Staging with Gray Paint. Yay or Nay?

 
 

At the time of this writing, designers and homeowners are going ga-ga over gray. It's hard to believe gray could be hotter than the shiplap.

You can thank the talented folks at HGTV's Fixer Upper for that cozy farmhouse trend.Selling a house is mind-boggling enough. You don't need to lose sleep wondering if you should incorporate every latest interior style before posting the "For Sale" sign in the yard. Re-designing a home's interior is not as simple as changing a few outfits to keep up with the latest fashion.

Thank your lucky stars, at this moment, paint color is one of the biggest trends to update a home. Painting a home's interior is one of the easiest and most effective ways to make a positive impact on how buyers view your home. And the best part, a room with new paint provides a dramatic effect without adding too much drama to your wallet.

In the last few years, gray has built a reputation of being the "new neutral". It's a darling with designers, and paint companies know it. Have you visited your favorite paint supplier lately? Doesn't it seem like they have a million shades of gray paint chips? The color choices may seem overwhelmingly endless.

Home sellers can get caught up with dozens of decisions during the sales preparation process. That could be a BIG no-no. Paint color choices shouldn't be the factor that delays a home's timeline to list.

If you haven't painted your house and you're on the fence about going gray, keep reading. You'll get the pros and cons to painting with gray (when you're focused on selling). Plus, you receive suggestions on ideal gray hues whether you're on the 'yay' team or the 'nay' team.

The 'Yay' Team

Let's say you're totally into the idea of painting your space gray. You've checked your Pinterest board ideas. You're almost ready to go through with the painting project. It seems you're definitely on the 'yay' team. But, a little doubt creeps up and makes you wonder if investing in gray paint for your home will be worth all of the fuss. Go for it, if ....

  • You can't sleep well imagining how much your bathroom will stand out in a gray color instead of white.

  • Your walls haven't encountered a paint brush or a paint roller in five years.

  • You're uber-confident in choosing paint color for any room in the house.

 
 

If color confidence runs through your veins, and you still wonder what gray colors to consider as the background to stage your house, try one of the following gray paint colors:

Chelsea Gray HC 168 (BM) - This gray is a medium gray with a hint of green undertones. It produces a dramatic effect in bathrooms, living rooms and home offices.

Kendall Charcoal (BM) - This hue offers a deep dark gray for a luxurious appeal for the room. The color works best in larger spaces with high ceilings and ultra-white trim and accents.

The 'Nay' Team

Staging a home with a gray paint color offers big wins for home sellers. But, not all home sellers are ready to jump on the “gray paint train”. And it's not surprising. Gray is a hue that can go wrong in so many ways . And it doesn't help if home sellers already believe:

  • They do not have an "eye for color".

  • They'll choose a gray hue with the wrong undertones.

  • The color is too dark or dingy.

If you're totally against going gray, stop, right here. Anything written after this sentence isn't going to change your mind.

Oh...you're still here. Good.

You're still reading because in the back of your mind, you're almost sure you should give gray a chance. You're open to finding out what might work for your house considering a few homes in your market sold well. And those homes were filled with the trendy color gray. If you're willing to give gray paint a shot, the following "greige" colors would be an ideal choice:

Agreeable Gray  (SW) - This gray tone is subtle and a safe way to use gray color that blends with a hint of beige. It's usually a favorite for homes listed for sale.

Worldly Gray (SW) - This is a sister "greige" paint to Agreeable Gray except it offers more gray than brown color with a slight hint of green undertones. Whether you decide to paint your home gray, or go ultra-neutral with a beige tone or white, no need to worry.

As long as you're mindful of creating a visibly-appealing, turnkey home, you're steps ahead to sell your property sooner.

 
Color, Home stagingchamoisb