Q: I bought a house last year and I’m tired of the boring beige and white walls, but I’m intimidated by all the options for paint. How do I pick a color I’m going to be happy with for a long time?

A: Painting walls a new and exciting color is a quick and affordable way to update a space and give it a fresh look. But how do you find the right tone? When faced with a hundred color samples, it can be pretty daunting. In fact, even the experts sometimes get it wrong. Here are some of the best designer secrets to help you with the process:

1. Do not pick your color in the paint store. It can be tempting just to pick a color off the shelf and get on with it. I have done it more than I should admit and have ended up with terrible results. Finding the right color is all about context: the shape of the room, the amount and quality of the light, and how it all plays with other objects in the room. Always test a color in the space you are painting.
   
   
2. Do not look at the color sample at an arbitrary angle. This sounds obvious, but sometimes we forget. Color is all about how the light hits it. If you are painting walls, hold the sample vertically; if it is the ceiling, hold it up above your head. This will give you a more accurate indication of what the color will really look like in the end.
   
   
3. Test against a white background. When you hold a color sample directly against a previously painted wall, unless it is white, it will give you a warped idea of the new color. Because colors influence one another, it is best to test the new color against a white background. A large piece of white paper can be used to blank out the old color. 
   
   
4. Do not rely on a small paint sample. A pretty color on a small sample does not necessarily make a pretty color on the expanse of your walls. To get a better sense of what the color will look like on a larger scale, you will need a bigger sample. A large sample will also reveal the true undertone of the color to test against the undertones of other elements in the room. Some stores have larger samples available or you may have to make your own.
   
   
5. Do not paint your sample on the wall. If you cannot get a large color sample, get a sampler of the actual paint and paint it on a poster board—NOT directly onto your wall. This way you will be able to test your colors on different walls and even in different rooms. You will also be able to block out the existing wall color with something white.
   
   
6.  Move it around. With your large sample boards, you can put some poster putty on the back and stick them on your walls to get an idea of how colors will look. Test them in different spots on the wall and move them around the room to see how the light affects the color. Also look at them at different times of the day.
   
   
7. Find the bossy fixture. If you are working with existing finishes, find the one item that is most prominent in the room; it might be the carpet, the countertop, or even a large piece of furniture. The undertone of that fixture will influence what colors work best for the room.
   
   

This may sound like a lot of trouble just to get the color right, but it is a whole lot less than the trouble you will be in when you realize that the color is wrong after it has been painted on the walls. Here's to your brand-new walls!

 

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Mia Hannom, of In Form Design, is a member of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS). If you have a home improvement, remodeling, or residential homebuilding question you’d like answered by one of MBAKS’s nearly 3,000 members, write to homework@mbaks.com.

Q: We’ve been thinking about installing a smart-home system in our house, but we are unsure whether it’s something we need or just an expensive gimmick. Is it worth it?

A: The term “smart home,” now a catch-all term for a connected residence, is something of a misnomer. Smart homes are really networked ecosystems, with intuitive, easy-to-use interfaces rather than a single system. They provide comfort, security, wellness and entertainment, and can be incredibly useful when fully integrated and used correctly.

While the popularity of home automation has risen, there are still a lot of misconceptions about smart-home technology. Let’s debunk a few of the most common myths.

It’s too complicated to figure out. 
Yes and no. A lot of consumers were first introduced to smart-home technology via early unintuitive DIY devices that were, with few exceptions, clunky. Tech like “connected” thermostats that track homeowners’ preferred temperatures and adjust accordingly can be a nightmare if not installed correctly. Fortunately, the tech has evolved to the point where most connected thermostats are now installed by HVAC professionals.

Bottom line? While some people are comfortable working on their own plumbing or electrical systems, most aren’t. The same is true with smart-home technology. For stress-free results, leave it to a pro.

It’s just gimmicky nonsense. 
There’s a kernel of truth in this myth, too: The term “smart” has been slapped on everything from toothbrushes to water bottles. The good news? The tech has evolved to a point where voice-control software can do a lot more than play a song and tell bad Dad jokes.

When the tech works, it provides real benefits — increased security, more-efficient HVAC, optimal lighting, expanded entertainment options and more. Imagine a lighting system that mimics the color temperature of natural sunlight at any given time of day, and then shuts itself off at bedtime. Now imagine that system “telling” automated shades to adjust the ambient light and climate of the home to meet your minute-by-minute needs. That’s no gimmick.

This stuff is all fragile junk. 
Companies offering the most reputable home-automation systems are fully aware that any failure, whether a mid-movie signal interruption or a security breach, is completely unacceptable. To that end, the testing processes for everything from temperature extremes to hacking attacks are incredibly stringent.

None of this stuff will work when I need it to, or with other stuff.
 Think about the automation in your car. It’s all branded Toyota, Lexus or BMW, but some parts and devices are made by other firms. Yet the locks recognize your fob when you approach, and the backup camera clicks on when you put it into reverse. Your vehicle is an ecosystem of automotive automation. Your home can be just as intuitive and dependable with many different compatible devices.

It’ll go haywire every time there’s an update. 
Yes, these systems are becoming more complex, but they’re also maturing. That finetuning prevents a lot of hiccups during software and firmware updates. Back to the car analogy: Your vehicle needs service sometimes. And so does your smart-home system. Technology designers and installers offer regular service contracts akin to an ongoing HVAC service, and many issues can be resolved remotely.

Wi-Fi connectivity can handle everything I add to this system. 
The reliance on wireless connectivity is a true double-edged sword. Yes, it’s extraordinarily convenient, with more and more wireless devices introduced every day. Plug-in hubs that expand networks have proven their worth. But the backbone of the best smart-home systems, the ones that ensure the least number of problems, is hardwired cabling.

This stuff is spying on me and collecting personal data. Also, it just gives hackers a back door into my house. 
Security has layers. As devices become ever more secure against intrusion, the weak link in most networks often turns out to be the human user. In fact, most breaches are actually the result of phishing attacks, often via email, targeting the homeowner. If you’re using smart-home tech, you should know best practices for safe and secure internet use.

As for privacy, yes, it’s a huge concern, but having a professional design your smart-home system will strengthen your defenses and help protect your data. This is especially important as the lines between work and home become ever blurrier. Remote workers have a unique responsibility when it comes to data protection and privacy.

Ed Wenck is senior content writer at Crestron, a member of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS). If you have a home improvement, remodeling or residential homebuilding question you’d like answered by one of MBAKS’s more than 2,600 members, write to homework@mbaks.com.

By Mike Walsh, Terrene Homes

Q: Building our own home: smart or not smart?

A: In today's competitive marketplace, it might start looking attractive to simply buy a vacant lot and build your home. How hard could it be, right? In the process, you could also avoid the builder markup and put the savings in your pocket.

While that's certainly possible, there are things to consider before pulling the trigger on this plan.

First, finding land on which to build your home is not as easy as it might seem. Depending on where you're looking, there are not very many building lots available that don't already have a home on them, especially near city centers. You're more likely to find a piece of land in rural areas, but then you have to account for wells and septic systems. Like the housing market, the market for lots is really hot right now; you'd likely be competing against the builder community when negotiating for the land.

Then, there's the design and cost of building. One of the big attractions to building your home is the opportunity to design the exact house you want, creating those cool spaces you've always dreamed about and putting in all the features you've seen on the TV shows. Maybe it's a home theater or a wine cellar. Perhaps it's that grand patio with the outdoor kitchen.

More often than not, when the pencil meets the pad, and after you've spent the money to complete the design, the cost estimate to build your dream is significantly out of balance with your pocketbook. This often requires heading back to drawing board.

To avoid this, it would be wise to set your expectations correctly so that you're not disappointed when the design is complete. Go out and look at new construction homes that you can afford. Take pictures and grab flyers. Notice the finishes, the windows, doors, surfaces, appliances, etc. Count the rooms, fireplaces, and garage bays.

Once you have a good feel for the type of home you could afford if you were buying it from a builder, you'll be in the ballpark for what you can afford when you build it yourself. Feed all this info to your architect before you start the design.

Professional builders get really efficient at building. They develop relationships with their trade partners and vendors to get the best pricing and they're really good at managing schedules. The margin they make is due more to the savings they can find rather than a simple markup. The point is, if you choose to build your home, it should be to get the home you want in the location you love. The chances are that the final cost of the home will likely be very comparable, whether you build your own home or buy a finished home from a builder. But for this to be the case, you'll need to show some real restraint when you head to the design centers.

The last—and probably the most important—strategy is the building of the structure. Flying an airplane is quite easy if you're a pilot. Knee surgery becomes second nature if you're a surgeon. But none of us would try any of these things if we didn't have the training or expertise. Building is no different.

You should engage a professional builder to help you through the process. I promise you, it will be money well spent. They will be able to develop a schedule, coordinate the trades, identify mistakes, and make game-day plan adjustments that work. Building a house is like a puzzle and your construction manager will typically know how all the pieces fit together.

Do some real diligence in selecting your builder. Contact the Master Builders Association, visit active construction sites, talk to your architect, or ask representatives from the building supply companies. When you've identified a few prospects, call their references and check the state Labor and Industries website to confirm they're licensed and bonded. Have the builder give you a breakdown of how they bill for their services, too.

Building your home can be very rewarding and, if handled correctly, can be a great experience.

 

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Mike Walsh, principal of Terrene Homes, is this year's president of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties. HomeWork is the group's weekly column. If you have a home improvement, remodeling, or residential homebuilding question you'd like answered by one of the MBA's more than 2,800 members, write to homework@mbaks.com.