Painting Tips for Preparing Your House to Sell
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Over the years, I have helped transform hundreds of homes to sell and one of my favorite parts of the process is giving interiors a fresh new look with a couple of coats of paint. Paint is one of the easiest and least expensive things you can do to instantly turn up the appeal in your home. It will also give you the biggest bang for your buck. You can literally turn an old, tired kitchen with ugly cabinets into a pretty fabulous, nearly gourmet space. During a recent staging consultation, I realized that the public may not know some basics about paint that I just take for granted. In that particular house, EVERYTHING, and I do mean EVERYTHING was painted in a flat finish. If you don't know why that's a problem, here's what I usually tell my clients. Flat paint is like chalk. It's very unforgiving. You rub anything against it and it will leave a mark. The only way to really fix it is to paint over it. That's why flat paint should be left for ceiling applications only. I know many designers will recommend flat paint because it has a matte finish, but the reality is if you have a home with kids, pets, a large family or you entertain a lot, I would stay away from flat paint...you'll thank yourself later.
So here are my general rules of thumb for choosing paint finishes:
Flat - for ceilings (you should not have to worry much about cleaning this area)
Eggshell - recommended for all walls throughout except for kitchens and bathrooms (very low sheen and can be wiped down easily)
Satin - my recommendation for kitchens and bathrooms. It's less shiny than a semi-gloss which I find too institutional for home applications.
Semi-Gloss - to be used for all doors, trim (moldings, baseboards, etc.) and cabinets.
Now that you've got the finish figured out, let's talk about color. I have a pet peeve about homes that are "too netural" to the point that they lack personality. Please, please, please...I beg of you, avoid the white/off-white walls with white trim, off-white/beige carpet or tile, and white cabinets... it's just so sterile! A neutral color means that it matches well with many or most other colors or shades, but it does not limit it to white or beige. Remember, color is your friend. There are many colors that are considered neutral that actually makes the space "pop" rather than be forgotten because it's just another vanilla box. The best way to choose color is to pull inspiration from other items in the space such as granite countertops and flooring, but here are some of my top choices. These are Kelly Moore colors as this paint line is easily accessible to most painting contractors. Note that yes, the ceiling, trim and doors are neutral and you want them to be, but you can have a little fun with the walls without going overboard.
Walls: Oyster (26), Villita (196), Spanish Sand (231) or Snip of Tannin (41)
Ceiling: Swiss Coffee (23) or Western Acoustic (20)
Cabinets: Antique White (49)
Doors/Trim: Swiss Coffee (23) or Bravado (160)Wall Color Inspired by Flooring
Do you have a favorite color you'd like to share? Would love to hear from you so leave me a comment below.
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