Boost your home sale with beige
When style bible Ideal Home published an article on what colour you should paint your home to boost its chances of selling, the Move Places team took note. The consensus among the interior experts who contributed to the feature was that neutral colours were the way to go. As well as white and grey, beige was listed as one of the most favoured colours that improve the chances of sales success.
It appears the general public have already started listening to the decorating advice, especially if you take a new piece of research into account. The Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report 2023 partnered with Coat to discover the most popular paint colours.
When it looked at the top 15 hues that have seen the biggest jump in popularity, beige was very close to the top. In fact, it appears to have displaced light grey as the neutral paint colour of choice.
The move towards beige has actually been bubbling away for some time, with the Dulux Colour of the Year 2021 - Brave Ground - falling into the beige colour category. Brave Ground was a soft shade akin to a rich tea biscuit, chosen for its earthy, comforting and safe qualities.
What is the most popular beige colour?
When analysing what paint colours people buying most, Coat’s top 15 featured several shades of beige. Its colours Well Grounded, Mindful, Good Intentions, Duvet Day and Sunday Soul all have beige tones, and they move the neutral palette away from cool greys towards more warm neutrals. Amazingly, Well Grounded had increased in demand 178% in the run up to 2023.
Other paint manufacturers are also jumping on the beige bandwagon. Farrow & Ball’s Matchstick, String and Cord, Johnstone’s Quail Ridge and Cosy Beige, and Fired Earth’s Travertina Crema, Ecru and Light Umber are all shades of beige that will bring a classy, clean tone to your interior. Lick also sells a range of beige paints, numbered from 01 to 08.The shades range from light and sophisticated to warm and earthy – think caramel and milky earl grey tea.
A job worth doing?
While you may think repainting your walls is a big chore ahead of a sale, experts repeatedly agree that a lick of paint improves the perception of a property and can encourage buyers to make higher offers. In fact, Elaine Penhaul, an expert home stager and director of Lemon & Lime Interiors, said she has seen houses that had been freshened up with newly painted walls sell for more than 10% above the asking price.
In terms of the initial investment, buying paint is at the lower cost end of purchases, especially when compared to projects such as new floorcoverings, new kitchen units or a new bathroom. Painting, therefore, can represent a good return on investment.
Should I repaint ahead of a sale?
If your current paintwork is scratched, marked, yellowing or flaking, then a repaint will definitely help enhance your home’s appeal. Likewise, if your property has some bold paint choices, eliminating anything overpowering and repainting with a beige neutral will help give your home the broadest appeal.
Move Places is well placed to advise you on all aspects of a property sale, from presentation to market pricing. Please get in touch for details.