Like a lowland fog, grays gradually rolled onto our collective palette a number of years back. And so enamored were we!!

Crisp and polished, we couldn’t get enough. Until we actually did get enough. Even  waaay more than enough. So-grayed-out, you’re jonesing for a fresh look in your space, without a major time or funding commitment. How do you make that happen?

I’ve written about fads and trends before. They’re not arbitrary. Fads and trends come from two real places. The Refreshed Home counsels clients to pooh-pooh them (or impulsively rebel against) at their own risk. Best to understand where they came from first so you can segue out with good choices.

Human nature is one incubator for trends and fads. Simply, we get bored, and crave change.  Another is the very world around us. We choose things that consider and fill very real needs in our lives. 

As our world has gotten noisier, more stressful and demanding, we’ve wanted comfort, and to be soothed. Grays delivered! Coming home to a gray-toned space reduced visual and emotional stimulation. It felt orderly, it calmed and quieted.

But as disruption in our cosmos continued and escalated, so does our quest for comfort and security. 

Adult swaddling has taken our root fondness for wearing stretchy/compression gear up a few notches.  Groupon sells CBD-infused gummy bears.  Weighted blankets, bed canopies and cocoon chairs continue to grow in popularity. Compression sacks and sensory sheets-therapeutic products first designed for special needs kids-now come in adult sizes.

I don’t believe the sky is falling, but grays as a major color in design isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.  If you’re heavily invested in grays, here’s how to work in some change:

HOW   Determine the direction, and degree of change you want. 

• Navy, deep smoky teals and purples add quiet sophistication.  Pinks, orange/corals into reds convey energy, while the brighter yellows and greens bring the happy.
• Choose colors and textures that contrast
• Dense, saturated colors for more presence, less saturated for a softer look.

WHAT Walls occupy the greatest surface in any room, followed by floors, then beds and upholstery. 

• Pillows, linens and bedding Get thyself to one of those home-furnishings superstores and indulge!  $100 of throw pillows or new towels; $200 of new bedding gets you a lot of look with little regret.
• Art Personal, and greatly variable in price. If you can’t find what you like, think about making your own!  Those sip and paint places can be a lot of fun. OR hit the crafts store and upholster a pre-stretched canvas with fabric.
• Drapery panels *NOT* drapes, but stationary panels to frame the window. Like eyeglasses, they frame and enhance. $100-150 per single window gets you hardware, and a pair of nice, lined panels.
• Paint Nothing, absolutely nothing changes a room up faster, or more effectively like color on a wall. Renting and “can’t change”? Nonsense! The maybe $100 you pay to paint a wall, then re-paint it when you leave will be money well-spent.

Life is too short to be in a space that doesn’t make you happy. Buying, selling, RENTING or staying and improving-TRH helps you make good decisions so you enjoy your space and get on with your life.