Want to know how to choose the best paint colors for your home? Start with the colors you love, and then create a whole house color scheme that matches your furniture and makes your happy!

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Sherwin Williams Serenely

I recently discovered the most beautiful beachy blue paint color! It is a perfect coastal blue-gray with a hint of green. It’s a calming paint color you will want to use in a bedroom to create a tranquil atmosphere, or use it in a bathroom for a soothing spa effect.

 

I have always been obsessed with Sherwin Williams paint colors! My most favorite place in the world is the beach. It just naturally makes me happy, so I knew when I bought my home I wanted to surround myself with my favorite beachy colors. I wanted to keep that serene, calm coastal atmosphere and also make my home feel warm and inviting. I’m still renovating my home, so I will add more before and after pics later.

Aqua is my all-time favorite color, so I chose a breezy relaxing color scheme in several shades of Aqua that remind me of my favorite beaches. It’s really that simple. Below is The Aqua Cottage’s whole house color scheme. As you can see these colors work well together because they are different shades of aqua blues with green and gray undertones. I always recommend using a crisp clean white for the ceilings and trim. These colors also work well together in Coastal Farmhouse and Lake House interiors.

My Coastal Paint Color Palette

• Topsail–Kitchen & Bathrooms- A pretty beachy light blue-green that has slight gray undertones.
• Sea Salt-Guest Bedroom/Laundry Room- A cool green color with gray undertones that will brighten with daylight then appear soft and muted during the evening.
• Greek Villa– Hallways- This warm white has deep beige undertones that remind you of a sandy beach.
• Watery -Living Room–The most beautiful, almost tropical cool watery aqua blue with green undertones.
• Serenely-Main Bedroom- The perfect neutral blue gray that reminds you of a cloudy day at the beach.
• Extra-White-Family Room- A bright, breezy cool coastal white perfect for painting beadboard or shiplap.
• Pure White- Ceilings/Trim– A warm white that ties all of the colors together, perfect for doors and trim.

Sherwin Williams Sea Salt Guest Bedroom

See this rooms transformation here: Before & After Guest Bedroom Makeover

How To Create A Coastal Whole House Paint Color Palette

These are the guides I use to create a matching color scheme. One of the best compliments I receive is how well the different colors flow and transition throughout the rooms into each other.

1. Start by picking your favorite color.
2. Choose a clean white trim.
3. Pick 3 more colors in your favorite color family to create a cohesive look. Repeat these colors throughout your home to avoid getting overwhelmed with color.
4. When picking several different colors the center of your home for example, the hallways should be neutral as I illustrated with SW Greek Villa in the center of the picture.
5. Consider your furniture and fixtures.
6. Get at least 2-3 paint chips in your favorite colors so you can play with the colors against your main color and the white trim color. That way you understand color theory and see how well the colors work together,
7. Test the color during the daylight and compare the difference shades in the evening.

 

Most important, remember to have fun! You can always use Pinterest, store paint guides, and the color wheel to find inspiration! There are tons of color palettes available to help you choose the best colors for your home! I want you to know I am not a Sherwin Williams affiliate, I have just been a huge fan of their paint for years!

Also I don’t recommend getting color mixes and taking them to get a cheaper product elsewhere. It’s not the same. Your home is your biggest investment. You want to choose a quality paint that will transform your home and last for years to come. See my blog post Before & After Guest Bedroom Makeover  to see what cheap paint does to your walls. You can also sign up for an account to get paint coupons and discounts at the sherwin-williams.com I just got an awesome $20 coupon in my email!

I hope you found this post helpful, thanks for reading!

Are you ready to paint? See Everything You Need To Know About Paint

 

 

 

Do you plan on renovating your home? A home renovation can one of the most expensive projects you’ll ever take on, plus you want to try to not exceed your budget. Whether you’re planning an addition, remodeling a room, or upgrading the existing interior or exterior of your home; there are ways to keep costs down and stay out of debt.

If you’re planning on selling your home, you’ll want the spaces you create to appeal to potential buyers. This is less of a concern if you’re planning on making it your forever home. If it’s a starter home or investment property, think about keeping renovations neutral and using decor to make the spaces unique.

***This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, when you make a purchase. Please, see my affiliate disclaimer for more details.***

How To Save On Renovation Costs

I recently bought my first home, a fixer-upper in the spring of 2020. I purchased my home during the pandemic which was an excellent time to buy a home but not to renovate it. There were NO contractors available in my are due to the restrictions, but once those were lifted it seemed as if every single contractor was booked solid. So what’s a girl to do? I tried to do as much work as I could. Talk about scary, but fun! First off, I want to explain that I did simple tasks such as painting, demolition, and drywall. I watched a ton of YouTube tutorials for the things I didn’t know how to do, but the best part is not only did I learn a lot, I saved a ton of money!

 

The first thing that you want to do before you start any home improvement project is plan. Plan your project, budget and materials! Then decide what you can  DIY or do yourself! Next, make a list and start gathering and shopping for materials. When I started planning my kitchen reno, I started shopping up to a year in advance for materials. I scoured the clearance sections at Lowes, Home Depot, Amazon and Walmart to save big.

 

DIY Tips To Save Money

 

• Plan- the amount of time and money you want to spend
• Make lists of materials needed and use it to compare prices.
• Invest in good, long lasting tools such as a power drill, nail gun, hammer, ect.
• Use Pinterest to save ideas and visualize your project.
• Shop for materials early- check the clearance sections at your local home improvement stores and online.
• Get your friends to help you.
• Shop Habitat Restore if you have one in your area. Habitat Restore re-sells tons of home improvement items left over from construction projects and home improvement store donations.
• Shop Amazon- Amazon has tons of home improvement tools and materials at amazing prices!
• Paint- You don’t have to hire a painter as long as you have the time and patience to do it. See Everything You Need To Know About Paint

 

*Remember you want to leave the complicated things such as plumbing and electrical up to the professionals and unless you feel comfortable enough that can do-it-yourself.  For example you don’t want to demo something that could cost you more money in the end by having to replace it. DIY is best when you have a small project to complete but if you have a large renovation project, it’s best to consider hiring a general contractor.*

How To Hire A General Contractor

A general contractor will coordinate and execute the construction of much larger home projects. Make sure you find a licensed contractor you can trust by doing phone interviews, and getting at least 3 estimates. Check out this handy checklist and tips from forbes.com on how to hire a general contractor.

Did you know that some home improvement are tax deductible? When I replaced my old front door it costed just over $2000. I was able to claim it as a tax deduction because it was considered and energy efficient home upgrade! See the new front door here. Also see this helpful article about tax deductions from www.thebalance.com.

5 Home Improvements That are Tax-Deductible

 

• Energy-Efficient Renovations. Type of Savings: Credit.
• Home Improvements for Medical Care. Type of Savings: Deduction.
• Home Office Improvements. Type of Savings: Deduction.
• Rental Property Renovations. Type of Savings: Deduction.
• Home Improvements for Resale Value.

I hope you find this information helpful! If so share it with your friends, also if you are starting a kitchen renovation see my blog post The Ultimate Kitchen Renovation Guide with free printable checklist! Good luck with your home improvement projects!