Paint colours that’ll boost your home’s value

When December rolls around each year it’s a great time to assess whether your home could use a fresh coat of paint inside or out. This is especially important if you’re looking to sell in 2018.

On warm summer days you can slap on a second coat in next to no time and you may even have some time off to save some coin by doing it yourself over the festive season.

While we know there are many ways to improve the value of your home, the paint colour you chose may not be one of the most obvious one.

Most homeowners assume sticking to a predominantly white paint colour palette is a safe bet. But a paint colour analysis earlier this year by Zillow showed how certain paint colours can positively or negatively impact a home’s sale price, and surprisingly white wasn’t highly rated.

‘Colour can be a powerful tool for attracting buyers to a home, especially in listing photos and videos’, says Svenja Gudell, Zillow’s chief economist.

‘Painting walls in fresh, natural-looking colours, particularly shades of blue and pale grey not only make a home feel larger, but also are neutral enough to help future buyers envision themselves living in the space’, Gudell advises.

If you’re thinking about selling in 2018, these are the paint colours to use in key areas of your home to maximise your sale price.

Bathroom- Powder blue & periwinkle blue

If you’ve only got the budget or time to give one room a fresh lick of paint before you sell, select a pale shade of blue for your bathroom. Zillow’s study revealed that homes with blue bathrooms sold for $5,440 more than expected, the highest sales premium of all colours analysed.

Check out Dulux shades Sea Breeze Half, Foresight and Pre School.

Kitchen- Light blue & soft grey-blue

Homes with light blue or grey-blue wall colour in their kitchens made $1,809 more than expected. Gudell says, ‘incorporating light blue in kitchens and bathrooms may pay off especially well as the colour complements white countertops and cabinets’.

Check out Dulux shades Vanilla Ice Quarter, Airborne and Featherbed.

Bedrooms- Light cerulean blue & cadet blue

Yet another big win for cool shades of blue, bedrooms with light cerulean or cadet blue walls sold for $1,856 more than expected. For a dramatic effect opt for a bold shade of royal blue to enhance a feeling of sophistication and tranquillity in the bedroom.

Check out Dulux shades Blue Oar, Whimsy Half and Blue Satin.

Living rooms- Beige, pale taupe & oatmeal

Living rooms with warmer neutral tones came out on top in the study, where living spaces with light beige, pale taupe or oatmeal coloured walls sold for $1,809 more than expected. These warm neutrals help to create a welcoming and happy vibe in living spaces without being too overpowering.

Check out Dulux shades Bread Crumb, Clay Pipe and Ecru.

Exterior- greige (mix of grey & beige)

Don’t forget the exterior of your home acts as a billboard for your property, drawing potential buyers to look inside. So, it’s important you get the colour scheme spot on before selling. Zillow’s research showed ‘greige’ exterior colour helped homes achieve $1,526 more than expected.

Dulux’s Natural Beauty exterior colour scheme is the perfect timeless look to increase your street appeal. Inspired by tactile elements the scheme features colours drawn from nature with a focus on neutrals, warm greys and charcoals.

‘The Natural Beauty colour scheme achieves a look which is relaxed with colours such as Dulux Vintage Beige, Malay Grey and Domino which can be paired perfectly with materials such as brick, timber and stone,’ says Bree Leech, Creative Consultant and Stylist for Dulux.

Front door- Grey & blue

For an instant lift to your home’s exterior, consider painting your front door a bold shade of blue or grey. Zillow’s study found homes with navy blue, dark grey or charcoal coloured front doors sold for $1,514 more than expected.

Take inspiration from Dulux’s Bright Spot colour palette, which is ideal for mid-century architecture.

‘Experiment with hues to achieve a modern take on architectural colour palettes. Use bold hints of colour such as Dulux High Blue or Go Alpha in architectural details such as the front door, pot plants and even letterboxes,’ Leech says.

Also check out Timeless Grey, Terrace White and Surf’n’dive by Dulux.

We hope these paint colour insights help you to achieve a good result when it comes time to sell.

For more home decor ideas take a look at these paint colour trend predictions for 2018 and low-cost ways to dress up plain white walls.

Happy painting!

The Homely Team