When you’re thinking about paint colors for your new kitchen or bathroom remodel, you might want to look at Zillow’s report on colors in 2017. It delves into which paint colors helped houses to sell for more vs. which colors decreased a home’s market value.
What color cabinets? Find out first
As we’ve mentioned before in this kitchen cabinets blog, it’s likely you won’t stay put in that home where you’re doing your major kitchen or bathroom remodel, because Americans move on average 11 times in a lifetime. For that reason, you might want to remodel with resale in mind, as discussed here. And now this new information from Zillow can help to guide your color decisions, so you’re adding resale value, not detracting from it, when you choose your cabinet or wall colors.
The big bang of blue bathrooms
The 2017 Color Paint Analysis conducted by Zillow is based on a study of over 32,000 photos of homes that sold. From those photos and the sale prices of the homes, the experts at Zillow were able to quantify the effect of room color on a home’s resale value. For example, a light blue or periwinkle bathroom can increase a home’s resale value significantly (by $5,440 according to the study!), while an off-white or eggshell bathroom can decrease the value by several thousand dollars.
And what about kitchens?
The study looked at kitchens too, although that didn’t find the significant price difference like we see with the bathrooms. According to the study, yellow kitchens will lower price while light blue and soft gray blue kitchens will increase the price (by $1,809 on average). In fact, the study found that in general throughout the house distinct colors like yellow and red will decrease the price although not as much as a total lack of color.
Blue has widespread appeal
Note, however, that the upward or downward effect of the color seems to depend on the room. For example, while blue bathrooms can increase the price, blue living rooms tend to decrease the price.
Yet, with the exception of the living room, blue seems to be an appealing color throughout the house. In addition to blue kitchens and bathrooms increasing appeal and sales prices, blue seems to have a positive effect in bedrooms and dining rooms as well. Keep in mind, however, that these are very specific types of blues, such as light cerulean and slate blue and cadet blue, as well as periwinkle in the bathroom. So not just any blue will do!
Although every color choice is on a case-by-case basis and deeply personal, meaning this study shouldn’t dictate your kitchen or bathroom remodel color schemes, it does reiterate the importance of keeping resale in mind should you plan to move again in the future. Kitchen and bathroom remodels can come with a steep price tag, even when you’re saving money by choosing semi custom cabinets. Make sure you get a return on that investment by making wise color and cabinet choices from the start.
FAQs
For example, a light blue or periwinkle bathroom can increase a home's resale value significantly (by $5,440 according to the study!), while an off-white or eggshell bathroom can decrease the value by several thousand dollars.
Do bathroom and kitchen cabinets have to match? ›
While matching cabinets can create a unified look, they can also limit your ability to tailor each space to its specific needs and style. The kitchen and bathroom serve different functions and thus might warrant different cabinetry designs.
What color kitchen decreases home value? ›
On top of X-ing bright reds, steer clear of bright green, bright yellow and pink. Zillow's study found that kitchens painted these colors hurt buyers' intentions to purchase and overall decrease the likelihood of offers. The biggest takeaway here: Red and other bright colors might read too loud for buyers' taste.
What color should I paint my bathroom for resale? ›
What bathroom color is best when selling a house? According to a 2021 Zillow analysis, home buyers love blue bathrooms and reported that they would pay 1.6 percent more for bathrooms with soothing, light blue walls. Other popular choices include neutral colors like gray, off-white, or light yellow.
What color make your house look expensive? ›
Deep, rich colors like navy blue, forest green, and warm red can make a house look expensive.
Should bathroom cabinets be lighter or darker than walls? ›
Painting Bathroom Cabinets
Keep it classic by painting cabinets a shade or two darker than your wall color.
Can bathroom walls and cabinets be the same color? ›
If you see a wall color you love and want to paint your cabinets the same tone, keep the sheen in mind. Most wall colors are in an eggshell finish; however, if you choose a satin finish for your bathroom cabinets, it's going to look different once applied.
What color bathroom cabinets are in? ›
Dark wood, white, black, navy, gray, beige, and light wood are all popular, enduring picks for bathroom cabinets. Shades of blue are also timeless.
What color house is hardest to sell? ›
Brown: Browns are a difficult color to sell, since dark tones can make an interior room feel cramped and can hide details of the exterior in the color.
What color house has the highest resale value? ›
Shades of gray: Gray is the best color to paint your house exterior for resale value right now. From light slate to deep charcoal, gray's versatility lets it pair beautifully with stone, white trim and a multitude of accent colors.
What cabinet color has the best resale value? Most real estate agents will tell sellers that neutral colors will appeal to the widest audience. While white is a very popular color for kitchen cabinets, other neutrals like gray, black, and beige are also good.
What color is most flattering in a bathroom? ›
Even bright whites like Chantilly Lace may be a big mistake when painting a bathroom. What works best in bathrooms are neutral colors like light grays, warmer off-whites, and calming, soft blue-greens. Your current bathroom decor, furniture, and fixtures should inspire paint color ideas.
What is the most popular bathroom color in 2024? ›
1. Serene Blue: A Tranquil Retreat. One of the most popular bathroom paint colors for 2024 is serene blue. This tranquil shade creates a sense of relaxation and calmness, making it the perfect choice for a bathroom design.
What is a timeless color for a bathroom? ›
'To achieve a timeless look in bathrooms, consider drenching your walls, trim, and ceiling in a warm and inviting light beige like Accessible Beige by Sherwin Williams or Edgecomb Gray by Benjamin Moore.
What color adds the most value to a home? ›
1. Warm neutrals. No doubt the most popular advice from color experts is to opt for warm neutral hues to add value to your home. Decorating with neutrals provides a subtle and calming backdrop in the home and pairs well with many different design styles, so it's arguably the most versatile of all palettes.
What bathroom color is timeless? ›
Bathroom color palettes inspired by nature or by classic pairings are often timeless. For example, a neutral color palette of warm whites and soft grays will never go out of style. Similarly, a palette with sage green or coastal blue should stand the test of tie.
