Top 3 Color Mistakes Stagers Make (But Don’t Have To)

Enjoy this guest post by Jan Saunders Maresh, Certified Professional Stager, LGLS CT, and Co-Author Home Staging for Dummies.

I’m crazy about color and have been since I was a kid. But it wasn’t until I started writing books for the home sewing and crafting industries that I really began noticing the relationship that color has with just about everything — clothing, people’s complexions, apparel and home décor fabrics, landscaping, rocks, stone, flooring, metals — they all have color even when the colors are neutral. 

Mistake #1: Not Knowing Why Colors Clash – It’s all About Science

So even though I’d been working with color and fabrics for years, my first color “aha’s” were when I was making the sample projects for my first book.

Aha #1: all colors have both a warm and a cool version (tomato red = warm because it has more yellow in it; red-delicious apple red = cool because it has more blue in it).

Aha #2: the colors needed to either be ALL warm or ALL cool so when the color pages were open the projects didn’t clash from one page to the next.

So think of a home as a book, and the adjoining rooms as the pages. All the color within each sightline need to have the same undertone -- to be ALL warm or ALL cool. 

Since then, I’ve looked at the world of color this way and have been teaching others how to train their “color eye” to really SEE color. And the best part of this is that choosing color is all about the science of color – not what’s “in” and not anyone’s opinion. 

Mistake #2: Not Trusting The Science of Your Color Eye

I always tell folks to trust their color eye because, even though they may not know intellectually what’s wrong with the color, their eyes can tell when something just looks — wrong. Why? Our eyes are scientifically programmed to see what works and what doesn’t when it comes to color.

Since color is in everything, houses, people, rooms, clothing, lighting ...everything, that means that warm and cool versions of color exist everywhere. So start practicing to see if you can trust your color eye.

The goal? Keep cools with cools, warms with warms and trust the science of your color eye! 

Mistake #3: Not Knowing Enough About Paint

In the over six years I’ve been giving color consultations, the second most frequently asked question from clients is, “What type of paint and finish do you recommend?”

When a seller is readying their house for sale, one of the top three features buyers want are freshly painted walls, and they want them to be painted with an on-trend color. Yes, it needs to be neutral…but it doesn’t have to be boring. 

In my From Selling To Dwelling Color Certification Course, I share the best Staging-Safe® color palette for both Selling and Dwelling. 

Color is the first part of the “proper paint equation.” The quality and finish is as if not more important, and when done right is a feature the seller and agent can promote.

You Get What You Pay For

The better the paint, the better the coverage and wear. It isn’t necessary to use the very best, most expensive paint, but Sherwin Williams Super Paint is a great choice when selling. 

It’s self-priming and, depending on what color its going over, covers with one coat. And use a Satin finish for walls that are in good repair (no dents, swales, or uneven surfaces). The satin finish is not only striking; it washes beautifully which is a selling feature for buyers with active families.  

Staging Tip: If the walls are in poor shape and can’t be repaired, then a washable flat finish is recommended. Still a good quality, but a flat finish hides surface flaws.

Bonus Points for Low VOCs

Buyers are aware now more than ever about green options when buying a new-for-them home. So encourage your sellers to paint with products that have low VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). Super Paint fits the bill here, too. The fewer particulates and off-gassing means cleaner interior air quality and another selling feature that puts eco-conscious sellers ahead of most others on the market. 

Looking for Zero VOC’s use Sherwin Williams Harmony brand. Not only is the Go-To Paint for schools and nursing homes, it’s a must for families with respiratory challenges.

Want to more about decoding the Science of Color and how to add another revenue stream to your business? Check out my “Color From Selling To Dwelling” Color Certification Course, click here.

Jan Saunders Maresh

Want to become a Certified Color Consultant?

Jan's next course starts November 12th! Click here or the image below.

Jan Saunders Maresh is a top-selling For Dummies author (Home Staging for Dummies and Sewing for Dummies), sales professional, Group Talk Expert, and Certified Trainer for the CSP International Business Training Academy. She is passionate about guiding business owners in the best practices of growing a successful business. 

In Jan’s own words, “My most impressive career achievement has been mastering the challenge of creating and running a sustainable one-person service business. When I finally developed a system for smoothing out the financial ups and downs by selling to groups, I knew I needed to share this system with other like-minded professionals. I’ve made all the mistakes so you don’t have to.”

Based on Jan’s commitment to help business-owners uplevel their businesses, early in 2014, she launched Talks That Sell – The #1 Resource for Creating Group Talks That Sell. Jan regularly teaches online classes and speaks at national and local industry events. 

You can learn more about the time-tested trainings and certifications we offer at Staging Training.

Questions? Call us Monday through Friday 9:00am to 5:30pm EST. Our toll free number is: 1-888-STAGING (782-4464).