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mcnaughton_gw

Questions about Painting to Sell

mcnaughton
13 years ago

I want to give my mom the best chance to sell her condo by giving the walls a fresh coat of paint. Right now everything is the same builder's white. I'm feeling as though neutral colors that have some pigment would be better than re-painting white. (thinking about "greige.") I'm also thinking it might be better to avoid painting every wall the same color.

I would be painting the open LR, DR, K and short hallway one color. Should I vary the colors for the 2 bedrooms and 2 baths? How much variation? Both bedrooms the same or different; same question for the bathrooms? The house will be empty and I don't know if that has any bearing on my questions. Any input is appreciated.

Comments (27)

  • terezosa / terriks
    13 years ago

    I believe that you are correct that some color on the walls will create a warmer, homier feeling than builder's white. However I do think that you could paint all the walls the same color. A good neutral color is Sherwin Williams Kilim Beige.

  • Happyladi
    13 years ago

    My friend used SW Kilim Beige in her kitchen before she sold her house and it was a great color. You aren't going to please everyone but this one would come close. Very few people would hate it.

  • Billl
    13 years ago

    Paint doesn't have to be beige to be "neutral". Most muted colors (not pastels) are fine. You just don't want people to say "wow, look at that color!" when they walk in.

  • homeseller2010
    13 years ago

    Hi,

    I recently painted my LR/DR with SW--latte and Kitchen with Nomadic desert. It is a open floor plant and looks amazing with my bone white chair rails and crown molding.

    I am planning to paint MBR and other rooms with either nomadic desert or latte once high hats are installed.

    Jim

  • mostone
    13 years ago

    I think there is very little down side to using the same color in the whole place. The advantages are significant from a logistics standpoint (not having to change rollers/paint tray etc.) and it will also save money on paint.

  • Happyladi
    13 years ago

    It's true that paint can be neutral and not beige but if you're going to repaint the entire place a neutral beige is a good choice. Since it will be empty you want a warm inviting color so I don't think greige. I think it will read colder.

  • steve_o
    13 years ago

    Just two thoughts beyond those already posted:

    - If you do go for a single color, please do not paint the walls and all the trim and the doors and windows the same color. When we were house-hunting, we saw one place done in a nice-looking greige, but because everything had been blessed with a coat of paint, the entire house looked like it had been dippped in the paint can.

    - The roller extension pole is a great idea! But if you have brooms or mops in your house, you may already have a pole you can attach to the bottom of the roller handle. And -- personal experience -- don't waste your time with one of those "roller sticks" -- they take so long to clean that you pretty much eclipse the time savings of rolling rolling rolling. And if you don't clean, they clog and become essentially disposable.

  • kats_meow
    13 years ago

    I generally can't stand beige. However, our stagers recommended Kilim Beige and so we painted with that (a few rooms have Upward Grey) and it is a great color and I really like it. Will probably put it in our new house.

  • thatgirl2478
    13 years ago

    We just put our home on the market, here's what we did:

    LR/DR/Kitchen/Hallway - all NEEDED painting due to various color swatches and some drywall repairs - all got a coat of Benjamin Moore 'Wheeling Neutral' (because we needed a more green/yellow based beige to not look like skin with our reddish wood trim).

    Bath - didn't need painting - left it BM Colorado Grey - which reads blue grey

    3 bedrooms off hall - needed painting due to drywall repairs - all got a coat of BM Soft Chinchilla - which is a bit lighter than Colorado Grey, but still reads blue grey.

    No, blue is not neutral, but it's not a disagreeable color either. I'm certain that it works better than the yellow purple and tan that were in the bedrooms before!

  • logic
    13 years ago

    Best bet is to hire a color consultant or a staging pro as
    the best shade of beige depends upon the colors in the decor. Not all beige's are flattering to all color schemes.
    It may be that another color altogether would work better.

    In addition, since you are going to go through the hassle of painting, a professional can give you advice that will help your home present better than all of the other houses on the market that are also being painted beige for sale purposes.

    In this market, it's not quite enough to look better than it does now...it needs to look it's best. Even the most flattering paint color won't be noticed if there are other issues (too much furniture, poor placement of furniture, too personalized, to depersonalized, repair issues, etc) that will distract the buyer from the positive aspects of the house.

    A professional can help you identify those issues if they exist and provide ideas on how to make your house as attractive as possible to potential buyers.

    Lots of competition, one chance to make a great impression.

  • mcnaughton
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    thanks for taking the time to make thoughtful comments!

  • mcnaughton
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I'm now looking for a Sherwin Williams neutral tan but I have to make some accomodation for the carpeting. It is beige with a little pinkish tint. Any paint suggestions? I don't want a yellow-based paint to fight a pinkish tone. Ideas?

  • lyfia
    13 years ago

    Kilim Beige - as mentioned before.

  • logic
    13 years ago

    Beige without a pinkish undertone will only play up the pinkish undertone in the carpet...so IMO, Kilim Beige may not be your best choice.

    Pinkish undertones are very tricky and stubborn to mute with colors that have no pink undertone. In design, split complimentary colors work best to offset undesirable undertones, but that has to consider all of the room decor and involves having a very keen color sense to coordinate effectively...which can be too involved for staging purposes.

    Best bet is to buy a few mini-jars; one of Kilim as well as others that actually have a pink undertone...as analogous colors tend to always look good together due to their common component....and the right shade will fade the undertone into the background. And..don't limit yourself to one brand of paint.

    If none look right, best to invest in advice from a professional color consultant.

  • lyfia
    13 years ago

    Here is my old house that I painted Kilim Beige with a slight pink undertone carpet. Didn't realize it had the pinkish undertone before I painted as it didn't show with the pink/lavender that was there.
    {{!gwi}}

  • coloradomomof5
    13 years ago

    I didn't realize SW Kilim was so popular! I just helped a friend pick out colors for her new house yesterday and Kilim was one she chose for her mudroom and pantry. SW Mocha is another she went with. A little darker, but with the red undertones, is going to look great in her breakfast room! From the lighting at her place, I thought Kilim looked a little "goldish." Anyone else see that in that color? I say that because of the "pink" references above

  • logic
    13 years ago

    That is indeed the problem of trying to get advice about color on the web....monitors often do not show the true color...then, depending upon the flooring, furnishings, lighting, window treatments, etc the color can look very different from one room to the next.

    Even those room painting kiosks and/or manufacturer's programs/apps do not show the true colors...just compare the color sample to the screen and it is usually off.

    That is why one needs to buy little pots of colors that they like and try them out in the room in which they will be used...or hire a professional color consultant to help them decide.

  • lakehousedream
    11 years ago

    Please see the photo of our new lake house. We like blue, but everything is blue!
    You can see the color of the kitchen cabinets, flooring, the cedar trim and cedar tree posts that we have to wok around. Any decorating ideas and color choices appreciated!

  • LuAnn_in_PA
    11 years ago

    This thread is about painting to sell, not picking a paint color for your new house.

    You should post your own thread instead of hijacking an old one.

  • LuAnn_in_PA
    11 years ago

    Posting in the home decorating board would also help you the most!

  • annecyle
    7 years ago

    So rude

  • Kris_MA
    7 years ago

    We used BM Edgecomb Grey throughout a rental, and loved it. I believe it has slightly pink undertones.

  • User
    7 years ago

    I'm repainting the interior of my house a bright white for resale.

  • Denita
    7 years ago

    Bright white works for some properties, but not all. The most common comments I hear when I show a house that is entirely white inside is "how cold/impersonal". It works better with modern decor and lots of artwork. Painting to sell is not about making the property beige - it is about making it a neutral color that enhances the property features. I listed a condo last month that sold in about 4 days and the seller painted the walls blue. Blue is not generally suggested, but it worked for this condo. See below:

  • sushipup1
    7 years ago

    I'd take one look at that blue and say, yuck, needs to be repainted. It probably would have sold in the same time anyway.

  • Denita
    7 years ago

    ^^^That's why blue is not generally suggested! However, I must say it looks different in the space.