How the wrong paint colours could devalue your home by £15,000 - makes your home 'gloomy, dark and intense'

According to experts at Origin, paint colours have such a large impact that they could devalue your home by up to £15,000. Here are some top tips to follow.

Avoid offensive bright orange and yellow

Unconventional paint colours are very risky when your home is on the market. They can often draw the viewer’s attention away from other key aspects of a room, such as the space, lighting, layout and size.

Although bright oranges and yellows can be uplifting in a child’s bedroom, perhaps, they can be quite overwhelming in alternative settings.

There’s a reason that these colours are often used as a marketing technique in fast-food restaurants rather than in a home where you want to relax.

Neutrals can go wrong

Although neutrals are usually a safe bet, it’s easier than you think to get them wrong. With the wrong undertones, and with tones that clash – such as warm and cold shades – mixing neutrals can cause a room to look unfinished.

I think it’s best to avoid grey in a room as this encourages a dull ambience, and instead use greys that are combined with other tones, such as soft greens. These are trending currently, offering a more contemporary theme to your interior.

Steer clear of the harshness of black walls

It may seem obvious, but avoid painting your walls black. They’ll appear gloomy, dark, and intense, and might become a statement feature but for the wrong reasons.

As such an overpowering colour for a large surface area, it can make spaces feel smaller and more cramped and could block any natural light from opening up a room.

It could confuse viewers too, with their ability to consider the potential of the space. Black can seem hard to relax in, and it can also prevent feeling inspired, so for a living room or home office space, it may discourage home viewers even further.

Ditch overbearing reds

Although you may think having a bright red feature wall would make your home stand out and add a unique touch to a space, it can achieve the opposite.

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According to colour theory, red evokes feelings of anger and danger, which can be instantly unsettling for someone viewing a home for the first time.

Red is also hard to mix with other colour palettes because of its intensity, which can be limiting for your decor and furniture, and this may translate into a viewer’s mind when trying to imagine their furniture and decor in the room.”

For more information visit Madison & Mayfair.