If these aren't rooms that are being used, then I wouldn't paint them at all. Wait until just before resale, because "builder beige" may not be what is selling then. Some other form of neutral type decor may be popular. Or, the sky could fall, and using actual color in a home that's for sale could come back around to being acceptable. ;~)

Most times for resale real estate agents say neutral and light colored. But nowadays, there are many colors that are considered neutral that arent white or beige. You can do a search on the the buying and selling forum for some of their recommendations on choosing paint colors.

What is your decor and furniture in those three rooms? You don't want the rooms to be too neutral - they should have a little interest. And how about the rest of the house - what is the decor like in those rooms? That might dictate which colors you should use.

Can you post some photos of the three rooms. Lots of folks on this forum are so good at choosing and recommending colors, I bet if you posted some photos you would get some great advice.

I agree with live wire. It's fresh and clean that makes a good impression. Wait until it's time to sell.

Michael

Personally, I would paint them now in a neutral color, same tone but lighter than the carpeting. If the rooms don't get a lot of use, the walls will still look fine in a few years. When it comes time to move, you will have more than enough to deal with, and you will be glad you don't have the additional work of painting these rooms.

This is what I saw done in a magazine story once, and I'm going to do it as soon as my last two doorknobs shove off. They took three bedrooms, each bed having a different quilt on them with the beds up against an accent wall. Each room had a different colored accent wall, but the other three walls were all painted the same white color. It looked so nice! I have six bedrooms, with three of them off of the same hallway upstairs, and I think it will be a nice, clean look for the three rooms upstairs.

I am going to track down that mag. article as soon as things quiet down around here.

The OP didn't say she was painting for resale purposes. She said the rooms needed to be painted. I would suggest you take into consideration what is in the rooms...furniture, carpeting. Most likely when you do decide to sell you will need to repaint.

I now see the OP's title says she is painting for resale. I didn't get that impression reading her post.

It doesn't make sense to paint rooms today for a resale years away.

I'd paint them now. Repainting and redecorating kids' old bedrooms is an important statement, it says "I have my house back, you are grown up, if you return now you do so as a guest who will behave as an adult and not hang posters or paint the room black or stay for ten years just to avoid finding your own place."

And I'd paint white, cream or beige for resale, because if you aren't going to be using the rooms you might as well have them ready for what you are going to next use them for, getting a decent sale price.

Check out colors like Benjamin Moore's "Carrington Beige" (#HC-93) (a very neutral paint with no undertones) -- and perhaps a fresh white for the trim?

Another color might be BM's "Deer Path" (a tan with gold undertones) -- #CC-1047.

Also remember that good lamps and lighting mkae a HUGE difference for color in any room!!

Add color with fabric (bedding) and artworks and area rugs!

If I knew, (KNEW!) that I would be moving in less than 4 or 5 years, AND....if I were paying painters a group of $$$ to do it for me, then, yes, I would go to Ben Moore or Sherwin Williams and ask what the most popular decorating beige neutral is, and buy that to paint. That way, buyers who need a neutral box to imagine their things in would be satisfied, and buyers who plan to paint each room purple or neon green anyway, could just make fun of me to themselves for being so boring and make me a nice offer for my house.

OR..........If I liked neutral beige rooms, then, I would go into a nice model or two, or ask around here, or pick the most soothing neutral off the fandeck and get my rooms painted and put back together so I could enjoy the soothing qualities of having a color that works with all the furniture and things I want to put in those rooms.

BUT.......If I were doing the painting myself, or with my DH and wanted to enjoy whatever years I happen to continue living in my home, I would think about how I want to use these rooms and paint accordingly.......figuring that if a resale situation came about sooner than expected and I was caught red-handed with a cafe au lait reading room, a warm soft gold guest room, and a pretty putty-colored sitting room, then, I might just let the buyers decide, or at worst, hire some fast painters to do a nice coat of bone white and recoup my costs at closing.

Red

Thanks for everyone's opinions. We do have friends and family members who stay with us and the rooms definitely need to be painted. We are also putting new carpet in these rooms. It will probably be 5 or 6 years before we actually move so I need to do something now as these rooms are overdue for an overhaul. Since I don't have a crystal ball and won't know what the latest and greatest color schemes will be in a few years, I will probably just go with a neutral beige and use bedding, pictures and accessories to express my personal style.