ListingLife
NOV 2009Color Wonderful: Paint, Mood and Selling a House
By Britta Waller
A bright red color called “Chili Pepper” is the 2007 color of the year, according to the Pantone Color Institute. But because this influential design group is promoting an eye-catching hue, should you paint your kitchen hot red? Probably not if you’re getting ready to sell your house.
“Color is a ‘silent salesperson’ and a major influencer for product purchases,” writes professional color expert Kate Smith, a corporate consultant and founder of SensationalColor.com. “Our reaction to color is very personal and occurs both consciously and unconsciously.”
When you’re trying to sell your home, interior paint colors set a mood, and can influence potential buyers. White or pale neutral colors aren’t just an easy choice for the design-challenged; they’re a smart choice in real estate marketing.
The color white projects purity, cleanliness and safety, writes Leatrice Eiseman in The Color Answer Book. White walls or spaces affect us by aiding mental clarity, facilitating us to clear clutter away and obstacles and enabling a fresh beginning, she explains. All those are great messages to project to a potential buyer.
Color experts like Smith work with Fortune 500 companies—America Online, Reebok and American Greetings are just a few of the corporations she’s helped—to research, test and select the most consumer-friendly colors for new products and company logos. Borrowing even a slice of that expertise can help you and your real estate agent market your property.
