Picking The Right Colors To Sell Your Home

If you're getting ready to place your home on the market for sale, you are probably considering a fresh coat of paint in at least one room of your home. You've heard that white and beige tones are the safe choice and appeal to all. This may be true, but adding a little color in today's market may just set you apart and make a new home buyer look at your home in a different way. Certain colors are more aesthetically pleasing than others. Some colors add a warm, cozy feel to a room and others can leave it cold and plain. Choosing the right colors for your home can make or break a potential sale.

Research on color responses has shown that warm colors, like orange and red can increase excitement and energy in home buyers, whereas cooler hues, such as blue can be calming and relaxing. Green is probably the safest color to use due to the fact that it lifts the spirits of home buyers and is neutral enough to match most decor. Green is also a modern color and can greatly enhance a mood. Be careful with the green shade you choose though, yellow based greens, lime or bright greens are not what you want to use on your walls. Try a creamy green or a sage tone. It can completely change the feel of a room. For less than $100, you can give your home or certain rooms a face-lift.

RED - Increases energy and the heart rate. Creates excitement and stimulates the appetite. Red can also signal, 'stop' so use caution when selecting the shade. You don't want it too bright. The color red is best used in a dining room.

ORANGE - Adds comfort, warmth and cheerfulness, but too much can bring about a feeling of cautiousness. Select a shade that is warm, soft and complements flooring and decor. Orange is best used in living rooms or family rooms.

YELLOW - Brightens the mood and promotes welcoming and joyful feelings. Increases positive thinking. Yellow can also make a room look larger and bring in more light. Choose buttery, creamy yellows and contrast the color with white on baseboards and molding. Yellow is best used in poorly lit foyers and dark hallways; can also be used in the living room, bedroom or kitchen.

GREEN - Most restful color. Reduces nervousness, anxiety and muscular tension. Calms and relaxes. Offers reminders of nature and pulls a room's decor together. Best used in living rooms, accent for kitchens and dining rooms.

BLUE - Promotes feelings of calmness, security, tranquility and cleanliness. Lowers blood pressure, cools a room and serves as an appetite suppressant. Blue is best used in rooms such as bedrooms or any other relaxing, restful area of the home.

PURPLE - Boosts creativity, imagination but can have unpleasant subconscious responses. Many adults dislike purple on the walls, particularly lighter shades of purple that are perceived as more youthful. Best use for purple? A Children's bedroom or play area.