Each house is designed in its own style, take for instance, country-style houses or minimalist, modern, contemporary or classic, etc. Comparing different design styles show that the use of selected colors significantly affects the design of the property, together with the choice of finishing materials. The mere “dressing up” of colors for a particular property may give the desired look sought by the owners.
Minimalist style – this is a clean/uncluttered style, there are hardly any objects or ornaments, few colors in the space. In fact, the home is painted in two basic colors: black and white. Those colors dominate specific areas: floor coverings, cabinets, kitchen appliances and bathrooms, the bedspreads in the bedrooms, even the colors of flowers and clothes. Motto for the minimalist style: “Less is More”.
Minimalist design styles similar to is a house painted white, the motto here is: “White is Right”, white being pure and sterile creates an unique atmosphere. The furniture is modern.
Country- style apartment or house – this is completely opposite to the minimalist style. The motto here is: “Less is Bore”, the spaces are filled with romantic objects like baskets, flowers in vases, antique style furniture, chests, beds covered with flowery quilts and lots of pillows, dishware is exhibited in racks and glasses are hanging from their shelves. The predominant colors are soft creamy pastels, old rose and soft greens. This Country style is also called “French Cottage” and draws inspiration from the delicate romantic look of the magical village houses in France.
Beach House / Holiday Homes close by the seaside – houses for recreational purposes near the sea or the ocean, like the Hamptons on the East coast of the United States, Cape Cod etc. These houses are painted blue like the sea and beige like the sandy beaches. To emphasize the summer appearance, there are ornaments such as shells, corals or seahorses, starfish or life bouys everywhere. The beds are covered with navy blue and turquoise colored bedspreads, plates and serving dishes too are in these colors embellished with fish and boats.
Contemporary Urban – The color is grey! Grey flooring, grey parquet, brick walls, almost office look, very clean and masculine. No frills. The kitchen will have stainless steel appliances and the colors will be metallic.
American Classic – this style is warm and inviting, derived from the first settlers on the American continent. The settlers used building materials found in their surroundings to construct their homes, so wood was the main material. In the classic American style one finds all shades of brown wood, from kitchen cabinets, carved dining room furniture to furnishings in the bedrooms: beds with wooden headboards, bedside tables, tall or wide cabinets with drawers and matching mirror. Staircases usually have carved wooden railings and in the living room there is a wood-burning fireplace topped with a shelf for knickknacks and family photos. All these age-old furnishings go together with traditional housewares and bed linens: quilted blankets and blankets crocheted in the colors of the nation’s flag: red, white and blue, framed flags, the images of the stars of the flag repeated in American textile items scattered throughout the house.
Ultra Modern Look – This clean modern look is achieved by using the most innovative construction materials: “Corian®” solid surface countertops with integrated sinks, designer faucets, sinks and baths, use of transparent glass and mirrors, windows and floor-to-ceiling screen windows – an amazing minimalist style. You can say that the dominant color of the ultra-modern look is transparent.
Restoration Conservation – the process of restoring a house to its original appearance. In this process a major effort is made to locate the original materials used in the construction of the house: metal or iron, free-standing bathtubs, or antique sinks, floral wallpaper, tapestry upholstery fabric, restored lighting fixtures, painted wooden furniture – handmade items by craftspeople and not produced on the assembly line. The dominant shades are metal, brass and wood. Wrought iron stair railings will be fashioned by an ironworker, doorknobs and side tables handles are in the form of animals such as a bird or a lion’s head, windows will be painted, fireplaces get a latticed grate, and copper cookware is hand-hammered.
The luxurious look – to achieve a luxurious look for a house or apartment, opulent ornaments like crystals should be used, rare types of marble floors, white or black, sculpted lace and expensive flowers, such as orchids. Luxury designer items are chandeliers, curtains with ornaments and tassels, ruffled skirts around the beds, crystal candlestick holders with tall candles and more. The dominant colors for luxury are gold and silver.
Summary – You can change and refresh the appearance of a house without spending a fortune by changing the dominant colors, if you are willing to spend more, you can replace some of the furniture to achieve the required design.