Blue is about to have a major year in 2024! We’ll also see dark hues and warm tones as a favorite among the big paint companies.

1. Blue Nova by Benjamin Moore

• • Blue Nova is a medium-dark shade with purple undertones. This color works best if you need to visually cool off a space. I’d use this color a bit more sparingly since it’s rather dark, but it would be lovely for a front door or as an accent in a bedroom or bathroom.

2. Upward by Sherwin-Williams

• • Taking inspiration from the sky above, Sherwin-Williams has selected this breezy, tranquil light blue as its selection for 2024 Color of the Year. Upward has a touch of gray in it, which makes it a sophisticated alternative to a more pastel baby blue. This is an excellent blue paint if you’re looking to add color but want to keep your space light and bright. For instance, while dark navy blues have been popular recently for kitchen cabinets, this lighter shade might be a better option if your kitchen is on the smaller side or lacks abundant natural light. I can also see this color working well as a haint blue option for a porch ceiling.

3. Cracked Pepper by Behr

• • Cracked Pepper is a neutral dark gray that sits on the color spectrum just a tiny hair from black. In fact, you can use it in place of pure black, as the latter can often appear too harsh or intense in and on a home. Cracked Pepper is a true neutral in that it has neither warm nor cool undertones, so it can work well as an accent or trim color along with any other color or colors.

4. Persimmon by HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams

• • While warmer shades might be in the minority in this list, Persimmon really stands out to for its soft yet spicy quality. It is a lightened shade of earthy terra cotta, shown here on bathroom vanities. It’s an appetizing hue that lends itself well for use in a kitchen, dining room or other spaces in your home where you regularly gather for meals and conversation with family and friends.

5. Thermal by C2

• • Here’s another pretty, soft blue, but this one a touch darker than Sherwin-Williams’ Upward. As you can see, it works really well on kitchen cabinetry. It infuses color into the space but remains soft and tranquil. This color would also work well in a bathroom, whether on the walls or for cabinetry. Or you could consider using it as an accent color on just the ceiling. It’s a trick that can visually enlarge and open up a room, especially if it has low ceilings, as the color mimics the sky on a clear, sunny day.

6. Renew Blue by Valspar

• • Watery blues are a great go-to hue when you want to inject vibrant color into a home. It has a tropical “on vacation” vibe that plays well with warm or cool neutrals. This brings up an important point: While you might enjoy checking out all of the “Color of the Year” announcements, you shouldn’t feel as though it’s a call to redecorate using these colors. Rather, if you see something here that you like, you can look forward to that color being featured more prominently in decorative materials and housewares in the coming year, should you want to add the hue to your home.

7. Limitless by PPG and Glidden

• • For those looking to infuse their homes with warmer hues, PPG and Glidden’s selection of Limitless might be more to your liking. This soft champagne hue works well as a backdrop to darker wood tones, as well as warm metallics. Sunny shades such as Limitless can be called upon to help lighten and brighten a space, so if you have a dark, cramped room in the house that needs an infusion of luminous warmth, this could be the hue for you.

8. Skipping Stones by Dunn-Edwards

• • This medium blue shade reminds me of summer afternoons spent at the pool. It’s a cool blue, so it’s a great color choice for those residing in hotter climates. It can bring a soothing, cooling vibe to a bathroom, bedroom or sunroom. Dunn-Edwards’ Skipping Stones would also make a terrific front door color for those residing in any climate.

9. Ironside by Dutch Boy

• • Dutch Boy also went for a deep and moody hue, this one a dark olive green with ashy brown undertones. This is a shade I’m seeing more and more of lately, typically used on cabinetry and millwork. It gives a cozy, intimate vibe to a space, making it a great choice for bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms.

10. Bay Blue by Minwax

• • Here’s a darker watery blue option that’s actually a wood stain. And the great thing about a wood stain, versus paint, is that it allows the beautiful grain and texture of the wood to show through while adding a fun, vibrant color.

Which was your favorite color? Let me know in the comments.
Until next month! Hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween!

Resources: Houzz

Ready for a big change but not a big price tag? Here are some home renovations to get you started that won’t break the bank. Where would you start? Comment below!

1. Replace Doors

• • Replacing your garage door or front door can make a big difference when it comes to curb appeal. For an even less expensive renovation, consider painting your front door instead. Make sure the color you choose speaks to your home’s style. A bold, unusual hue, like the lime green on the home in the photo below is a nod to its modern exterior. But don’t be afraid to break the rules. Using an unexpected color can add personality and liven up a traditional facade.

2. Update Bathroom Vanity and Countertop

• • Finding a pre-made vanity set couldn’t be easier: Double-sink vanities, floating vanities and even corner vanities are regularly sold in a variety of styles, materials and sizes. A basic understanding of plumbing and some good old-fashioned elbow grease is required for assembly, but if the thought of messing with your pipes alarms you, a professional installation average around $1,500 and can be as low as $300. If replacing your vanity or countertop is out of the budget, consider countertop refinishing. There are tons of options out there when it comes to refinishing your bathroom countertop, like an epoxy option.

3. Change Kitchen Countertop or Mismatched Appliances

• • Replacing countertops is a common kitchen renovation. Ceramic and porcelain tile are the most cost-effective and are an easy DIY, if you don’t mind taking the time to install and maintain them. Laminate countertops are slightly more expensive, but offer a diverse range of colors and styles. Essential kitchen appliances like refrigerators, stoves and dishwashers can all be replaced surprisingly inexpensively. Depending on the brand, it’s possible to spend less than $500 per large appliance (not counting any additional fees). Don’t forget to ask a retailer about package offers or discounts if you are buying multiple appliances, which can save you up to $1,500.

4. Deep Cleaning

• • Sounds simple enough, but nothing can refresh a home more than a good deep clean. Consider hiring a cleaning company to come and do a massive deep clean of your home. Rent a power washer or hire a professional to power wash the exterior of your home.

5. Redo or Install Kitchen Backsplash

• • Redoing the backsplash is both a surprisingly easy DIY and a classic way to bring creativity and personal flair into an otherwise standard kitchen. Inexpensive materials are easy to find, from peel-and-stick patterns to painted planks, mark-down tiles and stencil designs.

6. Incorporate an Interior Design Theme

• • Often, making a house feel brand new can be as simple as changing up the furniture and style. Consider theming certain rooms of your house around a certain color, pattern or style and getting rid of, or refurbishing and upcycling, any furniture that no longer matches. It also simplifies the shopping process: you can save money by buying wholesale and taking advantage of cheaper prices on themed sets of dishware, linens and accessories. By unifying your house or a room with an appealing aesthetic, you can make it look like you’re an expert in interior design. And if you have some furniture that you can’t bear to part with, but it doesn’t quite fit anywhere–go ahead and give that one room a cozy, eclectic vibe.

Until next month!

Resources: Forbes

1. Industrial Style Kitchens

• • If you want a kitchen that’s easy to clean, durable and stylish, just look to restaurant kitchens for inspiration. Online searches for “industrial kitchen” were up 41% year over year, along with associated features like easy-to-wipe stainless steel countertops (up 113%) and copper backsplashes (up 14%). Not-too-precious materials like concrete countertops (up 28%) and brick walls (up 93%) help create a durable industrial look.

2. Entertainer’s Kitchen

• • During a party, many people naturally congregate near the food and drinks. And that typically means the kitchen. To facilitate a communal atmosphere, many homeowners are looking for ways to create a kitchen fit for entertaining. In fact, 3 in 5 homeowners use their kitchen for entertaining following a renovation (57%). Homeowners are intending to design entertaining kitchens, including “large kitchen island with seating” (up 187%), “open concept kitchen to family room” (up 76%), “beverage station” (up 71%) and “island cooktops” (up 48%), which allow the cook to face guests. Meanwhile, online searches for “walk-in kitchen pantry,” a useful feature for storing extra supplies for large parties as well as hiding small appliances, were up a whopping 2,636%. And searches for “scullery kitchen” were up 38%. A scullery kitchen, also known as a butler’s pantry, may feature prep areas, a sink, storage cabinets and some appliances and give homeowners the flexibility to keep messy food prep out of view of guests.

3. Finished Basements

• • When looking to expand a home’s usable space, backyards and additions offer plenty of opportunity. But people with basements know a world of possibility sits below the surface.
    A finished basement is great for creating spaces that might be considered less formal than the main areas of a home. And many search terms relating to fun basement features reflect an increase in interest in building these spaces out.

4. Spanish Colonial Style

• • Spanish Colonial homes, known for their white stucco exteriors, red tile roofs and rustic elements, are common in the South and California. And many homeowners with this type of home hire pros to update the spaces while honoring the roots of the architecture. But even people who own a home in a different style find the breezy Mediterranean look appealing. And all that might explain an increase in online searches for things like “Spanish Colonial living room” (up 1,470%), “Spanish Colonial kitchen” (up 207%) and “Spanish Colonial exterior” (up 163%), among other relevant topics.

5. Ceiling Vibes

• • Designers often refer to the ceiling as the “fifth wall,” a reminder to give the overhead surface some love. Stained wood beams help break up the lines and work with the fireplace mantel and stone facing to create a stylish coastal look.

6. Open Concepts

• • Open concepts offer many benefits in a home. But sometimes a little separation is needed to add privacy, mitigate noise or create some visual delineation of purpose in an open area that combines multiple functions. Rising online searches show a few solutions: “living room divider” (up 446%), “Shoji screen” (up 60%) and “partition wall” (up 41%). A wood slat divider creates visual and physical separation between the entryway and sunken living room. The divider also establishes an arrival sequence, forcing guests to pause, turn to the right and experience the pull of the view through the living area.

7. Bathroom Accessibility

• • For people with mobility issues, some common bathroom elements like curbed showers, tight layouts and hard-to-reach fixtures can be difficult to navigate. So improving safe accessibility is a major concern for many homeowners looking to stay in their homes well into their retirement years. And online searches for spaces and features that assist with those adaptations are rising. Searches for “aging-in-place bathrooms” and “handicap-accessible bathrooms” each more than doubled in the first quarter of this year compared with the same period last year. And features like “handheld shower head,” “ADA compliant bathroom vanities” and “curbless showers” also grew.

8. Small and Outdoors

• • Small spaces call for small design solutions. So homeowners with modestly sized outdoor areas are on the hunt for things like “small screened-in porch ideas” (up 522%), “small plunge pool” (up 375%), “small backyard patio” (up 30%) and “small front porch” (up 28%). Blue shingle siding, stone flooring, white trim, a wood ceiling treatment and a pair of wood rocking chairs bring major curb appeal and a sofa offers a spot for catching breezes — or a nap.

9. Rooftop Terraces

• • No space should go to waste, and that includes a rooftop. Increasingly, many homeowners, especially those in metropolitan areas, are looking for ways to transform rooftop areas into welcoming outdoor living spaces. Online searches for “outdoor rooftop terrace” shot up more than 1,500% year over year. Likewise, searches jumped for rooftop decks (up 90%) and rooftop patios (up 40%).

Until next month!

Resources: Houzz.com