Picking the right tile for different parts of your home can be a tough task on its own, but then figuring out what pattern to lay your tile is quickly your next step. A fun pattern can add character to a simple tile while a simple pattern might be the perfect pairing for  a unique tile.

A bathroom can be a great place to create a fun space, especially with different tile options. Picking a classic subway tile can be a great option for shower walls but laying them in a herringbone or parquet pattern can elevate this simple tile. 

Laying tile vertically rather than horizontally can also change the look of the space. Vertical and horizontal patterns can be straight stacked or offset by different distances. Depending on the look you are going for, straight stacked tiles can look great with other details in your space. On the other hand, laying your tile offset by ½, ⅓, or even ¼ can add a different look to your shower, backsplash or anywhere else you put tile in your home. 

Adding different shaped tiles together can also change the look of the space. You may want a simple and clean look with all white tile, but want to add something unique yet subtle. Using different sized squares together can create a different look than a regular grid of all the same size tiles. Mixing squares and rectangles in the same design can also add some extra character to your space.

These decisions may be hard to make, but our team at Blue Star can help you out every step of the way. From helping you decide which pattern to lay the tile or giving you options for the tile themselves, we want to make sure you love the updates to your home.

What is 2024 going to be when you think of paint? Warm neutrals? Deep bold shades? You may not know what colors to paint your home. The 2024 colors of the year may help you narrow down your color search. If not, it may help you decide what colors you don’t want… 

Every brand has different colors and shades for their color of the year but something that seemed popular among many of the brands was the color blue. Over here at Blue Star, we were thrilled to see the popularity of the color blue, it is in our name afterall. Keep reading to see what colors will be trending in 2024.

Benjamin Moore: Blue Nova

Ben Moore chose the perfect mix of violet and blue for their 2024 color of the year. Blue Nova blends these colors to create a bold statement in any room the paint is used. Consider adding this blue to a room in your home in 2024. It may just be the perfect color to pull your space together. Whether you use this as an accent in the room by painting a bookshelf or making a bolder choice and painting the full room. Blue Nova is a great choice for your 2024 paint project.

HGTV Home by Sherwin Williams: Persimmon

Persimmon is a warm earthy terracotta. With its tangerine undertones, it complements many of the other home trends for 2024. Pairing this nature inspired shade with other natural, earthy trends like a live edge wood shelf or raffia light fixtures will help bring the outdoors in. Bringing nature indoors is expected to be very popular in 2024. This bright shade is going to leave a statement in the home no matter what other details are paired with it. 

PPG: Limitless

The warm yellow PPG chose for their color of the year is the perfect balance between adding color to your home while still keeping it neutral. This shade is sure to last in your home for years no matter how many times you redecorate. You may have all white cabinets and all white walls and you may have been debating adding some color into your space. Limitless is a great color to start bringing more color into your space. 

Sherwin Williams: Upward

2024 may be your year of meditation and relaxation. Sherwin Williams chose the perfect color to add your home to create a calm space. Upward is a cool toned breezy blue. With its underlying tones of silver this shade is a perfect color to add to a primary bathroom to create the feeling of a spa getaway in the comfort of your own home. 

Valspar: Renew Blue

Similar to Sherwin Williams Upward, Renew Blue by Valspar also has a calming effect on the space it is in. This shade of blue has notes of green that adds to the calm energy the color can provide to the space it’s used. Whether you use this in a communal living space or your children’s bedroom, a sense of peace will be present with this blue-green paint color on your walls.

Behr: Cracked Pepper

This moody soft black is the perfect color to add depth and a statement to your home. If you want to make a bold change in 2024 this is the perfect paint color for you. Behr chose this soft black as their color of the year which will pair perfectly with gold hardware and decor around your home. Whether you want to make a bold statement in a dining space, powder room, or a home office, Cracked Pepper is a perfect color to make a bold change in 2024

Minwax: Bayblue

Paint and stain can sometimes go hand in hand. Minwax chose an out of the box color of the year for their stains. Bayblue may not be a color you would have ever thought to add to your home, but now you may be reconsidering. Another color of the year that has a goal of combining the indoors with the outdoors, this blue green-shade is inspired by the oceans and the bays. Minwax drew a connection between water and wellness when choosing this color for their color of the year in hopes that adding a nature inspired color to the home will bring wellness to people in 2024. 

Blue Star Paint & Property: Hague Blue (Farrow & Ball)

This year, we wanted to join in on the fun and select our very own color of the year. With all of the trends expected in 2024, the word classic continues to come to mind. Classic and timeless have always gone hand in hand. Many trends expected for 2024 are trending because of the desire to create a timeless space with classic elements. We chose a paint color for 2024 that we think is classically Blue Star. This color can be used to create a moody bathroom, add a pop of color on your trim, or even as an exterior paint color. Blue Star’s 2024 color of the year is Hague Blue by Farrow and Ball. This deep blue can be added to any room to create a timeless look in your home.

An exterior paint job is the perfect project for the spring. Keeping up with exterior paint around every 10 years protects your home from the elements and it’s fun to be able to have a home that looks brand new without moving. To go with a new exterior color a complementary front door color is also an important decision to make. You may not be looking to change the color of your siding but you want to switch it up in a small way, changing the color of your front door is a great way to change the look of the exterior but on a smaller scale. 

Light and Bright

Having a lighter shade or muted exterior color can be paired well with a bright front door color. Having muted green siding and pairing it with a bright yellow front door can complement each other well. Light blue siding with a bright blue or teal front door is another way to have a light or muted siding and a bright front door.

Monochrome Moment

A front door can often be painted to be the focal point for a home’s exterior by using a front door color with strong contrast to the siding. Another color idea would be to go for a monochrome look by painting your door the same color as your siding or picking the same color but one shade lighter or darker can bring a simple but chic look to your home’s exterior.

Pop of Color

You may be interested in painting your home’s exterior in a classic white, going bold and painting your home black, or your house may already be black or white. But adding a pop of color with the front door is a great way to change the look of your home. Whether you prefer classic colors like red or green or want to switch it up with a teal, these homes have similar concepts but look completely different with the front door color choice. 

Wood and Neutral

Sometimes, multiple colors is not what you want. Having a home exterior that is a color and pairing an unpainted dark wood door can create a traditional look. A dark stained door is an option that would go with many of the 2024 home trends. Keeping things natural is trending in many parts of the home for 2024, why not bring that style inside and out by having a natural stained wood front door.

Primary Pairing

You may not have put much thought into the colors you learned about in elementary school but sticking to the basics of primary colors is another way to pick a front door color. If you are painting your home’s exterior blue, consider the idea of a yellow front door. These are two of the primary colors and have good contrast. The contrast between these colors creates a classic look while utilizing a simple idea like pairing primary colors together.

Getting ready for a home improvement project can sometimes seem daunting. These projects can often create a mess, putting your home in disarray. Preparation is the most important part of a project. Prepping properly is the best way to make sure the paint is applied correctly and lasts as long as possible. We focus on our prep work to make sure the project is completed properly. There are ways you can prep your space for an interior paint project too. You may be asking where you should put your belongings or how you can help. Here are 5 things you can do to help prep for your interior paint project:

1. Where do I put my valuables and breakables?

The best first step for you to do when getting a room painted is to remove all important items from the work area. This could be loads of things in particular rooms. From knick-knacks, heirlooms, or even your children’s irreplaceable art masterpieces. Removing all valuable or breakable items from a room being painted is the best way to keep them safe throughout the painting process. 

2. Do I take things off of my walls?

Removing all artwork or wall hangings before the paint crew arrives is a great way to keep your items in pristine condition and be able to hang them back up after the work is completed. Having all items removed from the walls allows our painters to prepare the space the best way possible.

3. What do I do with all of the nails in my walls?

There are two options when it comes to the nails in the walls, leaving them in the walls to rehang items or take them out for all holes to be patched. The easiest way to decide what to do with each nail is to determine if you want to rehang your wall hangings in the same place or move things around once the painting is done. If your plan is to update your space with a fresh coat of paint and hang all items back in the same place, leave the nails in the wall. If you are in need of a total reset and are planning to start from scratch with new paint and new décor, take the nails out of the walls. 

4. Do I move my furniture?

Once all wall hangings are down, move all items and furniture into the center of the room being painted. This gives the crew space to move around the room while they work on the walls. We will then cover all items in the room to protect from any paint that could possibly get where it is not supposed to be. If you need help moving some furniture pieces, let your project manager know.

5. What’s next?

Sit back and relax. No need to worry about straight lines or climbing a ladder. Let Blue Star do it. We will bring the ladders, the brushes and the paint. All you need to do is pick the color and we will do the rest.