What colour kids rooms to sell?

[purplewhitegreen]

My children's rooms currently both have murals.

DS's room has blue walls with a mural on two of them, a red contrast wall and a dark blue ceiling (with star stickers). His furniture is wood (mostly pine)

We're going to paint over all of that I think, he's a bit old for the style of mural anyway. Trying to keep costs down (and I'm thinking we'll need loads of coats!) but thinking probably white all over, then coloured furnishings in the room to brighten it. Is white too harsh? Would it put people off?

It'd be easier if we could keep the blue ceiling or the red accent wall, but am I right in thinking they'd put people off?

My DD's room is already white, (and it goes with her white furniture with colourful accents). One wall has a much more recent mural of a woodland scene, it's well done and looks lovely in my (biased!) opinion.

DD loves it. DP and I are in two minds over whether to paint over it foe viewings or not. Options are:

• paint it all white
• keep the mural but let potential buyers know, that we painted over a mural in the other room just fine, and offer to get rid of it if they don't like it?
• paint it all some other colour

WWYD?

[FurrySlipperBoots]

Pics?

[purplewhitegreen]

I guess what I'm trying to say in a nutshell is, would an attractive mural in a kids room be a selling point or offputting.

And if we should paint over it, what colour do buyers want to see in a small kids bedroom?

[ReeReeR]

It completely depends on the buyer

Potential buyer with similar age children might like the mural and want to keep it (if nice) but not everyone viewing the house will have the same family set up as you and want to use the rooms for small children

In terms of painting over any neutral colour should be ok - white, beige or grey. Grey is popular at the moment. Depends on colour of carpets too!

The red and blue walls would probably put me off.

[ZaZathecat]

I agree with you, paint it white to appeal to most buyers.

[purplewhitegreen]

It completely depends on the buyer

It's a 3 bed semi 1930s ex-council house in a part of town near the good schools.

It has a tiny garden and will be cheaper than the pretty Victorian houses up the road.

It'll appeal to a family who needs a 3 bed but don't have a large budget!

[TeacupDrama]

a mural of a woodland scene will only able to parents of kids under 6 if they have kids age 7 and 9 it won't work etc
however it would not put me off I can see past decor but it wouldn't be selling it to me with DD age 9 but dark paint needs a lot of coats over the top and any ceiling colour other than white unless you have stately home type ceiling is a pain as painting ceilings is harder than walls
get rid of dark colours and see how it goes with mural
some people are using very penny to buy a house so don't really have a redecorating budget other people have 20K for replacing perfectly ok kitchens just because they are cream wood rather than white gloss
or because the bathroom has white tiles not grey
if in doubt go neutral

[Robs20]

Would paint it white or light grey, and yes paint the ceiling and red wall (sorry!). We are looking to buy and today viewed 2 identical houses (same development) and instantly wrote off the first which had dark carpets, dark furniture and all coloured walls. Second one had neutral (grey) walls and light carpets and we will be making an offer. I can see past decor but in the first the dark colours really affected the feel of the house. Good luck!

[CassianAndor]

paint it white. DD's room is white and it looks fine with cheerful curtains, rug, bedding etc.

I do fine brightly painted kids bedrooms off putting when I'm looking at houses, so I think you;re right to make a change.

Do not paint it grey. Any potential buyers will have seen a million grey rooms already.

[BertieBotts]

Paint the ceiling. A red accent wall is fine. A mural is divisive. On the one hand, it seems a shame to paint over it. On the other hand, buyers might not necessarily trust you would do a good job. When we rented our place, we asked the previous tenants to leave the wallpaper in two rooms but remove it in a third bedroom, their lease stated they had to paint it white. When we moved in we found the third bedroom was really shittily done, the wallpaper had just been ripped off and no painting was done at all. So if buyers have had that kind of negative experience before they may not trust that you will paint it sufficiently.

[Mileysmiley]

Most the kids rooms I see are grey with woodland scenes. I am sick of grey tbh even pubs are following the trend. I do have a grey kitchen & copper and 1 bedroom which is grey but the rest of my house has different colors.

[purplewhitegreen]

Definitely not doing grey!

[PigletJohn]

A pale, plain wall allows people to picture their own taste onto it.

Doesn't need to be PBW.

[purplewhitegreen]

PBW = pure brilliant white?

We're going to have to do several coats to cover the colour.

I'll do white as it's cheaper and less hassle - unless people strongly think not too - that was what I wanted to know really.

People used to say not to do white but I think maybe that's changed now?

[Lovemenorca]

Are you selling? Or imminently?

If not, why are you concerned? Just do exactly what you think your children will love rather than some future potential buyer

[ImposterSyndrome101]

Leave your daughters mural if she likes it and it's easy enough to paint over. I'd avoid harsh white and go for something a little softer for your sons room. I can't judge on his red wall as I've no idea what it looks like.

[Whathappenedtothelego]

It wouldn't put me off buying (actually a dark coloured ceiling might!)
We had to paint over some quite striking-coloured feature walls - much easier than stripping wallpaper. Painting ceilings is more of a faff than walls, so I'd def make sure those are done though.

[purplewhitegreen]

Yes we're selling.

We're doing the work ourselves that needs done before it goes on the market, so may have to live with it for a little while. We can leave DD's till last though if we're going to paint over the mural. (DS doesn't care).

[purplewhitegreen]

Just do exactly what you think your children will love rather than some future potential buyer

That's what we did, hence the murals!

[BubblesBuddy]

Yes, but if they have now tired of them, they have run their natural life!

I would paint the rooms white. Add a cheerful cheap rug and duvet cover. Done! An adult could use the room when you sell or a child. White makes buyers think the room has multi uses - even a craft room if it’s light and airy. Buyers can also imagine painting over white to personalise it. Painting ceilings, over dark colours and murals is a lot more work but you then provide a blank canvas for buyers. The majority would prefer light bright rooms.

[purplewhitegreen]

if they have now tired of them, they have run their natural life!

True for my older child's mural, but not for my youngest as her's is much newer.

But yes, I agree with everything else you say!

White it is.

[purplewhitegreen]

Now for the rest of the house. Which rooms can't be white?

If'm going to do both kids bedrooms white, might as well do my bedroom white also, and the hall and walls on the stairs.

Where do I stop? Dining room is now shocking pink. I love it, but it's not everyone's taste so it'll have to go. Front room is already white (with lots of colour in the furniture) but needs repainting. Kitchen desperately needs repainting!

Can it all be white? (Would be so easy!)

[Gentlemanwiththistledownhair]

My whole house is white. I love it! It isn't boring and many people walk in and say they're surprised that it isn't harsh / too white and they actually like it. We would never have painted a whole house white before moving into this one, but I have to admit to being converted.

As for your house, I would struggle with a bright pink dining room tbh. Now grey is over, the trend seems to be for pale calming colours, or rich deep ones. A pink room is both very personal and in neither of the fashionable camps.

Plus, I would be walking around mentally adding up all the hours required to get rid of all the brightly coloured walls!

[BubblesBuddy]

Ok. I think i would go white throughout. Make it an easy choice. You can add pink cushions!

There is a big trend now for pale pink and brass. So go very pale pink?! Or white and dark green. Think pot plants and rich green velvet. You can add books, lamps, cushions, plants and even a pink picture - I have one of a flamingo!

[FeeFee832]

Magnolia with white woodwork is less harsh!

[Pipandmum]

Leave your daughter’s room but paint your sons.