Colors that sell a house

[Barb_]

As some of you may remember, our house was gutted by fire back in August. We're living in an insurance paid rental on the next block, but thinking of just moving to another state once the house is done so we don't have to hassle with moving furniture. If we decide to do this, I will be choosing colors and finishes based on what other people want rather than on what I want. I'd originally planned to do a poll, and still may do it once the choices are narrowed. Will you guys answer these questions for me? Answer as many questions as you feel like and feel free to share reasons for your answers. Everything will help. I'm totally overwhelmed. Thank you!!

 

Your age (decade is fine if it's tmi):

 

Main paint color (bonus points for brand and color name or number):

 

Cabinet color in kitchens:

 

Countertop material and color:

 

Appliance color:

 

Wood look plank tile (wood in AZ doesn't do as well) color family:

 

And a couple of non-color related questions:

 

Carpet or tile upstairs?

 

Garden tub/separate shower or larger shower in master bath?

 

Ideal window treatments:

Edited April 2, 2017 by Barb_

[Barb_]

Also links or photos would be lovely!

[Ottakee]

What type of house? What market are you targeting? Moderate? More high end? Starter home?

[Bambam]

Your age (decade is fine if it's tmi): 5x

Main paint color (bonus points for brand and color name or number): outside - creamy tan & brick; inside - most rooms tan (desert tan, I believe) formerly a darker tan with a green tint - too dark from previous homeowner, dining room and foyer light blue, dining room ceiling is a red that matched former owner's china, crown molding and trims all glossy white, ceilings match wall color

Cabinet color in kitchens: darker brown around the edges (cherry) (do not do this in cherry, the slightest dent will show), tan for island cabinets

Countertop material and color: - granite - mixture of dark browns

Appliance color: - stainless

Wood look plank tile (wood in AZ doesn't do as well) color family: - dark (living, foyer, dining) ceramic tile in kitchen & baths (light tan with lighter grout). 

And a couple of non-color related questions:

Carpet or tile upstairs? - Carpet upstairs (just one gameroom, everything else downstairs), carpet in bedrooms downstairs

Garden tub/separate shower or larger shower in master bath? - jetted tub (hate them) and separate shower in master bath. I like the walk in shower, I wish it were larger/longer so a door would not be needed. 

Ideal window treatments:  ?? Yeah, after four houses and 32 years of marriage, I still don't know. We usually end up with wood blinds. Curtain house came with long drapes too - and we've pretty much left them. Lady was a decorator, so it looks good. 

[Guest]

What is the basic style of your house?  Contemporary?  Traditional?  Southwest?  I like all of the styles, but what I like best is that a house looks like it belongs to itself, like it was *meant* to be this way.  It has aesthetic integrity.  

 

I don't know how to answer without that info--but that won't stop me from writing a long wordy response.  

 

Re: tile/carpet upstairs.  Bathrooms, tile, but the rest--where there is a lot of walking, it can be really noisy.  So if you get it, make sure you put in noise insulation, too.  At least if you are going to live there.  :0)

 

Re: the tub/shower:  is there another tub in the house?  If so, I would feel comfortable going with either the big shower or the 5 piece bath.  But a house has to have a tub.  

 

Countertop:  We got granite on the counters at our beach house but I really wish we had gotten quartz, not so much because I hated the granite, but it felt "heavy" for a beach house.  I think people like lighter interiors  in their kitchens now, and especially in a sunny area.  Unless you are going all "dim rooms Southwestern."  And I have a soft heart toward things that look like they have come from the native environment...so whatever color the desert-y areas around you are, go into that tone.  If you have brick or natural stone in your house, pick up something of the color in that, and don't be afraid to go a little saturated on the color...otherwise the walls look too out of step with the "weight" of the stone.  

 

I am not a fan of the recent trend toward gray everything and that includes the gray-stained wood look for floors.  I find it incredibly depressing and, again, heavy.  That could be because we see enough gray in the skies in our neck of the woods, but...  The other thing about wood plank:  if you like the "wide board" look, be sure to get it so there aren't big (intentional) gaps between the boards.  It is so hard to keep clean, and it always looks like *someone* oughtta vacuum.  

 

I can't name a specific paint color but I would look for warm tones, not cool ones, and soft (if colorful) ones, at least for the neutral parts of the house.  Someone can paint a room sunflower yellow, and I've seen it look terrific...but it is not to everyone's taste. 

 

Appliances:  I don't know what to tell you.  I know stainless is falling out of favor at this point, but it's what I would still prefer, for these reasons:  on the dishwasher, the wood panel made to match the cabinets gets tacky looking pretty quick, and often, the moisture ruins the finish and even the joints.  It is also a PITB to match when the stupid thing breaks, and it can limit your selection of the replacement appliance.  I don't mind the glass-black look on the dishwasher and stove, but it is too much like a black hole on a big ol' refrigerator.  it is like a black hole in the kitchen.  Maybe the two smaller appliances can be glass black and the fridge stainless.  I'll never again buy a white appliance.  The plastic on the handle ages at a different rate than the plastic attachment panels and the steel-painted-white doors stay white so you have three colors of white and it looks grubby.  

 

It's kind of an interesting project, isn't it? to decorate to "neutral" and "non-expression."  I found it odd when we re-painted our house/s to sell them.  It was sort of depressing, in a way.  The people who bought our "forever home just kidding" moved in and 5 minutes later painted the exterior a "popular" color.  It looks awful.  The brick is a strong orange-brown tone, and the paint looked great when it picked up on that.  But they painted the house a brown gray popular color and now the brick looks dated and it sort of makes your eyes hurt to look at the house.  (They did some very cool stuff inside, though.). 

 

Oh, and I'm almost 60.  

 

 

 

 

[creekland]

What colors sell?  According to HGTV shows we watch (House Hunter types) it seems to be whatever the opposite is of potential buyers walking through...

 

Hubby and I buy on location, location, location and any great view beats pretty much anything inside a house once bedrooms are accounted for.  We're even willing to bend on bedrooms if necessary to fit our budget.

 

I have no real idea what I would go for if building my own TBH.  I think I'd be looking at pics.  If for sale, I think I'd seriously contemplate offering it unfinished with an amount to pick the colors/styles the buyer wanted (and if they wanted more than that amount, they could add it in or negotiate).  If I were picky, that option would be far more attractive to me than hoping whoever fixed it up chose what I liked.

 

ETA:  I HATE stainless except for sinks (and would require a deep double sink in the kitchen rather than a single one).  Stainless reminds me of institutional...  I also hate new "bowl type" sinks in the bathroom.

 

Noting how many others love the opposite, I still think letting a future buyer pick could be ideal.

Edited April 2, 2017 by creekland

[Guest]

What colors sell?  According to HGTV shows we watch (House Hunter types) it seems to be whatever the opposite is of potential buyers walking through...

 

snip

 

THIS.  You made me laugh right out loud.  

 

We were told that the baked-adobe color we had in the kitchen/family room was too "intense".  

We painted it a slightly less-red, slightly lighter color called "leather."  Boring, and not strong enough to balance the enormous hearth on the other side of the kitchen.  

 

But I have had three people tell me that they went out and painted their kitchens the baked-adobe because they loved it so much.  

 

Le sigh.  

 

I am totally with you on the bathroom sinks.  There is no reason anyone ever should install anything but an undermount.  :0)    (Bossy me.)

 

[Bambam]

I would go check out any new construction that sorta fit the house style/location/appeal and try to match those colors. If, that is, there is much new construction in your area. 

Edited April 2, 2017 by Bambam

[Carol in Cal.]

I agree with the advice to go visit new construction.  That is being designed for immediate sale so you can get an idea of what is popular locally.

 

Realtors around here advise stainless kitchen appliances.  I personally hate those but there you have it.

Also, granite counters are popular, with dark cabinets below and light colored ones about the counter level.

I'm seeing a lot of greys mixed with earthtones in open houses.  Lots of white walls to make rooms look bigger.

Focus on window treatments, even in empty houses, but kind of sterile looking ones to my taste--big wale blinds, for instance.

Industrial looking tables in the kitchen, sometimes with those big locking wheels and often barn wood table tops.

Live edge is very trendy right now.

 

 

[TechWife]

I'm getting my parents' house ready to sell. This is what I chose: 

 

Exterior: 

grey siding

white trim

black shutters

red door

 

Interior: 

"honeyed white" Sherwin Williams for walls

white for ceiling and trim

 

 

 

 

[LucyStoner]

 

 

 

I'm 36.  

 

Main paint color (bonus points for brand and color name or number): Gray or blue with a red door.  

Cabinet color in kitchens: white wood, perhaps with darker or gray lower cabinets.  

Countertop material and color: dark stone

Appliance color: white or black or a fun color BUT I know I am in the minority on this and stainless is the most popular with buyers.  

Wood look plank tile (wood in AZ doesn't do as well) color family: I'm flexible  I've seen both dark and light work with the cabinets I like.  

 

And a couple of non-color related questions:

 

Carpet or tile upstairs?  Tile upstairs would be weird where I live but I imagine nice in AZ.  I would prefer wood or carpet though.  But I am so not in the AZ climate.  

Garden tub/separate shower or larger shower in master bath? Larger showers seem to be the trend though my preference would be for a nice soaking tub and a separate shower.  

Ideal window treatments: I wouldn't worry about putting these up to sell the house.  Buyers can order their own preference when they close.  

Edited April 2, 2017 by LucyStoner

[TeenagerMom]

As some of you may remember, our house was gutted by fire back in August. We're living in an insurance paid rental on the next block, but thinking of just moving to another state once the house is done so we don't have to hassle with moving furniture. If we decide to do this, I will be choosing colors and finishes based on what other people want rather than on what I want. I'd originally planned to do a poll, and still may do it once the choices are narrowed. Will you guys answer these questions for me? Answer as many questions as you feel like and feel free to share reasons for your answers. Everything will help. I'm totally overwhelmed. Thank you!!

 

Your age (decade is fine if it's tmi): 37

 

Main paint color (bonus points for brand and color name or number):  Mine are currently a mocha but I am getting ready to go with a lighter sand color....Greige is VERY popular now.

 

Cabinet color in kitchens:  White. I would never buy a house without white cabinets again.

 

Countertop material and color:  When we build, we are doing a concrete or soapstone countertop.  Granite is on the way out and a PITA to clean.

 

Appliance color:  White.  I don't do fingerprints.

 

Wood look plank tile (wood in AZ doesn't do as well) color family: Our's is handscraped Hickory.  Lighter colors show more dirt.

 

And a couple of non-color related questions:

 

Carpet or tile upstairs?  carpet more than likely because if the house settles, you could have cracking with tile

 

Garden tub/separate shower or larger shower in master bath?  large shower if there is  another bathroom with a tub

 

Ideal window treatments: vertical wood blinds  or windows with the shades built into the panes.

 

 

[madteaparty]

No carpet ever :)

[Mothersweets]

Barb, have you ever watched Fixer Upper? http://www.hgtv.com/shows/fixer-upper. Watch a season and you'll know exactly what to do! :) I'm 48 and in AZ, too. 

[LifeLovePassion]

We have natural cherry, mission style cabinets. Black honed granite countertops, red River hickory CoreTec throughout the main level except bathroom. The stairs are getting carpet...Flax seed is the color I could check brand. Most of our walls are khaki color, the accent wall is a brighter green with an off white painted trim thorough out. We did 3 panel painted doors. I am going to get White linen look curtains from Ikea (rivka I think). I vote stainless appliances, I found some amazing wipes to clean them.

 

I will see if I can post pics.

 

Of do a comfort height toilet and vanity. I love them. We did natural maple for the vanity in the same mission style as the kitchen.

[LifeLovePassion]

Dp

Edited April 3, 2017 by LifeLovePassion

[sassenach]

Farmhouse, light neutrals are what it's all about. Go onto pinterest and search neutral paint. You will find an entire pallette. 

 

White kitchen cabinets are IN.

 

Marble countertops seem to be making a comeback, but I would stick with granite.

 

Large farm sink.

 

Stainless steel is still safest, though I also prefer black.

 

I wouldn't put in any window treatments.

 

Carpet upstairs.

 

I'm in my 30's

[LifeLovePassion]

Dp

[sassenach]

Just wanted to add that we just went through the house shopping process and the houses I liked the most (paint wise) had one light neutral throughout the whole house. They were homey without imposing their color will on me. I felt like I could move in and not feel the need to paint right away, and that whatever I painted would coordinate with the existing color. If that makes sense. 

[sassenach]

Repose gray by sherwin williams comes to mind.

[PollyOR]

53 - can I just say that I HATE gray?   :laugh:

 

But then, I live in the PNW where every day has been overcast for months.  I know gray is the "in" color for paint, but I seriously loathe it.

[creekland]

Just wanted to add that we just went through the house shopping process and the houses I liked the most (paint wise) had one light neutral throughout the whole house. They were homey without imposing their color will on me. I felt like I could move in and not feel the need to paint right away, and that whatever I painted would coordinate with the existing color. If that makes sense. 

 

This is what we do with our rental properties.  The tenant can then add any paint they want (at their expense) if they want something else.

 

I think going with light neutral paint would be basic enough to appeal to all.  I still say on the rest one is taking their chances.  White anything turns me off (appliances, cabinets, etc) if I have another similar choice without it.  Same with stainless (except sinks) and granite (too much care required).

 

What appeals to one, turns another off.  IMO, fixing up to sell is risky compared to letting a buyer pick their own choices.  Even with new construction, buyers often prefer to add their own touches on appliances, sinks, flooring, and similar.  (Hubby works with a client who does tons of new construction.)

[Lawyer&Mom]

Spend an hour or two studying your local listings on Zillow or Redfin. Current houses, and ones that sold in the last six months or so. You'll quickly find that some houses, regardless of decade, look neutral and fresh while others look hopelessly dated. Save the pictures you like, then steal, steal, steal. Your paint store should be able to help you find reasonable approximations of any color schemes that jump out at you. I'm dreaming about redecorating and I find the listings in my neighborhood that have been done well provide tons of inspiration.

[Guest]

Repose gray by sherwin williams comes to mind.

Our whole house, minus the kid's rooms, is Repose Gray. I love it and it is very neutral.

Edited April 3, 2017 by Moxie

[Peaceseeker]

Try Pale Oak by Benjamin Moore for a nice light neutral 'greige'. This blog has some photos...

 

http://www.mysimplysimple.com/pale-oak-for-the-win/

[minuway]

We are working on buying a house now, so doing lots of house shopping. Its true that many people like to put their own touches on a house, but if you can paint the entire house a neutral, warm tone, that goes a long way with not much money. I can see how it might not pay in some respects to redo a kitchen, but from my perspective, I would much prefer to buy a house that has a fairly new / nice kitchen. I like dark wood or white cabinets, butcher board/ quartz/ light granite counters, and black or stainless appliances. I prefer wood throughout, although newer carpet in the bedrooms would be fine with me.

 

 

Edited April 3, 2017 by minuway

[Barb_]

Cool, cool. I've gotta go feed my kids so I'll be back later to read your responses in detail. Here is a little bit more detail:

 

The house is California craftsman style on the outside. Unusual for where we live and that's why we bought it. This model is very popular in my neighborhood but there were only four of this elevation and I'd like to play up the style. It's 11 years old and the interior was becoming dated, but I liked it anyway. I'm not fixing it up to sell, but must spend the insurance money or lose it so I guess I'll fix it up for the people likely to buy it.

 

I did check out the models and it seems like everything is painted gray with splashes of blue or yellow or lime green with white cabinets and white subway tile backsplash. I wondered if this was something being foisted upon us by designers or if everyone but me is into it lol

 

It's weird because the listings in the neighborhood seem to still be done is mostly warm colors such as the ones that were popular when we bought here and the models look completely different. So I'm confused and overwhelmed.

 

I'll see if I can post a couple of pictures of the house.

[Barb_]

Here if you scroll down, this is pretty typical of most of the models:

 

http://www.avhomesinc.com/community_happening/8-decorating-tips-from-an-interior-design-pro/

 

Do you guys like or dislike this style and why?

Edited April 3, 2017 by Barb_

[IfIOnly]

53 - can I just say that I HATE gray? :laugh:

 

But then, I live in the PNW where every day has been overcast for months. I know gray is the "in" color for paint, but I seriously loathe it.

I mostly feel the same, except I do really like gray balanced with chestnut brown accents like this: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/82a11e9301884f56_8957-w500-h400-b0-p0--traditional-family-room.jpg

 

It has such an earthy, relaxing feel. But Gray with bright white trim not balanced with Brown just feels cold to me.

Edited April 3, 2017 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[Barb_]

I mostly feel the same, except paired with chestnut brown highlights like this: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/82a11e9301884f56_8957-w500-h400-b0-p0--traditional-family-room.jpg

 

It has such an earthy, relaxing feel. But Gray with bright white trim not balanced with Brown just feels cold to me.

Same, but I REALLY like what you linked.

[footballmom]

I'm early 40's.  My most favorite color is Edgecomb Gray by Benjamin Moore.  It is not really a gray - maybe greige is better description? But very neutral and pretty.  LOVE it.  Revere Pewter is also pretty, but a shade darker.

 

Kitchen is medium cherry cabinets with New Venetian Gold granite counters.  Appliances are stainless steel.  Wood color is Gunstock, but in a wider plank.  

 

For upstairs flooring, are you trying to decide for bedrooms or hallway?  We have hardwood in the hallway and carpet in the bedrooms.  If cost wasn't an issue, I would love hardwood in the bedroom or that super cool tile that looks like weathered wood planks.  Love that!

[umsami]

I'm late 40s.

 

I like yellows over greys.  Sherwin Williams Butter Up is lovely.

 

Stainless steel appliances are still in.

 

I prefer lighter wood cabinets/floors, but I usually see cherry.  

 

Two of my neighbors have ripped out their garden tubs for massive showers (think rainshower head and multiple shower heads/nozzles).  I think that might be a thing.  I personally love a tub, but a lot of people never use them and regret the space.

Edited April 3, 2017 by umsami

[Shellydon]

Age: 40 ish

 

Wall color:  Agreeable Gray by Sherwin Williams

Cabinet Color-- Dover White by Sherwin Williams

Accent color-- Sage Gray by Behr

Counters-- Quartz in light color

Appliances-- stainless

[prairiewindmomma]

I like the styles shown on Centsational Girl (she lives in CA), and Fixer Upper.  If I find more time, I'll come back to post specific colors.  

 

stainless steel appliances

quartz countertops

white kitchen cabinets

 

 

For your house style, have you looked at encaustic tile? There are some affordable versions in the major home stores now. 

[cjzimmer1]

i'm in my 40's but I'm pretty sure what I like isn't what would appeal to the most buyers.  First off I really hate neutral colors, I like lots of bright bold colors.  When we looked at houses to buy, all we saw was tan, brown, beige and boring boring boring.  We looked at multiple houses but the thought of having to repaint every room and redo every floor just to get some colors turned us off from buying any houses and we just went and hired someone to build us one so we could pick out our colors.  So conventional advice of painting neutral is what turned us off as potential buyers.  I could have lived with bright colors I didn't like as much better than 10 shades of beige.

 

My house is blue, there are several hundred houses in my area and exactly 2 are blue.  My kitchen, diningg, and living room are all open together and are a slate blue theme.  The walls are sponged rolled in two tones of blue, carpet in the living room and vinyl in the kitchen and ding room.  I know many people like wood or imitation wood but I live in the north and those floors are just too darned cold to walk on in the winter.  You are in a warmer climate and I might not object to them as much there. 

 

The rest of my house, I have a room with forest green carpet and mint green walls hand sponged with a forest green paint, another done in slate blue with burgandy curtains, maroon carpet with 3 shades of pink sponged rolled on the walls and dark purple curtains (and purple and pink decorations on the walls).  One bathroom is light blue the other is lavender and light green.  Downstairs the main area has rose colored carpeting (with flecks of blue and green) and pink walls, the toyroom is blue and another bedroom has a medium green carpet and is painted a sandy rose. there is no white paint anywhere in my house except a few ceilings I haven't gotten around to painting (yes I even paint my ceilings a light color) and no neutral flooring.  Can you tell I like color?

 

I do use kitchen/bath paint everywhere in the house.  It's more durable to being scrubbed and with kids in the house, all the walls need to be scrubbed from time to time.

 

I despise stainless steel (and white cabinets for that matter) both show dirt/smudges way too easy and make me feel like I'm in an institution.

 

Bathrooms I would like to see some kind of vinyl or tile flooring.   I like carpeting for the warmth factor but I no many people are against it.

Edited April 3, 2017 by cjzimmer1

[Seasider]

Lots of good advice already - I echo the recommendation to follow trends currently on the market in your area, particularly in new home construction. Personally, I like grey as a background/palette for warm, bright furnishings and accessories. Natural elements (wood, stone, quartz) seem to be trending.

 

Also, be careful not to make selections that will make your house too expensive for your very specific neighborhood. I believe this can be a common trap in renovations, like adding top of the line everything and then ending up being the most expensive house in the neighborhood.

[Guest]

Can you put it on the market without paint and let a buyer choose the colors? Or will the idea of the fire scare people off? Idk.

[Barb_]

Can you put it on the market without paint and let a buyer choose the colors? Or will the idea of the fire scare people off? Idk.

Hmm, I don't know. You mean just white? Well, it has to be painted and the insurance is paying for it, so I don't think I'd want to do that. Plus the entryway had a cool curvy staircase we'll put back in. You don't really notice the architectural details with white. And then it would cost a buyer a few thousand to paint the entire interior. I'm thinking to go with a popular neutral and then let them paint over whatever they don't like.

[Barb_]

What type of house? What market are you targeting? Moderate? More high end? Starter home?

 

Higher end, but not custom.  3K sqft, master planned community, oldest houses 2002, still building.  Here is a photo of our model and elevation, but not our house. 

 

https://dmbinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/67.jpg

[Barb_]

What colors sell?  According to HGTV shows we watch (House Hunter types) it seems to be whatever the opposite is of potential buyers walking through...

 

Hubby and I buy on location, location, location and any great view beats pretty much anything inside a house once bedrooms are accounted for.  We're even willing to bend on bedrooms if necessary to fit our budget.

 

I have no real idea what I would go for if building my own TBH.  I think I'd be looking at pics.  If for sale, I think I'd seriously contemplate offering it unfinished with an amount to pick the colors/styles the buyer wanted (and if they wanted more than that amount, they could add it in or negotiate).  If I were picky, that option would be far more attractive to me than hoping whoever fixed it up chose what I liked.

 

ETA:  I HATE stainless except for sinks (and would require a deep double sink in the kitchen rather than a single one).  Stainless reminds me of institutional...  I also hate new "bowl type" sinks in the bathroom.

 

Noting how many others love the opposite, I still think letting a future buyer pick could be ideal.

 

I don't think that will be an option since the insurance co. is paying the builder.  I can ask our adjuster if we can leave out the paint and appliances and just offer a sum toward customizing those things.  But let's just assume for now that it isn't possible. 

 

What do you mean "bowl type" sinks? Link?

 

[Barb_]

What is the basic style of your house?  Contemporary?  Traditional?  Southwest?  I like all of the styles, but what I like best is that a house looks like it belongs to itself, like it was *meant* to be this way.  It has aesthetic integrity.  

 

It's craftsman.  Painted a greenish-gray with chocolate and cream accents.  I linked a photo to our model just above.  I can't find the photo of our actual house.  I took them in 2006 and can't get the external hard drive to talk to my desktop right now.

 

I don't know how to answer without that info--but that won't stop me from writing a long wordy response.  

 

Re: tile/carpet upstairs.  Bathrooms, tile, but the rest--where there is a lot of walking, it can be really noisy.  So if you get it, make sure you put in noise insulation, too.  At least if you are going to live there.  :0)

 

Re: the tub/shower:  is there another tub in the house?  If so, I would feel comfortable going with either the big shower or the 5 piece bath.  But a house has to have a tub.  

 

Countertop:  We got granite on the counters at our beach house but I really wish we had gotten quartz, not so much because I hated the granite, but it felt "heavy" for a beach house.  I think people like lighter interiors  in their kitchens now, and especially in a sunny area.  Unless you are going all "dim rooms Southwestern."  And I have a soft heart toward things that look like they have come from the native environment...so whatever color the desert-y areas around you are, go into that tone.  If you have brick or natural stone in your house, pick up something of the color in that, and don't be afraid to go a little saturated on the color...otherwise the walls look too out of step with the "weight" of the stone.  

 

We used to have a rock wall in our dining room, but I hated it.  Too Brady bunch for my taste.  We have so many windows that there is literally no wallspace for pictures except for one hall upstairs.

 

I am not a fan of the recent trend toward gray everything and that includes the gray-stained wood look for floors.  I find it incredibly depressing and, again, heavy.  That could be because we see enough gray in the skies in our neck of the woods, but...  The other thing about wood plank:  if you like the "wide board" look, be sure to get it so there aren't big (intentional) gaps between the boards.  It is so hard to keep clean, and it always looks like *someone* oughtta vacuum.  

 

Good advice.  Noted.

 

I can't name a specific paint color but I would look for warm tones, not cool ones, and soft (if colorful) ones, at least for the neutral parts of the house.  Someone can paint a room sunflower yellow, and I've seen it look terrific...but it is not to everyone's taste. 

 

Appliances:  I don't know what to tell you.  I know stainless is falling out of favor at this point, but it's what I would still prefer, for these reasons:  on the dishwasher, the wood panel made to match the cabinets gets tacky looking pretty quick, and often, the moisture ruins the finish and even the joints.  It is also a PITB to match when the stupid thing breaks, and it can limit your selection of the replacement appliance.  I don't mind the glass-black look on the dishwasher and stove, but it is too much like a black hole on a big ol' refrigerator.  it is like a black hole in the kitchen.  Maybe the two smaller appliances can be glass black and the fridge stainless.  I'll never again buy a white appliance.  The plastic on the handle ages at a different rate than the plastic attachment panels and the steel-painted-white doors stay white so you have three colors of white and it looks grubby.  

 

It's kind of an interesting project, isn't it? to decorate to "neutral" and "non-expression."  

 

It is a little depressing.  I loved this house, but now it's sort of ruined for me.  I don't know if I could ever live in it again.  Too many bad memories now.  Still hard to decorate it to sell though.

 

 

 

[Barb_]

I'm 36.  

 

Main paint color (bonus points for brand and color name or number): Gray or blue with a red door.  

Cabinet color in kitchens: white wood, perhaps with darker or gray lower cabinets.  

Countertop material and color: dark stone

Appliance color: white or black or a fun color BUT I know I am in the minority on this and stainless is the most popular with buyers.  

Wood look plank tile (wood in AZ doesn't do as well) color family: I'm flexible  I've seen both dark and light work with the cabinets I like.  

 

And a couple of non-color related questions:

 

Carpet or tile upstairs?  Tile upstairs would be weird where I live but I imagine nice in AZ.  I would prefer wood or carpet though.  But I am so not in the AZ climate.  

Garden tub/separate shower or larger shower in master bath? Larger showers seem to be the trend though my preference would be for a nice soaking tub and a separate shower.  

Ideal window treatments: I wouldn't worry about putting these up to sell the house.  Buyers can order their own preference when they close.  

 

I would prefer wood as well.  Wood doesn't do well because it gets very hot and also below freezing, and is so dry most of the year and yet so humid and nasty during monsoon season that the wood shrinks, expands, buckles and cracks.  Even my wood furniture after ten years was falling apart at the joints..

 

I'm with you on the separate tub, even though my contractor and the cabinet guy tried to talk me out of it. 

[Barb_]

No carpet ever :)

 

Even in the upstairs bedrooms?  I'm beginning to think wood-tile in the hall and then keep the carpet in the bedrooms.

[Barb_]

Barb, have you ever watched Fixer Upper? http://www.hgtv.com/shows/fixer-upper. Watch a season and you'll know exactly what to do! :) I'm 48 and in AZ, too. 

 

East valley I'll bet.  No one is out here in my neck of the woods :mellow:

[Barb_]

Just wanted to add that we just went through the house shopping process and the houses I liked the most (paint wise) had one light neutral throughout the whole house. They were homey without imposing their color will on me. I felt like I could move in and not feel the need to paint right away, and that whatever I painted would coordinate with the existing color. If that makes sense. 

 

Perfect sense, thanks.

[LucyStoner]

I think I read the question wrong and thought the paint was for the exterior.

 

For interior paint colors, I'd pick something popular but not too difficult to paint over. I can't stand the whole Pottery Barn beige or gray thing so I pretty much expect that we will paint over whatever when we buy. Our first house was darker beige all the way through and ugh. But it was very on trend in 2007 when the house was built and we didn't pick it. I had them paint over it in the boys room.

Edited April 3, 2017 by LucyStoner

[Barb_]

Try Pale Oak by Benjamin Moore for a nice light neutral 'greige'. This blog has some photos...

 

http://www.mysimplysimple.com/pale-oak-for-the-win/

 

I like that with the darker floor.  Pretty.  Not too gray.  I had a color on my walls that resembled pale chocolate milk and was never terribly happy with it.

[Barb_]

Our whole house, minus the kid's rooms, is Repose Gray. I love it and it is very neutral.

 

This seems really popular.  It's very pretty in the photos, but I think I'd only pair it with very dark floors.  Also we have a ton of light.  Does light wash it out?

[Barb_]

Just so you guys understand what I'm dealing with, this is my kitchen, lol.  This isn't a remodel, it's a rebuild.

 

[Barb_]

I'm early 40's.  My most favorite color is Edgecomb Gray by Benjamin Moore.  It is not really a gray - maybe greige is better description? But very neutral and pretty.  LOVE it.  Revere Pewter is also pretty, but a shade darker.

 

Kitchen is medium cherry cabinets with New Venetian Gold granite counters.  Appliances are stainless steel.  Wood color is Gunstock, but in a wider plank.  

 

For upstairs flooring, are you trying to decide for bedrooms or hallway?  We have hardwood in the hallway and carpet in the bedrooms.  If cost wasn't an issue, I would love hardwood in the bedroom or that super cool tile that looks like weathered wood planks.  Love that!

 

The Edgecomb would wash out with the windows and bright sunshine, I'm afraid but I like the Revere Pewter!

 

The more I read, the more I'm thinking of doing the wood plank tile in the hall and carpeting the bedrooms.  I'm weird.  I like carpet.  It's softer.  Although I love wood with rugs. Thats my favorite, but not really an option here.