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Paint Home Decorating Design Dilemma

I need help choosing a paint colour for the whole house.

5 years ago

We are preparing our parents home for sale. It will be largely empty wHen we sell it. It is a 1750 square foot back split, built in 1965. It has honey oak floors in good condition, and birch slab doors also in good condition. The whole house needs to be painted.

Can someone suggest a soothing, “modern” neutral colour that we could use to paint the entire house? There’s so many beiges and off whites out there that it’s hard to know what to pick.

Featured Answer

apple_pie_order

5 years ago

Talk to your agent to see if painting it a warm gray is appropriate. Often older houses look silly when painted in the latest trends but they look great when painted in a fresh classic off white that coordinates beautifully with their wood floors and doors. A good choice for golden oak floors is Benjamin Moore's Linen White, one of their current best selling whites. https://store.benjaminmoore.com/storefront/shop-by-color/best-selling-paint-colors/best-selling-whites/cndShopByColor-cbestSellingPaintColors-cbestSellingWhites-p1.html

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Comments (6)

K R
5 years ago
Check out Accessible Beige (Sherwin Williams), it’s one of those colors that goes with everything and every style.
PRO
David J. Design Inc.
5 years ago
Here are a few and they are all Benjamin Moore. Have a look at Grey Owl. It is very soft and light and has a slight green color in it but is mainly a nice light grey. Also in the grey colors are Cement Grey and Stormy Monday. These are both warm greys so they look great and are easy to live with. Stormy Monday is darker so I would just use it on a few walls to add interest. In the beige tones you could try Abalone, Revere Pewter or Balboa Mist. What I always do is pick up the test cans which the paint store sells and buy some test cards. The test cards are 1 x 1 foot cards which are meant to paint each color on that you are looking at. You take the test cards to the house and see how the colors look in the different rooms. Good luck
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This is Agreeable Gray, Extra White and Gauntlet Gray. I actually think it would be a mistake to go too much gray on the body. You will already have a gray roof. Canvas Tan is a little grayer than Patience. I would not use those garage doors shown above. They are a modern design and your house is closer to traditional. I also think the wood grain and side windows when combined with stone would look too busy. I hope one of the professionals will speak to the door as I am just a person like you. What is the name of your HOA? Stay away from Unique Gray. It is lilac color.
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I made some calls to Marvin. They told me there was no after sale blind for their Marvin Integrety doors (they do sell some for other doors). The also told me if I installed the Home Depot one you linked, it would void my warranty. They said their doors were sealed, so I could not pry apart the frame to add the shade/glass you linked. So, it does not look like this is an option. I think I am back to installing sheer shades on the outside of the door -- at least they will match the rest of the main level window coverings. I wish we had the option now to add door blinds like you showed, but it does not seem to be an option as far as my research has revealed.
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Kat & Co. Interiors
5 years ago
Hi Lisa,

Consider the market that you are trying to appeal to. Is this area being bought up by empty nesters? Are young families gobbling it up for the education district? Actually format a buyer profile and cater you decisions to that. If it's an older market, I recommend staying away from grey undertone colours. These colours can appear more bleak and drab to oder eyes.

Being as the home has honey oak floors, my go to recommendation for clients with similar floors is Benjamin Moore's Balboa Mist. It is modern, fresh and is neutral enough to go with everything.

Will you be painting the trim? Benjamin Moore's Chantilly Lace is a trim favourite of mine. It has enough of a blue undertone to make the white pop and looks lovely when paired with Balboa Mist. (don't let the blue reference scare you, it's a trained eye thing)

Good Luck & Happy Painting!

Balboa Mist 1549 OC-27

Chantilly Lace 2121-70 OC-65
lisapoi
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you, everyone! This gives me a good start!
emmarene9
5 years ago
BM White Down. I would not use any kind of gray. You might look at Edgecomb Gray which is actually closer to a muddy beige.

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