Warm Up Your GREY ROOMS - Trend # 3 - Bring in the Green Plants

3. Bring in the green plants!

It’s not a new trend to have houseplants of course, but they can sometimes be forgotten as a great way to bring natural color and form into a space. If you don’t have lots of space, try grouping small succulents together, they have gorgeous subtle tones in them.

Combining green and gray together makes for a refreshing and sophisticated color pairing, and dressing a cool gray room with a collection of the best indoor plants is a quick and easy way to make the space feel more warm, inviting and relaxing.

Warm Up Your GREY ROOMS - Trend # 2 - Warm Toned Lighting

 

2. Warm toned lighting

One of the easiest changes you can do to make your room feel cozier is to make sure your bulbs are warm in tone. Natural light will of course affect the feel of a room. If it’s north facing or doesn’t have much natural light, a room will feel naturally cooler, so a grey wall may feel even greyer.

But once that daylight has gone and you are relying on artificial light, make sure you have a few table and floor lamps to instantly create warm spots in the room.

Warm Up Your GREY ROOMS - Trend # 1 - Add Natural Wood Elements

1. Add natural wood elements

Wicker, jute and rattan are all on trend right now. The natural warm tones will help to soften things up.

Adding warming wooden tones into a cool gray scheme is a great way to make a room feel more inviting. A timeless natural material, wood can not only connect us with the outside world by bringing the beauty of the outdoors, indoors, it can be used across so many different elements in interior design; from wooden flooring, furniture and accessories, to wood ceiling ideas, wall paneling ideas and more.

6 Easy Ways To Warm Up Your GREY ROOMS Using The Latest Trends

 

You’ve probably noticed that all the magazines are filled with the latest trend towards warm, earthy tones, inspired by nature.  The beauty of decorating with gray is that it is a wonderfully adaptable, neutral shade that can be paired with pretty much anything. So when looking into ways you can make a cool gray room look warmer, it makes things easier when updating an existing gray scheme with fresh accent colors, cozy textures and warming finishes.

Our next 6 blog posts will share ways you can change things up a bit, using the latest trends without having to start from scratch.

Empty Nesters Renovation Idea #12 - Implement a Hobby Room

 

12. Implement a hobby room.

If the home already has a guest room, empty nesters may opt to turn a child’s former bedroom into a room for themselves. For crafters who have plenty of bobs and bits, a dedicated hobby room frees up storage space elsewhere. The same goes for book enthusiasts, music lovers, photographers, collectors, and other hobbyists.

Having a space to unpack your hobby helps ensure you actually participate in the hobby. In a newly child-free home, empty nesters now have more time to do other things they enjoy. Add the shelves, lights, or desk space you need to truly make the most of your extra free time.

Empty Nesters Renovation Idea #11 -

 

11. Redo the existing bathrooms.

It’s likely been a while since the bathrooms in the home had a makeover. Though some empty nesters may have upgraded their master bathroom at some point, the other bathrooms in the home may have become a bit outdated.

Once the kids are out of the house and there isn’t anyone using the guest bathrooms, it’s the perfect time for a renovation. Small changes, like new light fixtures or towel bars, make a difference, but some homeowners gut the entire room, adding new tile, tub, dual showerheads, vanity, and mirrors. It’s easier to redo multiple bathrooms at once, as you can buy supplies like tile in bulk to ensure all the bathrooms match throughout your home.

Empty Nesters Renovation Idea #10 - New Appliances

 

10. Invest in new appliances.

Even if they’re not redoing the entire kitchen or laundry room, empty nesters are happy to upgrade their appliances to more modern versions. Over the years, they’ve likely accumulated a hodgepodge of appliances, holding onto the items that still work while the kids are at home.

Now that there is less worry about somebody misusing the appliances, empty nesters may feel more confident in upgrading their washer and dryer, dishwasher, fridge and stove. They may also want to add or replace their garbage disposal, espresso machine, stand mixers, and other smaller kitchen appliances in colors and designs that give their homes a more cohesive feel. 

Empty Nesters Renovation Idea #9 -

 

9. Replace flooring.

Over time, kids can do a number on the floors from dropping heavy items, making messy spills, or using the wrong cleaning agent. This doesn’t apply to just specialty flooring; it goes for all types, including hardwood, carpet, tile, and vinyl.

Once a home becomes an adult-only domain, empty nesters may be inclined to finally replace their flooring that’s outdated or just worn out from age. Homeowners can finally invest in modern flooring that will be taken care of properly and add to the home’s value. 

Empty Nesters Renovation Idea #8 - Update Interior Paint

 

8. Repaint interior walls.

After the kids are gone, empty nesters feel like it’s finally safe to paint their walls. Not only does having kids around make it more complicated to paint, but over the years those kids have left their mark in the way of chipped paint and smudges throughout the house.

Empty nesters have likely lived with the same color on their walls for a long time, and they’re looking forward to the makeover a new paint color brings. A fresh application of paint is a straightforward DIY that can make a home look entirely different and symbolize a new phase of life. 

Happy Labor Day from Team Hoffmann - RE/MAX Realty Pros

 

From... Team Hoffmann