Spec House - One Color All The Way Through?

williefb

We are building nice spec houses, (all brick, hardwood, tile, etc.)

Do you reccomend changing the interior color or keeping it consistent all the way through. I have always figured that most ladies would change the color anyway and anything that I painted differently would be wrong.

Your thoughts?

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Willie

Humble Abode

I agree.

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Just because some of us can read and write and do a little math, that doesn't mean we deserve to conquer the Universe. Kurt Vonnegut, (1922 - 2007) from the Novel 'Hocus Pocus'
The NAPP
Milwaukee Painting Contractor

KENNEDY

I think having ceilings and trim white and a color on the walls makes it look alot nicer than having everything the same color. A friend of mine that deals with rentals and specs says the properties move quicker that way than if everything is Antique White.

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Sean Kennedy
St. Louis Painting Contractor
Kennedy Painting LLC

Blackbird

Our designers have two schools of thought.
1) all white, the potential buyer will see and easy opportunity to make it their own. "This place is nice, but once we repaint it will be even better".
2) Use some accents to make it more appealing right off the bat.
I think it depends on the price range and type of client/buyer you are trying to attract. It's really good if you can sell before you have to pick tile, carpet and paint.

Workaholic

What has become common around here in the south.
Main wall color
White trim sometimes an off white.but lets say white trim.
celings 1/4 of the main wall.

donb1959

Generally all the new work Ive done in the past has been antquie white walls, shell white trim. Where do you build at?

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BMAN

Up here (Rochester, NY) its Extra white ceiling and trim, and light tans, beiges for walls with occasional dark accent walls. In kitchens sage greens are popular in the upscale homes too. I think you can get away colors if they are monotone.

thom

I build specs. Trim is bright white (including doors) and walls/ceilings are a beige. Looks nice, clean, crisp.

ruskent

Here in NJ, the cheap builders will spray the entire house all one color. Trim, walls, celian all one color

Boogga

Internally we have used a white/cream colour on the walls and ceiling straight through entire home. We don't have cornice, we have it square set. This is nice clean and simple. We also have little timber trim, all square set around doors and windows. Looks very nice. Later the people as you all say, paint it differently. So I would not worry, as long as it is neat tidy and a super paint job. (no furry walls)

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"It's better to die on your feet than to live on your knees"

camaroman2125

Thats what we do with our homes. Antique white for walls and ceilings and stained trim and casing. 75% of the specs we've built the new homeowner hires me to come back in and put whatever colors they want on the walls. Seems here that is the way people like it.

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SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES - NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS.

williefb

Middle Tennessee. We are using antique white with gloss white trim. It gives a good neutral look with a lot of options for furniture color etc. Plus it looks a bit better than just a plain white.

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Willie

DPainting

Ready Mixed Flat white ceilings
Navajo white for walls
Ready mixed white semi-gloss for trims

Thats been the basis from one of the contractors I work for.

Brushslingers

Almost all here are white ceilings/trim/doors, tan or some shade thereof that matches the exterior on walls. Couple few are still white/white specs. Higher end custom are multi-colored and mostly sold before painting, pretty sure they are giving an allowance for custom paint.

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Benn

Jonesey

Here in OK it's one color throughout in spec homes under 2000 sf, choice of 12 stock colors. Stained pine base and case with oak veneer doors. Cabinets are usually built on site, but some prefab.

Above 2000 sf specs are a little different. Usually we do one color in common areas, master suite one color and bedrooms one color. Cabinets usually stain, then white woodwork throughout the rest. Some builders have decorators they work with, some don't. Really depends upon your price point. What usually happens in the mid to upper level specs is they turn into a cutom right before or during paint. (This is a big PITA by the way). Great for the builder though.

Nevertheless, I wouldn't do white on walls and ceiling. Taupe or a tan is in vogue now, and from my experience most people don't want to paint right away. Ben Moore Bone White is a good choice for walls and ceiling. White woodwork I'd do slightly offwhite like SW Snowbound white. In the end if it's attractive to you, it's going to be attractive to somebody else too, unless you just have really bad taste.

You may want to consult a decorator on your Model, and use those colors throughout. This is usually pretty cheap compared to making bad mistakes. Consider it an investment that pays in the long run.

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Steve Jones
steve@jonespaintingonline.com
Jones Painting Feel the difference service makes