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The best paint colors for selling a house, according to Zillow

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Buyers pay more for homes painted in dark colors

So much for a clean slate. White walls are apparently on their way out. According to a Zillow analysis, the best paint colors for selling a house are "bold hues found in nature," especially deep, dark greens and blues.

"We've seen a clear shift toward nature-inspired tones that add cozy, organic warmth," Christie Cannon, a real estate agent with The Cannon Team at Keller Williams in Frisco, Texas told Zillow. "This trend is ideal for selling, because when a home feels warm and inviting, it’s easier for buyers to imagine it as their own."

And as an added bonus, research shows that the right paint colors can boost a home's sale price by as much as $2,590.

In this article: Glidden Total Interior Wall Paint & Primer All-in-One in All About Olive/Green, Semi-Gloss, 1 Gallon, RUST-OLEUM Paint Wall in Smoked Navy and Kilz Tribute Typewriter Interior Matte Paint & Primer

Zillow says these are the top choices for when you're selling your home: olive green in the kitchen, navy blue in bedrooms, mid-tone brown in bathrooms and dark gray in living rooms. Shop these shades on the list below.

How paint helps your home’s value

Now for the good news: When it comes to improvements you can make to boost your home's value, paint is both low-effort and easy on your wallet.

"Paint is a relatively affordable and easy change, yet it has an outsized impact on a buyer's perception of the home," said Amanda Pendleton, Zillow's home trends expert.

Ready to update your home to be darker, moodier — and pricier? These are the top exterior and interior paint colors for 2025. 

Shades of green, blue and other colors to boost your home's sale price

Glidden Total Interior Wall Paint & Primer All-in-One in All About Olive/Green, Semi-Gloss, 1 Gallon 

This semi-gloss olive green paint combines primer and paint in one formula in a deep, olive green that evokes forests and trees — just like Zillow's trends suggest.

RUST-OLEUM Paint Wall in Smoked Navy

This smoked navy wall paint delivers the deep blue tones that Zillow research shows buyers prefer, particularly for bedrooms where navy can boost sale prices. The rich navy color creates the contemporary, nature-inspired aesthetic that modern buyers love.

Kilz Tribute Typewriter Interior Matte Paint & Primer

If gray is a must-have, value-adding color for living rooms, you can't go wrong with this cool-toned version. Dark and moody, this premium paint includes paint and primer in one, guaranteeing a one-coat job.

Glidden One-Coat Warm Wassail Semi-Gloss Exterior Paint + Primer

If your bathroom needs an on-trend makeover, you can't go wrong with the color that buyers love: a rich, warm brown. This semi-gloss paint is designed to withstand the elements and formulated to resist cracks and peeling, making it perfect for a high-humidity environment.

Glidden Total Vining Ivy Flat Interior Paint With Primer

Vining Ivy was Glidden's color of the year for 2023, and it's still going strong— this cool green-gray-blue hue evokes ocean waves, lazy rivers and the sky at dusk. This calming color is perfect for a bedroom, a bathroom, or anywhere in your home that could use a boost of relaxation.

Prestige Paints Flat Cavern Clay Interior Paint and Primer in One

As we already know, this trendy paint color is perfect for a bathroom makeover — or any other part of your home. The best thing about this rich terra cotta shade is that it goes with any decor style, so no matter how you decorate your home, this color will fit right in.

The One Interior & Exterior Matte Green Paint & Primer

This sumptuous dark green is reminiscent of pine trees and peaceful walks through the forest. It's a versatile and durable interior/exterior paint that can beautify front doors, living rooms, dining rooms or be used for accent walls. This paint color is striking yet soothing to the senses. 

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

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