Boost Your Home’s Value by Thousands with This Simple Paint Trick!
In the ever-evolving world of real estate, a new trend is emerging with buyers digging deeper into their pockets: dark, dramatic paint colors. According to a recent analysis by Zillow, homes with interiors painted in moody hues, particularly shades of charcoal gray, are selling for significantly higher prices. This intriguing shift away from traditional neutrals reshapes the market and redefines what makes a home desirable.
Based on studies of over 4,700 recent and prospective home buyers across the country, this paint color analysis highlights a simple yet effective way for sellers to maximize their home’s appeal. This article will tell you what colors you should paint the rooms in your house to raise your house’s appeal and selling price.
These Paint Colors Increase The Value of Your Home
A Zillow study shows that painting four key rooms can add value to a house. Additionally, the color of the front door impacts the selling price of a house.
The Kitchen
Homes with gray kitchens command higher offers than similar homes with lighter-colored kitchen spaces. Charcoal gray and a midtone pewter gray are the best-selling colors for a kitchen. Charcoal gray, a bold color that creates a modern, sophisticated look, can increase your home’s value up to $2,512, while a mid-tone gray kitchen can make your home sell for up to $2,553 more than expected.
This kitchen trend is a shift from earlier years when a neutral white kitchen would sell for more, as was noted in the Zillow report from 2021. In 2024, the once-coveted white kitchen is now a drawback, potentially lowering a home’s sale price by $612. Buyers perceive white kitchens as outdated and less inviting than their darker, moodier counterparts.
The Living Room
We see the same color trend for the living room. The living room, often the central gathering space, benefits greatly from dark gray walls. A charcoal gray living room can see offers increasing by $1,755. This color choice adds a touch of elegance and warmth, making the space feel both cozy and contemporary.
In the last few years, a light gray living room has increased a home’s value. The shift to moodier tones continues in the living room.
The Bedroom
Home buyers have wanted a moody bedroom space in the last couple of years. A dark blue bedroom would have been a big selling point in the past, but just like the rest of the house, the color has shifted to dark gray.
Bedrooms painted in dark gray hues also see significant increases in offer prices, with buyers willing to pay up to $1,755 more. This color creates a serene, calming environment, ideal for rest and relaxation. It’s a stark contrast to the traditional lighter colors, offering a more intimate and restful retreat.
The Bathroom
No gray in the bathroom, the new Zillow study shows that earth tones are making a splash in bathrooms. A trendy terra-cotta brown, one of the trendiest colors of recent years, can boost a home’s sale price by $1,624. These warm, grounding hues resonate with buyers seeking a touch of nature and serenity in their personal spaces.
This is a big shift from a few years ago when a light blue shade in the bathroom would add more value to your home.
photo: The Modern House
The Front Door
If you want to increase the appeal of your house, you should paint your front door one of these two colors.
A Black Front Door
Black front doors are preferred, and it can add an extra $300 to the offer price. A black front door is seen as elegant and sophisticated, providing a striking first impression.
A Rosy Brown Front Door
A midtone rosy brown front door also receives positive reactions from buyers, adding around $300 to the offer price. This color provides a warm and inviting entryway, appealing to buyers’ desire for a welcoming home.
What Front Door Color Should Be Avoided
Not all shades of gray are beneficial. A mid-tone gray front door can negatively impact a home’s sale price, with buyers offering an estimated $3,365 less. This choice is perceived as less inviting and modern compared to other colors.
Why Do Dark Colors Attract Home Buyers?
“Buyers have been exposed to dark gray spaces through home improvement TV shows and their social media feeds, but they’re likely drawn to charcoal on a psychological level,” explains Mehnaz Khan, a color psychology specialist and interior designer from Albany, New York. “Gray is the color of retreat, and buyers want the home to be a refuge. They want to withdraw and escape from the uncertainty of the outside world, and rooms enveloped in dark gray can create that feeling of security.”
Most sellers make two improvements before listing their homes, and interior painting is the most common project. By choosing the right paint colors, sellers can attract more buyers and potentially enhance their profits.
So, if you’re preparing to sell your home, consider swapping those safe, neutral tones for something a bit more dramatic. It just might pay off—literally.