If you’re getting ready to sell your home, paint is one of those projects that can feel both incredibly important and completely overwhelming. Do you repaint everything? Leave it alone? Go white because that’s what you’re “supposed” to do?
According to Zillow’s latest Paint Color Analysis, the answer might be a little more interesting than you think.
Zillow looked at what thousands of recent and prospective home buyers prefer in different rooms, and the results make a pretty good case for moving beyond stark white walls.
Here’s what you need to know.
Make an Impact
Warm, earthy colors are having a moment, and buyers seem to be responding to rooms that have a little more depth and personality.
- Start with sage green. If you only take one color away from Zillow’s report, make it sage green. It was the only shade to rank in the top tier across every room Zillow studied, which is pretty impressive. It’s especially lovely in bedrooms, where Zillow found that a sage green room could be associated with offers more than $1,000 higher than a comparable white room. You don’t necessarily need to paint every bedroom green, though. An interior designer in St. Louis, MO says to look at the spaces that could use a little warmth. A guest bedroom, home office, or small sitting room can be a great place to introduce it. And if you’re nervous about green, keep it soft for that relaxed, nature-inspired feeling.
- Add depth to your kitchen. It’s time for sellers to be a little braver in the kitchen. Zillow’s research found that dark gray performed especially well in kitchens, with buyers potentially offering about $1,373 more compared with a white kitchen. Dark plum also performed well, with a potential $867 premium. Try the color on the island, lower cabinets, or even a small pantry wall. If your kitchen already has beautiful cabinetry, you could also use the color on the walls and let the existing materials do the rest.
- Don’t be afraid of dark colors like brown. Chocolate brown was Zillow’s highest-value interior color in this year’s analysis, particularly in the bedroom. A chocolate-brown bedroom was associated with offers about $2,277 higher than those for a white bedroom. That doesn’t mean you should immediately paint your primary bedroom dark brown from ceiling to floor. But a warm brown can be gorgeous when used thoughtfully. If you have a bedroom with plenty of natural light, you should definitely consider it. Pair it with creamy bedding, natural wood, soft upholstery, and lighter curtains. The result can feel warm and sophisticated rather than dark.
- Bring in some pale blue. Zillow found that pale blue in a living room could be associated with offers about $1,723 higher than white. This is a great option if you’re selling a home with a lot of natural light. Aside from living rooms, pale blue works great in bedrooms, bathrooms, and even laundry rooms because it adds color while still feeling calm.
- Be as cohesive as possible. One thing you shouldn’t do is look at Zillow’s list and decide that you need five completely different paint colors. The goal is still to make the house feel cohesive. If you use sage green in a bedroom, perhaps pull a similar muted green into an adjoining hallway. If you paint the kitchen island dark gray, repeat that darker tone in a powder room or through smaller details elsewhere.
And remember, paint is only one part of preparing a home for sale. The color should work with your floors, countertops, lighting, and existing finishes, not fight with them.
That’s where having a designer’s eye can really help. Sometimes the best choice isn’t the color that looks prettiest on a paint chip. It’s the one that makes your particular home photograph beautifully and feels welcoming the moment someone walks through the door.