One of the most important rules of thumb when you're preparing your home for sale is to look at it from a buyer's point of view, not just from your own. Nowhere is that truer than in the wall colours you choose. You may love strong colours and have very stylish interior decor that goes with them, but colour can present several drawbacks when it comes to resale.
As Toronto designer Shelley Kirsch points out, "Colour adds a lot of personality to an environment -- which is good and bad. If a buyer is very visual, they can see beyond a certain colour; but if they aren't, the colour can distract, making it hard for them to visualize themselves in the room."
Of course, that needn't mean you should always paint all the rooms boring beige before you put a house on the market. In fact, that could conceivably have the opposite effect, making a house seem plain-Jane (especially if it's limited in architectural detail or is underfurnished).
The ideal, in Kirsch's view, is to choose colours with just the right touch of life to them: neutral enough to present a blank canvas,but interesting enough to add some character. We asked her to give us some of her favourite all-round paint colours, both for resale and for very livable interiors in general.
Quincy Tan HC-25, Benjamin Moore
"I find this putty-grey-beigey-taupe to be a very neutral, non-competitive colour, but it also adds a certain depth and character that brings out the beauty of the home, rather than merely acting as a backdrop. Also, it allows you to use accents in stronger colours and still maintain a classic look."
40YY-51/084, ICI Paints.
"Grey is very trendy right now, especially warm greys like this one. It's especially beautiful in townhouses, with architectural detail picked out in white trim, like cornice and crown mouldings, or marble. It's a very sophisticated colour, and classic settings like this seem to suit it better than modern or too-bright settings, which might make it look cold."
Note: Swatch colour may appear different on some monitors.
Main image courtesy of Pratt & Lambert.
8 Comments
What do you think of painting trim? This home has original trim (dark, grainy pine) built in 1953. All the rooms and the stairway have the same wood. Want to sell in near future. Once I start to cover trim I think I have to do all the rooms. This house has a lot of potential. It has room to be duplexed, has large outdoor storage, an apartment and a converted garage, suitable for a business, room to expand and a new pool; all on a semi-commercial street. What do you think?
The colours you show for suggestion are either too drab or too dark. They turn me off! In my house they would be claustrophobic and convey the impression of being in a cave. Very pale with just a hint of a golden yellow tone does the trick of making the rooms feel larger, brighter, and light. The house is sited on the north side of a wooded hill and the living room faces north. These are factors that need to be considered when choosing colours.
Kathie - this house has loads of potential. I would leave the trim alone. Light coloured walls with just a hint of golden yellow against the wood trim would set it off. Just make sure the trim is clean and buffed.
my dining room set is country style and the color is blue. The table top is just stained a medium brown, the chairs as well, with blue legs. my question is, what is the best color for my walls? They are yellow now but, I'm bored with it. It is adjoined to my kitchen and the cabinets are cream in color.The dining room is sunken with a railing in between. I have garden doors in the dining room, the ceiling is ten feet high and I would like to bring a nice high swag above . What do you suggest? I am lost, any help would be great! Thanks, Irma
my dining room set is country style and the color is blue. The table top is just stained a medium brown, the chairs as well, with blue legs. my question is, what is the best color for my walls? They are yellow now but, I'm bored with it. It is adjoined to my kitchen and the cabinets are cream in color.The dining room is sunken with a railing in between. I have garden doors in the dining room, the ceiling is ten feet high and I would like to bring a nice high swag above . What do you suggest? I am lost, any help would be great! Thanks, Irma
my dining room set is country style and the color is blue. The table top is just stained a medium brown, the chairs as well, with blue legs. my question is, what is the best color for my walls? They are yellow now but, I'm bored with it. It is adjoined to my kitchen and the cabinets are cream in color.The dining room is sunken with a railing in between. I have garden doors in the dining room, the ceiling is ten feet high and I would like to bring a nice high swag above . What do you suggest? I am lost, any help would be great! Thanks, Irma
my dining room set is country style and the color is blue. The table top is just stained a medium brown, the chairs as well, with blue legs. my question is, what is the best color for my walls? They are yellow now but, I'm bored with it. It is adjoined to my kitchen and the cabinets are cream in color.The dining room is sunken with a railing in between. I have garden doors in the dining room, the ceiling is ten feet high and I would like to bring a nice high swag above . What do you suggest? I am lost, any help would be great! Thanks, Irma
my dining room set is country style and the color is blue. The table top is just stained a medium brown, the chairs as well, with blue legs. my question is, what is the best color for my walls? They are yellow now but, I'm bored with it. It is adjoined to my kitchen and the cabinets are cream in color.The dining room is sunken with a railing in between. I have garden doors in the dining room, the ceiling is ten feet high and I would like to bring a nice high swag above . What do you suggest? I am lost, any help would be great! Thanks, Irma