Ready to sell? These paint colors can boost your home's sale price

Rhea-AI Summary

New Zillow research reveals that specific paint colors can significantly boost home sale prices in 2025. Dark olive green kitchens can increase value by $1,597, while navy blue bedrooms can add $1,815 to the sale price. Charcoal gray living rooms continue to be popular, potentially adding $2,593 to home values. The study, conducted by Zillow's behavioral science team surveying 4,200+ buyers, shows that darker, dramatic shades are preferred over traditional white and light colors. However, certain colors can negatively impact sale prices - daisy yellow kitchens or living rooms could decrease value by approximately $4,000, while fire hydrant red in living rooms or bedrooms could reduce prices by about $2,000.

Positive

• Dark olive green kitchens can increase home value by $1,597
• Navy blue bedrooms can boost sale price by $1,815
• Charcoal gray living rooms can add $2,593 to home value
• Research based on comprehensive survey of 4,200+ recent and prospective buyers

Negative

• Wrong color choices can significantly decrease home value - yellow kitchens/living rooms can reduce price by ~$4,000
• Red living rooms or bedrooms can decrease home value by approximately $2,000

Dark olive green and rich navy blue are the new value-boosting colors of 2025

• Buyers would pay $1,597 more for a home with an olive green kitchen. 
• A navy blue bedroom can increase a home's sale price by $1,815.
• Buyers prefer dark, dramatic shades of green, blue and gray over white.

SEATTLE, June 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- New Zillow® research finds that a dark olive green kitchen and a navy blue bedroom can boost a home's sale price. Nearly one-third of all homeowners paint their home before listing it for sale, but sellers can earn top dollar when they pick the right colors.  

Zillow's study finds recent and prospective home buyers prefer muted green kitchens over all other colors, and they're willing to offer $1,597 more for homes with cabinets painted this color. Buyers liked navy blue bedrooms the best. This restful shade can increase a home's sale price by $1,815. 

"Buyers view olive green and navy blue as contemporary colors, and that can have a halo effect on their perception of the entire home," said Amanda Pendleton, Zillow's home trends expert. "These shades of blue and green are associated with organic modernism, a value-driving aesthetic that incorporates sustainable materials like wood and stone. These nature-inspired colors evoke the same feelings of serenity and tranquility." 

Charcoal gray was the top choice in Zillow's previous paint color analysis, and it remains the preferred color in the living room. Homes with a dark gray living room can sell for $2,593 more. Charcoal also performed well as an alternative to olive green and navy blue in the kitchen and bedroom. A mid-tone brown, similar to the 2025 Pantone Color of the Year, commanded the highest offer prices when painted in the bathroom. 

The wrong colors can cost sellers thousands. Recent and prospective buyers would pay nearly $4,000 less for a home with a daisy yellow kitchen ($3,915 less) or living room ($3,891 less). They would pay nearly $2,000 less for a home with a fire hydrant red living room ($1,820 less) or bedroom ($1,987 less).    

Darker shades of green, blue and gray outperformed white and lighter shades of sage green and pale sky blue in Zillow's analysis. These findings challenge the old adage that home sellers should always go light and bright when painting their home for resale. Instead, today's buyers are drawn to bold, personalized hues that make a home feel like a sanctuary. 

Before pulling out the drop cloth and paint roller, homeowners should consult with a trusted local real estate agent for advice on what buyers are looking for in their particular neighborhood. Savvy sellers would also be wise to combine the right paint colors with other smart selling strategies to earn top dollar on their home.   

This research was conducted by Zillow's behavioral science team, which surveyed more than 4,200 recent and prospective home buyers around the country. In the study, buyers were randomly assigned images of a home with interior spaces painted in one of 10 colors. Each color got a score based on how much buyers liked a home, how interested they were in buying the home, their likelihood of touring the home and the price they would be willing to pay for the home. 

About Zillow Group
Zillow Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make home a reality for more and more people. As the most visited real estate app and website in the United States, Zillow and its affiliates help people find and get the home they want by connecting them with digital solutions, dedicated real estate professionals, partners and agents, and easier buying, selling, financing, and renting experiences. 

Zillow Group's affiliates, subsidiaries and brands include Zillow®, Zillow Premier Agent®, Zillow Home Loans℠, Zillow Rentals®, Trulia®, Out East®, StreetEasy®, HotPads®, ShowingTime+℠, Spruce®, and Follow Up Boss®. 

All marks herein are owned by MFTB Holdco, Inc., a Zillow affiliate. Zillow Home Loans, LLC is an Equal Housing Lender, NMLS #10287 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). © 2025 MFTB Holdco, Inc., a Zillow affiliate.

 

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SOURCE Zillow Group, Inc.

FAQ

What paint colors add the most value to a home in 2025 according to Zillow?

According to Zillow, dark olive green in kitchens can add $1,597, navy blue in bedrooms can add $1,815, and charcoal gray in living rooms can add $2,593 to a home's sale price.

What paint colors decrease home value in 2025?

Daisy yellow in kitchens or living rooms can decrease value by about $4,000, while fire hydrant red in living rooms or bedrooms can reduce price by approximately $2,000.

How much more will buyers pay for a home with a navy blue bedroom?

According to Zillow's research, buyers are willing to pay $1,815 more for a home with a navy blue bedroom.

What is the best color to paint a kitchen for resale value in 2025?

Dark olive green is the best kitchen color for resale value, with buyers willing to pay $1,597 more for homes with this color.

Does Zillow recommend white paint for selling a home?

No, Zillow's research shows that buyers prefer darker, dramatic shades of green, blue, and gray over white and lighter shades.