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Writer's pictureBetsey Dempsey

I want to sell my house. What color should I paint my walls?

Updated: Apr 19

"Dwell vs. Sell" is a term often used in the world of real estate. If you are not planning on selling your house, paint it whatever color makes you happy. If you are planning on selling and plan to paint your walls, there are several things you need to think about. Ignore what you see online about the 4 or 5 "best colors to increase your home's value". Sure, they are suggesting you keep it pretty neutral, which makes sense. However, those "it" colors may not work in your house at all. Also ignore the comment, "Just paint it all white." That could make your house feel very cold and unwelcoming.


If you are needing to paint the kitchen, which may flow into other rooms, then start with looking at your countertops and tile. The kitchen tends to be the hub of activity these days, and it has some of the more expensive and permanent finishes in the house. You need to work with these. Even if you don't like your countertop (if it's THAT bad, check out my post, "What do I do with my ugly..."), you need to work with it. Don't pretend it's not there. It will usually look better if the paint compliments it.


Once you narrow down paint colors for the kitchen, then see if any of those would work well continuing through the open floor plan. By the way, if a wall continues over doors, tile, etc., you should not stop the color. The paint needs to go the whole length of the wall.



Does your home have a lot of natural light? If not, I'd keep the colors light, especially "muddier" ones such as beige, grey, and taupe. You want your walls to feel fresh and clean. If you think your target buyer is on the younger side, I'd avoid beige altogether.


Of course, keeping colors toward the neutrals are the best bet for selling. That being said, those colors don't need to be strictly beige, cream, grey, or taupe. Just a drop of blue or green in those neutrals can be a nice touch. Remember: Less is more when it comes to those undertones, especially when there is a lot of square footage to cover. You'd be surprised at how much the color will pop out.


A fresh paint job will always add value to your home. Do keep in mind that if you want to sell fairly soon, your taste in color needs to take a back seat to what a buyer will want to see - and feel - when they view your home.

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