According to experts, blue is generally the best color for resale. Though it depends on room and shade, painting in neutral shades of blue often adds value to rooms like the kitchen and bathroom. White is often perceived as boring and can lower the value of certain rooms.
As for the rest of your house, cool and neutral wall colors are a big hit with buyers overall. Light blue bathrooms and taupe-colored living rooms were especially popular in homes that sold for more money. Meanwhile, homes with dark red- or brown-colored walls sold for as much as $2,310 less than expected.
In terms of resale value, data via Zillow indicates that “greige” exteriors can boost the selling price of a home. Remodeling site Fixr also cites white and gray to be the top exterior paint colors in their 2020 Paint & Color Trends Report. Similarly, Beauchamp recommends timeless, neutral colors for a home's exterior.
99% of the time, choose one neutral color
But what color is the undisputed heavyweight champ? It's white. Janet Anderson, a top real estate agent who sells properties 27% faster than average in Tracy, California, explains “white is very popular” because it provides your buyers with a blank canvas with which to work.
As a general rule of thumb, you should never paint your entire home one singular color. That isn't to say that you can't use the same color in some capacity throughout your entire home; however, it shouldn't be the primary wall color in every room.
Home sellers are often advised to slap on a fresh coat of paint before listing their properties, but they shouldn't overlook the impact of color. A Zillow analysis of more than 32,000 photos from sold residential properties finds specific colors can either boost or crimp a home's selling price.
They used to say, “If you want to sell her, paint her yellow.” Today, a more scientific method of judging the effect of color on a house's salability shows otherwise: yellow houses sell for over $3,000 less.
A kitchen is often considered the heart of the home. And although personal tastes may come into play when deciding on which color to paint a kitchen, avoid certain colors like eggshell, dark gray, and pantone for the best experiences possible.
Your actual home's worth isn't likely to be impacted by a garish paint job, or the paint of the house next door. The appraisal process is looking at the home value based on its' structural integrity and its square footage, among other aspects, and paint color really isn't part of how much the actual house is worth.
Increase your home's value
Both interior and exterior painting are projects with a significant return-on-investment (ROI). On average nationally, painting both the inside and outside of your home yields a $4,000+ value bump. That's a 107% ROI for interior painting and a 55% ROI for exterior painting.
The paint on black houses will blister and peel faster than a light color. This is because black paint heats up and cools down (expanding and contracting more than a light color) as it absorbs more rays from the sun. (One way to mitigate this problem is with conscientious preparation before painting.
Light neutrals are the most popular choice, with 27% of survey respondents reporting that having a white kitchen would make them more likely to buy a property, followed by 22% who would be swayed by a light grey kitchen. More surprisingly, bold colourways like black and dark blue also made the list.
Go with Light Colors
Light colors are more reflective than dark colors and they will make your kitchen appear bigger as well as more open and airy. Light blues, greens, or pale yellows are other great colors to make your space look larger than life.
In a 2019 episode of the popular home improvement show, Property Brothers: Buying and Selling, the duo—Jonathan and Drew Scott—noted that there are two colors that should never be used to paint interior walls: Red and yellow.
Paint your door black
According a Zillow Paint Color Analysis, a black front door could increase the price of your home by 2.9 percent.
Tree Green
Darker shades of green tend to recede into the front yard, making it more difficult for prospective buyers to admire, or even notice, your home. Instead, weave a deep green into the picture through porch accents or bushes, so you can still get the color you want without sacrificing selling potential.
'Greys are popular as you can use them to create a more complex colour scheme than with white and off-white shades,' said Oliver. 'They also offer a neutral, reduced-glare backdrop that either brings accent colours alive or allows them to create a sense of calm.
Home builders frequently buy paint in bulk, using favorite pale browns, light grays and warm- or cool-white hues in multiple homes.
A lighter field color will make it look larger; a darker color will visually shrink it. Lighter colors can also make a house look visually flimsy, while darker colors can give it a strong, solid appearance.
The most common color for a modern scheme is white, but it can be any hue -- gray, tan, blue, or red.
While there is no clear answer if using different colors for your walls and ceilings is best, in the end it will come down to personal preference. Ultimately, it's your home and you should create a space you enjoy living in.
Paint your ceiling the same color as your walls. This will draw the eye up, which creates the illusion of a larger room and higher ceilings. Bonus if you're able to install some trim and crown molding, as I've found this can also make the ceilings look higher.