How to create a home color scheme that captivates buyers
Warm neutrals and carefully placed pops of color will turn your listing from “blah” to “wow”
By Marian McPherson | Source Inman
The average buyer tours 10 homes before they make a decision. So, what can your seller do to make sure their home stands out?
According to Houzz editor and writer Gwendolyn Purdom and PPG and Glidden color marketing managers, Dee Schlotter and Misty Yeomans, a carefully crafted color scheme can captivate buyers and help them see your space as their new home.
Warm neutrals will always be in vogue: Purdom says grays, whites and beiges will always be a safe bet for homeowners looking to put their property on the market.
“Data from the 2017 Houzz Bathroom Trends Study and 2018 Houzz Kitchen Trends Study tells us shades of gray are still the top choice of colors for both rooms, with 35 percent and 27 percent of respondents, respectively, telling us they chose to use it on the walls in their bathrooms and kitchen” she said in an emailed statement to Inman.
Yeomans agrees, echoing Purdom’s sentiments while also saying that white will always be popular amongst buyers.
“Whites are the most selected color family and are a great choice for a private space in the home, like a bathroom,” Yeomans told Inman. “It’s often a popular choice for consumers, as it creates a bright, fresh and airy space.”
Use color theory to your benefit: Schlotter says homeowners can use color theory to help them create a scheme that invigorates buyers.
“Color has the ability to not only identify with our collective moods but also our energy levels, design preferences, lifestyle choices, where we’ve been and even where we’re going in life,” she said.
“Yellows, which are the brightest and most energizing of warm colors, are optimistic hues that exude happiness and are associated with the sun’s bright rays,” Schlotter added. “Additionally, while bright hues exude positivity, muted colors can also be associated with a tranquil, serene environment.”
Beyond thinking about the mood a color evokes, Purdom says homeowners should think about the literal effect that warm and cool tones have on a space.
“Pros on Houzz say that those from the warmer side of the color wheel generally tend to advance in a space, whereas cooler tones tend to recede,” she said.