Three Ways Color Story can Reduce Your Renovation Budget

The last few years have seen many much-needed property improvements delayed due to COVID impacts and recovery. Now many hospitality properties are well beyond the 7- to 10-year mark for PIPs, and all sectors – student housing, senior living and multifamily – are feeling the pressure to make their properties more marketable, competitive and improve ratings and asset value. But renovations are more expensive, with the cost of PIPs and property renovations now nearly 30% more than they were pre-COVID according to Costar . At B2 Architecture, our designers are using color in unexpected ways to refresh a property’s point of view, get them in brand compliance and create fresh, exciting spaces with smaller budgets.

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It all begins with a carefully crafted color story, an essential piece of the overall design that helps carry the mood and theme. If we use the analogy, “the project is theater,” color is a supporting character in the play, and a very important one for conveying the overall story. Color is reflective of the concept narrative and at its most basic is all the individual colors, patterns, textures and art that form the thread connecting all the elements of a design story. Color can be used to redefine the purpose of the space, give it a fresh perspective and inject energy or calm to define a space without construction.

Today’s consumer has more access to good design. This makes them more visually discerning, making decisions based on the quality of what they see. If a property appears outdated or hasn’t been renovated in a long time, it’s not appealing to their target audience. From amenities and common spaces in multifamily and senior living, to lobbies and guest rooms in hospitality, the opportunities to add new life to a space using color are endless.

1.???? Use paint instead of that expensive wall covering.

If there’s a really fantastic wall covering in a fun pattern or graphic motif, but using it would really blow your budget, try using paint instead to create a custom mural or wall-sized artwork. Show the sample to a local artist and have them paint their interpretation of that design on the walls instead. Incorporating branded elements and using paint in the design story’s color palette, a mural created by a local artist becomes a custom wallcovering and a connection to the local community. And the artwork is repeatable across multiple spaces or properties. A property manager with multiple properties can incorporate different color combinations to reflect the various personalities of the facilities. It’s an economical way to reposition a portfolio of assets with a strong brand story.

2.???? Consider furniture and case goods.

People are using spaces differently than they did 5 or 10 years ago, so refreshing the type and placement of furniture and case goods can go a long way toward modernizing a space and making it feel new. Select fabric in your color story and reupholster a few pieces in the space to draw the eye and make a statement. Consider replacing the rolling desk chair with a big, comfortable upholstered chair, or the traditional L-shaped work desk with a settee sofa and small table.

So many residential furniture brands now have contract-quality pieces with the look and feel of comfortable lifestyle furnishings you’d expect to find in your home. And so many of those manufacturers allow designers to customize components with different colors, patterns, fabrics and finishes while staying within the running line for quick ship. Because people are accustomed to eclectic lifestyle-focused interiors, not every piece of furniture needs to be replaced. Refreshing the space with one or two statement pieces that have a bold color or texture in a style that feels more residential and familiar, goes a long way in giving a space a new approach.

3.???? Explore opportunities with color, texture and accessories.

Weave in those new color palettes and tell the color story by incorporating fabrics and textures, throw pillows, bath robes, accessories, window treatments, paint and more. Paint is much more economical than wood for instance, so instead of blowing your budget with custom millwork, use multiple colors of paint to accentuate a space. Paint costs the same no matter which color it is, unlike many other materials like stone, wood or wallcovering. Add interest by texturizing the paint application or by combining multiple finishes of the same paint color. For example, high gloss painted millwork against satin painted walls create an intriguing combination. Add fabrics, linens and throw pillows with patterns in the color story and add eclectic accent objects and accessories to make the space more inviting and comfortable. Using bold colors in small areas can be very impactful and help tell that design story more as well. And a great little renovation trick for hotels is to get rid of the closet door. Open it up, paint the inside an accent color where people can display their clothing. It won’t get wrinkled and they won’t forget it when they check out.

Even hospitality brands with very descriptive brand pillars, prototypes or particular FF&E packages have the room to refresh their spaces with minimal expense by using a color story. Soft brands, hospitality brands, multifamily, student housing and senior living have a lot more ability to celebrate a local story within that brand standard, using color, textures and materials that are reflective of that particular region so the property becomes part of the cultural fabric of the community. With a strong color story as the connecting thread, the price tag for an interiors refresh can be minimized while still having a very impactful design and creating an aesthetic.

B2 Architecture Senior Project Manager William Wildes understands the importance of building a brand’s DNA and design pillars as the first step in the design process. He has a nose for a good hangout spot, usually led by his curiosity and sense of exploration.