Redecorating boosts your house value – but what colours sell best?

When I was just a lad, I convinced my Dad to let me decorate my own room.

Today, as my bank account waves farewell to yet another mortgage payment, I spare my Dad a thought as I think what the orange wallpaper and purple paint did to the value of the family home.

Regular readers may recall my earlier newsletter about green paint in your bedroom. Colour psychologists are convinced it gives you a better sex life (how did they do the research for that? Or are they just being hopeful?).

But some figures from american Estate Agent Zillow caught my eye.
Even bearing in mind that tastes In the US are poorer than ours (hoho), Zillow’s analysis of house prices and colours is interesting. Based on more than 32,000 house sales, homes painted “greige,” (a shade somewhere between light gray and beige) tended to sell for $3,496 more than similar homes in brown or tan.

Blue kitchens (light blue to soft gray-blue) sold for $1,809 more than the average. Yellow kitchens (straw yellow to marigold) sold for $820 less.

Blue/purple bathrooms (light powder blue to periwinkle) sold for $5,440 more, but White bathrooms (off-white or eggshell white) sold for $4,035 less.

Blue bedrooms (light cerulean to cadet blue) sold for $1,856 more, while Pink bedrooms (light pink, to antique rose; often found in kids rooms): home sold for $208 less.

Blue dining rooms (slate blue to pale gray blue) sold for $1,926 more, compared to Red dining rooms (brick red, terracotta, or copper red) which sold for $2,031 less.

Brown living rooms (light beige, pale taupe, oatmeal) sold for $1,809 more, but Blue living rooms (pastel gray, pale silver to light blue, periwinkle) brought in $820 less.

For exteriors, Gray/brown (greige) added an average of $1,526, but Brown exteriors (medium brown, taupe, or stucco) reached $1,970 less.

Front Doors in Gray/blue (navy blue to dark gray or charcoal) brought in $1,514 more on average.

Most of my friends, when I tell them all that, think for a while and then go back to the green section of the paint catalogue. If you are made of more sensible stuff, you may find it useful.

As always, no matter your choice of colour, our mission in life is to do London’s best job of putting it on your walls. Call me on 0208 946 5045 to arrange a quotation.

Best wishes

Geoff Parvin
Daft as a Paintbrush.