there. Lacking storage in your laundry room? Install shelving to keep your detergent, dryer sheets, and fabric softener within arms reach. Store these laundry supplies in decorative glass jars for an elevated look of luxury – without the price tag!

Update interior molding. Installing or even replacing the interior molding around your home is a quick, easy, and affordable project you can tackle on any weekend. All it takes is a saw for trimming and a nail gun for installing.  You can find trim at any local home improvement store. It comes in strips of varying sizes, making it easy to find the width you need to frame any wall, door, or window in your home. There’s also decorative molding that can turn the plainest wall into a work of art.

If you’re itching for a home upgrade but don’t feel like you have the time or budget to achieve that, you do! Anyone can complete these projects in a weekend with very little damage to their wallet. What projects will you get done in a weekend? 

Six Warm-Weather Home Improvement Projects

summertime home improvements

Summer is the perfect time to revamp your home from the inside out. The warmer weather allows you to get started on outdoor projects you can’t do in the winter. Plus, temperatures are more desirable for some indoor tasks as well. There are projects you can tackle on your own or with the help of qualified professionals without having to sacrifice all of your summer weekends. 

Here are six warm-weather home improvement projects that will add value to your home and make it more enjoyable!

  1. Makeover Your Backyard:  
    • What comes to mind when you think of summer? Is it relaxing outside? Maybe it’s sitting by a fire or having a barbecue. Consider buying a new patio set, hanging a hammock, or installing a fire pit. Another easy way to spruce up your backyard is to add some lawn games like croquet, horseshoes, or cornhole, so entertaining guests is a breeze. 
  2. Paint a Room:
    • A great way to freshen up your house is through painting; you can paint one room, several rooms, your deck, or even the exterior of your home. The professional painters in Southern Westchester, NY say repainting your home has a return-on-investment since it’ll make it easier to sell your home in the future.
  3. Power Wash your Home: 
    • The colder months are rough on your house, so your home’s exterior could use a bit of love in the summer. Power washing your house makes it appear brand new, adds value and improves curb appeal. If you don’t feel comfortable power washing yourself, it may be best to hire a professional. They are trained in the proper ways to power wash your siding, driveway, deck, and fences without creating damage.
  4. Install Windows or Window Treatments:
    • Having newer windows or the right window treatments can help keep your house cool during the hot summer months. Plus, it’ll keep the heat in during the cold months. The right windows can make your room more aesthetically pleasing and lower your energy bill. Sealing, repairing, or waterproofing your windows are some ways you can conserve energy. Consider getting new drapes, blinds, or curtains to cut down on the UV rays and glares that enter your home.
  5. Clean Out Your Gutters: 
    • After the fall and winter, it is common for dirt and debris to become jammed up in your gutters. Cleaning them out is a simple way to prevent damage from happening to your home in the future. If gutters are not properly draining, water damage can occur, or your roof can become leaky. 
  6. Organize your Closets: 
    • If you want to improve your home but stay indoors as you do so, organizing is a great option. Go through your winter clothes and decide what to keep, what to throw out, and what to donate. Summertime clothing can be brought out and organized. You can organize by color or style. Browse Pinterest for additional organizational ideas. 

Check some of these warm-weather home improvement projects off your to-do list this summer, and your home will be in tip-top shape for the fall!