For all the years that you’ve been living in your home, the decor has been all about your personal taste and preferences. But everything changes when you decide to sell. Now, you don’t want to have a home that’s personalized. You need a home that’s neutral, one that your potential buyers can imagine living in.
Your Realtor will advise you on the different things you can do to make your house less personal and more sellable. Aside from decluttering, taking personal photos off the wall, and doing away with extra furniture, one of the things your Realtor may recommend is painting your walls.

A fresh coat of paint will change the appearance of the entire house, making it look fresh, clean, and untouched. But, no matter how many nail holes you spackle, the one thing that potential homebuyers will notice is the paint color.
Does it make them feel welcome? Is it appealing? Or will they have to repaint before they move in? These are all the questions homebuyers ask themselves when they look at your house. You can overcome these objections before they even arise by choosing the right color.
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Feeling lost? Don’t be! Choose from our list of best paint colors for selling a house, and you will get it right every time.
Be Careful with White
White might seem like the best choice for several reasons. It’s light, neutral, and makes a room look bigger. And it’s one of the top design trends for 2022. However, white is a notoriously difficult color to get just right.
There are very few “pure” white paints. Almost every white will have some sort of undertone, either cool or warm. The cool undertones can make a room feel sterile and coldly unwelcoming. The warm undertones can feel dingy or even dirty.
Still, if you’re careful with the shade, white is a great option that will make your home look bigger, brighter, and more appealing to buyers.
Stick to Neutrals
Neutrals are your safest bet. Even if a potential buyer doesn’t love your exact tone of gray, they won’t feel like they have to run out and paint over it like they would, say, fuchsia. Unless you are selling your home as is, you want them to feel like they can move right in with zero to very minimal effort.
You also want potential buyers to imagine their furniture and home decor in your house. This is much easier for them to do when the backdrop is neutral. Sure, you might find a home buyer who loves orange as much as you do, but the best interior paint colors for selling a house are neutrals that will appeal to the general public.
How many paint colors should I use?
As a general rule, you want to stick to as few colors as possible, even if they are all neutrals. Using the same color in more than one area will give your home an overall cohesive feel. It also makes your home seem bigger, since there is an easy flow from one room to the next. And, using just one paint color will also help keep your costs down, since buying your paint in bulk is much less expensive than buying multiple gallons of different colors.
In an open space layout, such as a combination living/dining room or a kitchen that opens into a family room, you should use the same paint color for the entire area. For individual rooms that are not part of the main living area, for example, bathrooms or bedrooms, you can add some variety with different colors. Keep in mind, however, that even in these rooms the best interior paint colors for selling a house are neutrals.
Which color should I choose?
The best colors are neutrals, but which one? For 2021, the general consensus for best interior paint colors for selling a house are shades of greige. Greige is a combination of gray and beige, more sophisticated than an old-fashioned beige and at the same time more welcoming than a somber gray.
Traditional gray is also a good neutral, in a deeper hue such as pewter. To make it more interesting and less formal, use a gray with a blue undertone. You can easily pair this color with blue decor accents (throw pillows, artwork), which appeals equally to male and female buyers.
Beige is not as chic as the currently trendy gray/greige colors, but it is also a popular choice for neutrals. For homebuyers, it is a safe color, and one that they know that they can paint over quite easily, should they choose to do so.
Agents Compete, You Win.
Painting Smaller Areas

You can also paint smaller rooms in different colors, for variety and visual appeal. Neutrals are always a safe bet, but you can also have some fun with colors.
Bathrooms
Pale blue is a great option for making a smaller room, such as a bathroom or laundry room, feel lighter, friendlier, and more spacious. Avoid white — houses with white bathrooms on average sold for $4,035 less.
Kitchens
The heart of a house, you can have fun with paint or accent colors in the kitchen. A light, almost neutral green (think mint or soft sage) is a great way to enhance a kitchen. Or, play it safe with a white or gray neutral.
Choosing the Right Finish
After you’ve picked out the paint color, you will need to decide on the finish. Most paints are available in gloss, satin, or eggshell finishes. Occasionally a manufacturer will also throw in sheens such as semi-gloss or matte. Typically, the glossier the paint, the easier it is to wipe clean, so it’s best for areas with high traffic or which tend to get soiled more often.
- Glossy Finish: best for busy parts of the house such as the kitchen and bathrooms
- Satin Finish (very slight gloss): good for large, highly used areas such a living room
- Eggshell Finish (almost matte): best used in bedrooms and other rooms that aren’t as busy
Don’t Forget the Trim
Painting the walls is a great start, but then you need to take it one step further. To really make your job stand out, you need to paint the trim. Trim includes anything that isn’t the actual walls: crown molding, baseboard, and door and window frames.
The best color for these is usually a bright white with a gloss or sheen. If you painted your walls white, choose a different shade of white (with a different undertone) so that the trim still stands out.
Choosing the best interior paint colors for selling a house can get you more offers and more money. If you’re not sure about which color to choose, a professional real estate agent can give invaluable advice. Find your Realtor through UpNest — our free service will connect you with 3-5 of the top real estate agents in your local market.
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What is the best color to paint when selling a house?
When you’re painting your house to sell, you’ll want to stick with neutral or earthy tones, though you can choose white, beiges, greys, or even off-white colors. Depending on the room, you can even choose neutral shades of blue or green (like in the kitchen). You’ll also want to avoid white in bathrooms.
What are best interior paint colors for resale?
According to experts, blue is generally the best color for resale. Though it depends on room and shade, painting in neutral shades of blue often adds value to rooms like the kitchen and bathroom. White is often perceived as boring and can lower the value of certain rooms.
FAQs
What are the home colors for 2022? ›
Every color of the year 2022 is either a green or a blue shade. Pantone, Behr & Dulux chose a blue 2022 color of the year. With Pantone opting for the most vibrant blue (and almost purple) shade. And Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams and PPG chose a green color of the year 2022.
What is the most popular wall color 2022? ›The most popular neutral interior paint color of 2022 is Pure White by Sherwin-Williams. This popular neutral wall color is beloved by interior designers for any room.
What is the best color to paint a house to sell? ›When you're painting your house to sell, you'll want to stick with neutral or earthy tones, though you can choose white, beiges, greys, or even off-white colors. Depending on the room, you can even choose neutral shades of blue or green (like in the kitchen). You'll also want to avoid white in bathrooms.
What color adds the most value to a home? ›"Generally, going with neutral colors like shades of white, beige, taupe, and grays lead to a faster sale," she shares. "Neutral colors are also more appealing to potential buyers because many want the creative freedom of a blank canvas to add their personal touches to when looking for a new place to call home.
What color is replacing gray? ›Brown neutrals commonly appear in spaces like living rooms where it makes sense for leather or wood furniture to be. But the experts told Insider that you can make brown work anywhere in a home if you know what you're doing.
Is GREY still popular in 2022? ›Navy and gray are on the way out
The report also highlighted a declining interest in navy (down 43%), mustard yellow (down 27%), and light gray (down 25%). Yes, while gray has seen an uninterrupted reign over recent paint trends, its reign may conclude in 2022.
Trend towards warm neutrals.
Warm whites and beiges create a neutral backdrop, while still feeling cozy." She recommends Sherwin-Williams' Accessible Beige and Shoji White, two "warm neutrals" that contrast with the last decade's obsession with cool grays and whites.
Are white walls going out of style? White walls are pretty classic but are definitely still on trend. While dark, moody walls are very popular, white is the light and bright neutral option that is most on trend at the moment!
What is the living room color for 2022? ›Green, grey, and navy are the most popular living room colours for 2022. New research by Swyft Home found that we are making bolder choices in our living spaces, embracing bright and rich shades, as well as some more unexpected colours.
What color is most appealing to the outside when selling a house on the market? ›Neutral Colors
Neutral colors don't offend and are kind to the senses. They offer a neutral backdrop so that the potential buyers can visualize their belongings in your home. Neutral colors are also light, bright, and welcoming which will go a long way to help sell your home.
What should you not fix when selling a house? ›
- Fixing cosmetic damage. ...
- Updating kitchens and bathrooms. ...
- Doing partial fixes. ...
- Repainting in trendy colours. ...
- Renovating beyond your suburb's norm.
"Blues, grays, greens, and whites are timeless, calming colors that allow potential buyers to see a home as a fresh, clean slate. They can then picture themselves, and their personal furnishings, filling the space to make memories in years to come."
What makes a house more sellable? ›Take down the drapes, clean the windows, change the lampshades, increase the wattage of your light bulbs and cut the bushes outside to let in sunshine. Do what you have to do make your house bright and cheery – it will make it more sellable. A secret sale killer is hiring the wrong broker.
Should entire house be painted same color? ›As a general rule of thumb, you should never paint your entire home one singular color. That isn't to say that you can't use the same color in some capacity throughout your entire home; however, it shouldn't be the primary wall color in every room.
Is beige coming back in 2022? ›"Over the past few years, we've seen neutrals start to warm up and sustainability and organic living emerge as key design trends. This will culminate in 2022 with tones like taupes, beiges, biscuits, and mushrooms taking center stage, along with nature-inspired hues, particularly greens," says Wadden.
Are beige walls outdated? ›America's decades-long love affair with cool gray tones may officially be over. Beige is back to bring a warm, soothing vibe to our homes, according to PPG's 2021 Palette of the Year.
Is beige the new grey? ›That's right – Beige is the new grey, and we're here to make sure you get the memo! The first thing you'll notice is, slowly but surely, stores will begin stocking more beige and neutral colours than before. This homely shade is sure to warm up your interior, and encourage spring to show.
Can you have too much grey in a house? ›Gray can be depressing
“Too much of a gray color creates sadness and a tendency for loneliness and isolation,” says Marlene De Cespedes with Douglas Elliman. Instead, incorporate different tones, textures, and finishes of white, ivory, and sand into the space to make it look “elegant, fresh, airy, and chic,” she says.
White is an enduring favorite with homeowners, and it's not hard to see why. "Whites can do a tremendous amount to lighten up a room, make a small space feel larger, or provide a blank canvas for any design style," explains Erika Woelfel, VP of color at Behr Paints.
Is GREY paint going out of style? ›What shades of paint should you be using in 2022? Phew, so the consensus is that gray is still in style.
What colors are popular right now? ›
...
10 trending color combinations for 2021
- Sage and turmeric. ...
- Brown and red. ...
- Pastel green and light blue. ...
- Teal and red. ...
- Olive and terracotta. ...
- Mustard and wine. ...
- Petrol blue and blush pink.
- Foreboding Black. 1/7. ...
- Tree Green. 2/7. ...
- Citrusy Green. 3/7. ...
- Blinding Bright Yellow. 4/7. ...
- Dingy Dark Brown. 5/7. ...
- Overpowering Purple. 6/7. ...
- Not So Pretty in Pink. 7/7.
These days, black exteriors are trending and Tricorn Black is a modern choice for a house body or siding color. Indeed, painting your house black can be an option for more contemporary home styles.
Should I paint the interior of my house before selling? ›Painting a home's interior could raise the sale price by 1 to 3 percent. On the list of things to do before selling your house, painting the interior is a guaranteed way to freshen up the inside without taking on significant renovations or extra costs.
How do I make my house look good to sell? ›- Declutter – but don't depersonalise. ...
- A fresh lick of paint. ...
- Fix and clean. ...
- Update the kitchen. ...
- Light and airy. ...
- Light a fire. ...
- Make it look pretty. ...
- Get the right smells.
Things To Fix Before Selling Your House
The most high-return home value additions you can make include a thorough decluttering, a deep cleaning, a fresh coat of interior paint, a landscaping spruce-up and energy efficiency improvements.
Factors that make a home unsellable "are the ones that cannot be changed: location, low ceilings, difficult floor plan that cannot be easily modified, poor architecture," Robin Kencel of The Robin Kencel Group at Compass in Connecticut, who sells homes between $500,000 and $28 million, told Business Insider.
What color front door sells best? ›And for anyone thinking about selling their home, there's one shade you should consider first and foremost: black. The high-contrast color can help you sell your home for $6,449 more, according to the brand's 2022 research, which surveyed prospective homebuyers across the country.
What exterior colors make a small house look bigger? ›Choose light colors
Making the exterior of your home a light color is the best way to make your home look larger, brighter, and more inviting. Light colors such as white, ivory, pale gray, and sage green reflect higher amounts of light than dark colors, tricking the eye into perceiving the home as larger than it is.
- Linen. Conjuring a classic look with a strong neutral tone, such as beige, can transform your home's exterior into something sharp and exciting. ...
- Gray Heron. ...
- Caramelized Pears. ...
- Flagstone. ...
- Autumn Red. ...
- Snow. ...
- Red Rock Falls. ...
- Earth Tones Combo.
What colours are on trend for living rooms 2022? ›
Green, grey, and navy are the most popular living room colours for 2022. New research by Swyft Home found that we are making bolder choices in our living spaces, embracing bright and rich shades, as well as some more unexpected colours.
What is the new decorating trend for 2022? ›For furniture design trends in 2022, look for curves, texture, and comfort. You'll see lots of curved chairs, sofas with gently sloping arms, and round poufs in velvet, linen, and nubby boucle fabrics. In addition to natural wood tones and vintage pieces, we'll also see a return of black accent pieces.
What is the new neutral wall color 2022? ›Trend towards warm neutrals.
Warm whites and beiges create a neutral backdrop, while still feeling cozy." She recommends Sherwin-Williams' Accessible Beige and Shoji White, two "warm neutrals" that contrast with the last decade's obsession with cool grays and whites.
And for anyone thinking about selling their home, there's one shade you should consider first and foremost: black. The high-contrast color can help you sell your home for $6,449 more, according to the brand's 2022 research, which surveyed prospective homebuyers across the country.
What is Sherwin Williams color of the Year 2022? ›SW 9130 (215-C4)
Introducing Evergreen Fog SW 9130, the 2022 Sherwin-Williams Color of the Year. Embrace a new beginning with a cool and soothing gray-green hue.
Exterior house colors that will make you want to paint in 2022. This year, nature is the word in exterior home color schemes, according to design blog Brick and Batten. Think muted forest greens, olives, and calm neutrals in gray, blue, and tan. For more inspiration, check out Benjamin Moore's Color by Region feature.
Is grey paint going out of style? ›What shades of paint should you be using in 2022? Phew, so the consensus is that gray is still in style.
Are white walls in Style 2022? ›White walls are pretty classic but are definitely still on trend. While dark, moody walls are very popular, white is the light and bright neutral option that is most on trend at the moment!
What trend is replacing farmhouse? ›Cottagecore. The new hot style that is on the rise is Cottagecore. According to an article published on realtor.com, “While slightly similar, this trend is replacing the popular modern farmhouse trend, which may be on its way out, according to designers.
Are accent walls out of style in 2022? ›Accent walls have been in and out of style in the past but they are looking to be very popular in 2022. If this is not something you have tried before, it's a great option for your next home project.
Is carpet Coming Back in Style 2022? ›
Carpet is making a welcome comeback for 2022. Whichever room you are decorating, it's worth making a fuss of the floor. In a living room, we recommend a statement rug or carpet. Not only will it ground the room but it can serve as the starting point from which to build the scheme.
What are the top colors for 2022? ›- Pantone's Very Peri. ...
- Sherwin-Williams' Evergreen Fog. ...
- Sherwin-Williams' Evergreen Fog. ...
- HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams' Aleutian. ...
- HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams' Aleutian. ...
- Behr's Breezeway. ...
- Behr's Breezeway. ...
- Valspar's Gilded Linen.
- of 15. Pantone's Very Peri. ...
- of 15. Periwinkle Blue. ...
- of 15. Benjamin Moore's October Mist. ...
- of 15. Sherwin Williams' Evergreen Fog. ...
- of 15. Moody Hues. ...
- of 15. Benjamin Moore's Raccoon Fur. ...
- of 15. Vibrant and Earthy Hues. ...
- of 15. Warm Neutrals.
"Over the past few years, we've seen neutrals start to warm up and sustainability and organic living emerge as key design trends. This will culminate in 2022 with tones like taupes, beiges, biscuits, and mushrooms taking center stage, along with nature-inspired hues, particularly greens," says Wadden.