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Paint Colors for a Rental House?
Good Questions

Q: Our long-time tenant is moving out of our rental house and a fresh coat of paint is in order. The current color scheme is pale gray walls, dark gray trim, and white ceiling and cabinetry. Personally, though I love gray, I find this particular combination to be a bit drab.  However, I can't make up my mind about new colors! These are my criteria…

 
 

110209lagoodquest1.jpg
1.  neutral enough that prospective tenants are not scared off or turned off by it.
2.  It should make the rooms look as big as possible.
3.  It should highlight the architectural details.
4.  The same paints must be used throughout the house.
5.  The paints must be fairly inexpensive and readily available (no Farrow & Ball, Fine Paints of Europe, etc.).
 
110209lagoodquest3.jpgMy instinct is to go with a basic white like Decorator's White or Swiss Coffee on everything except the walls, and to paint the walls a taupe (like BM Camouflage) or warm gray (like SW Hammered Silver). I don't want to invest a lot of time in doing mockups - I would really like to just pick my colors and let the painter have at it. Any suggestions out there?  Actual paint color brands/names would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help!


Sent by Anna

Editor - Feel free to throw in your two cents about what colours Anna should use.

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Comments (28)

I am not sure what beige you should use on the walls, but I would recommend that the trim be white again. because there is no moulding, the darker trim around the doors just stands out too much and looks odd, especially in the kitchen.
I've heard people have had a lot of success with BM Grant Beige.

posted by Aster on November 2nd 2009 at 8:20pm
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Why not just let the next tenant pick, based on the guidelines you've listed? A lot of tenants would be happy to have a say.

posted by Lisa (Montreal) on November 2nd 2009 at 8:22pm
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i like the idea of having the tenant pick, but many lack imagination and aren't invested in the place anyway.

i think you should go with cool tone neutrals due to the existing cool greys you have for the kitchen floor and counter.
warm colors would look horrible with this.

posted by mannequingirl on November 2nd 2009 at 8:41pm
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I agree with the last two comments. If you find a great tenant, let them have a say. It will give them more sense of ownership and they'll probably stay longer.

I do agree that the trim should go white. A darker trim than the walls usually dates the room a bit.

One thing I will add, stay away from swiss coffee. P.U.

Benjamin Moore has some fantastic off-whites. Also, I'm kind of in love with Pratt & Lambert's whites.

And finally, where in LA is this rental? I'm looking for a new place!

www.kylekannenberg.com

posted by hotglueink on November 2nd 2009 at 9:02pm
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Wow, I can't believe you would have to do anything to rent this place, it's gorgeous! Paint all the trim white and then see if the renters have an opinion about the wall colour.

posted by H L I on November 2nd 2009 at 9:09pm
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I just used Lowe's Valspar, low VOC paint that needs no primer, won't break the bank and has next to zero paint smell.

I searched for a soft white that didn't lean to the yellow buttery side. I found a really soft white that leans a tiny bit to a neutral beige, called "Statuesque".
It has good one coat coverage, it's soft and very neutral, and you only see the beige leaning when directly next to white.
For a soft white with no beige, I also used "Du Jour".
It is White, but not stark.

You could trim out in a bright white like the fireplace and ceiling, to bring out what details you have.
Lately, I am liking the look of baseboards, trim and walls the same color...but that's your decision.

Great space.

posted by zoee on November 2nd 2009 at 9:22pm
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Nice place!

I'm with everyone else-- I want the trim around the doors and baseboards to be white! I find the darker trim unpleasant.

I know you want contrast somewhere, but I think this place has enough going for it that the elements don't need to be picked out in color.

Were it me, I'd do all white, a scheme tried and true for good reason.

posted by shirley-temple-of-doom on November 2nd 2009 at 9:58pm
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I agree with the other commenters that you should leave it up to the renters. many people will want their own paint anyway and you will have wasted money for no reason. Anybody who's really swayed into renting/not renting based on paint color when they're allowed to change it probably isn't planning on staying long anyway.

posted by heatherdazy on November 2nd 2009 at 9:59pm
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Theoretically allowing the next tenant to choose is a good idea, but we have to remember that most people are design illiterate and either a) don't care about colour schemes or b) would choose some terrible trendy scheme which ALL parties will hate as soon as it's up on the walls.

Paint the trim gloss white and paint the walls the same colour as the current trim, which we already know matches the floor tiles and the window treatments.

I also concur that it's a very handsome house.

posted by Blandwagon on November 2nd 2009 at 10:08pm
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BM Chantilly Lace - the all white scheme would bring out the texture in the beautiful details like the built-ins and fireplace. Chantilly Lace is a great neutral white - not as harsh as Decorator or Super White. Great place!

posted by romeoandjewels on November 2nd 2009 at 10:29pm
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i wish our landlord had asked us what color we wanted! the warm grey walls with white trim sounds fantastic. i hate our flesh colored walls with a passion.

posted by Leo9 on November 2nd 2009 at 11:33pm
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Glossy cool white moulding with pale, cool flat grey on walls.

Behr- white fur trim and southern shadows walls.
Southern Shadows changes beautifully depending on the light.

posted by bmb on November 3rd 2009 at 2:15am
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White. All of it. That is the only color that most people will be ok with. Every other color needs matching furniture - even gray.

The tenant can add colors by the furniture, but let everything else be white.

posted by Evergirl on November 3rd 2009 at 2:50am
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i would go with you painting it white and give your new renters the option to add to that if they want to at any point.

posted by SydneyBristow on November 3rd 2009 at 3:42am
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Please please do not give into the temptation to beige down this wonderful place. I think if you paint all the currently dark grey bits white then the lighter grey on the walls won't look drab any more. And yes, do give your new tenants the chance to paint.

posted by idontdobeige on November 3rd 2009 at 5:29am
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We rent a beautiful vintage apartment with many built-ins like yours. My landlord painted all the trim white and all the walls a nice warm gray. We adore it - all 1,800 sq feet of it. Any decor matches this scheme. It is so much nicer than boring rental white. Visitors always assume we own our place and I think it is due to the nice paint colors. Your place looks lovely!

posted by thorndale on November 3rd 2009 at 6:46am
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To keep some control over the paint color, you may just want to ask the new tenant if they prefer warm tones (giving you the choice of creamy colors) or cool (then you can choose a gray). Paint the trim a white that can go either direction.

posted by mjs7640 on November 3rd 2009 at 8:33am
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I would do the trim in a white or cream color - then do the walls in beiges or grays. Keep it neutral.

I also agree with the idea of getting a list of colors you wouldn't mind in the place - and letting the next tenant pick.

posted by ChrisGal on November 3rd 2009 at 9:19am
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If you do allow the tenant to pick the color, make sure you keep some control (like giving them a list to choose from) if you're paying the painters. The last thing you want is for them to pick something you hate, and then have to pay to redo it when they move out.

I personally like ChrisGal's suggestion - cream trim and beige walls.

posted by lizsh on November 3rd 2009 at 9:58am
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You could be like me and hate the fact that you had no say regardless of the colour. So I like the suggestion of picking a few colours for the walls and then letting the renter pick. But paint the trim white. You can even tell prospective renters that you will be allowing them this freedom. I think it would be an extra incentive.

posted by azaleasmoke on November 3rd 2009 at 10:28am
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It's not terribly practical to allow the renters to choose the color-- it would mean a stalled move-in. Plus, the landlady quite naturally wants the apartment looking it's best to show it.

Glossy white trim, flat white (or off-white/ or creamy-white/ or grey-white) walls.

posted by shirley-temple-of-doom on November 3rd 2009 at 10:42am
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BM White Dove, everywhere.

posted by tequila red on November 3rd 2009 at 11:02am
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My two cents. . . the idea of letting a renter pick is nice, but won't work as you will want to paint before showing. . . and a renter won't want to work around your painting after they move in. Also, the place I am in now was Swiss Coffee and it was terrible. Looks like soiled white dingy paint. I have done gray, it was nice. But a super subtle yellow tone can be better and more warm. This house tour is a rental, and the nicest paint job I have EVER seen, I would copy it. The molding is white and the rest is a super subtle yellow, look closely: http://gallery.apartmenttherapy.com/photo/sf-kelly-and-jonathans-mission-house-tour/item/82590

posted by wormy on November 3rd 2009 at 12:18pm
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Love the space. Whatever you do, paint the trim a crisp white. Forget the beige. Go with either some softer white or the soft warm grey.

posted by shari on November 3rd 2009 at 2:44pm
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Hi everybody, this is Anna. Thank you all so much for your helpful comments - and I'm so glad you like the house! I love it too. I like the idea of giving the new renter some say in the paint, but as some of the later commenters noted, I would really like to paint as soon as the current tenant vacates so that when I show the place it will look bright and new and beautiful - and I would like it to be move-in ready. That being the case, I am leaning toward painting everything white as many of you recommended. And I had actually set my sights last night on BM Chantilly Lace or White Dove after doing some more research (although reading about paint is kind of like dancing about architecture!). I will definitely send follow-up pictures after the painting takes place next week.

P.S. I credited the tenant in the other unit the cost of painting when she moved in as she wanted to paint it herself - and I have to admit, I'm horrified by the colors she chose! But to each his or her own, I guess!

posted by Emily the Cat on November 3rd 2009 at 5:29pm
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Woohoo! Chantilly Lace! It'll look great with all that light in the apartment (the pictures are a bit dim - but I imagine it gets more light at other parts of the day - reminds me of my old apartment!).

I recommend going with the Eggshell. Washes better but still looks flat. Crown Paint on Pico has it cheaper than Mann Brothers. Let us know how it turns out!

posted by romeoandjewels on November 4th 2009 at 12:22am
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I live in Los Angeles and am currently looking for an apartment... Wondering if you can provide the details on this beauty! Thanks very much.

posted by halebale6 on November 9th 2009 at 5:23pm
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Update - painting started today and I'm so excited!

@hotglueink and halebale6 - Thanks for your interest! I have email you both the details.

If anyone else is interested, please send inquiries to kenistonave@gmail.com. Thank you!

posted by Emily the Cat on November 11th 2009 at 12:54pm
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