Color is one of the most powerful visual stimulants for provoking a reaction when marketing real estate. Whether new construction or resale, resort property or warehouse, the sale begins with the buyer's reaction to the real estate agent's "For Sale" sign in front of the property or on the screen when shopping online.

Pantone, a proprietary color-matching system, has chosen the color of the year for the last 25 years. Pantone’s choice finds its way into color palettes everywhere. This year, it’s peach fuzz – a peach-colored warm hue. With this breadth of information out there, some more specific guidance in the field of color is necessary.


Color Theory and Why It Matters

All colors are essentially light. Think about it: At night, nuances of color are not easily discerned. As we learned in elementary school, white is the presence of all colors, while black is the absence of all colors. Sir Isaac Newton's color theory, based on the color wheel and derived from experimentation with sunlight and prisms, is the basis of his findings that white light is composed of seven colors.

Primary colors – as we learn from our first box of wax crayons or jars of finger paints in early childhood – are red, yellow and blue. The secondary colors purple, green and orange are derived from these three. Subsequently, the tertiary colors evolve, and thereafter every shade and hue discernible to the human eye. Color is used constantly in verbal communication to convey an emotion or to clarify a statement. "Red fury" or "green with envy" clearly convey feelings without any visuals. Something "as clear as black and white" refers to the written or printed word.


Why 'Off-White' is Developers’ Hue of Choice 

Homebuilders, developers and contractors, no matter what part of the country, whether suburban tract home or urban penthouse, paint interiors some shade of white, typically called "off-white."

White, or any shade of it, provides a clean, blank canvas on which a homebuyer can project their lifestyle and home style choices. White was one of the first recorded colors used in art.


Guidance From Color Experts 

Manufacturers of appliances, bathroom fixtures, tile and light fixtures engage color experts to offer guidance with their studies and predictions of what colors to use in new construction. These predictions are influenced by various outside factors, such as the 2023 "Barbie" movie, which saw an explosion of pink in the marketplace. Barney, the 1990s purple dinosaur, spawned increased sales of purple toys for young children. While children's toys have influenced colors, children become adults and have memories of happy times.

Fashion also influences color designers and their brand images, like Valentino, who uses an excessive amount of red in his collections, and Armani, who uses subdued hues like brown and gray. Home sellers and homeowners aspire to stay current with color trends, whether they embrace them or not.

No Matter What Color, It’s All About You  

Color research as a science analyzes wavelengths, the power of the eye and the ability of the brain to process stimuli. Color is endless in all its manifestations, with lighting effects and wavelengths being tested and combined in different ways to produce new effects. Again, how the human eye and brain embrace and react to color is individual in each of us.

There is no good or perfect color, only our reaction to it. The next time you approach a real estate listing, pay attention to your reactions as you observe the colors and how they make you feel.

Bottom Line

Whether you’re planning to buy your first home, or you’re ready to move into a different one to meet your changing needs, think about the emotional benefits that can turn a house into a happy home. When you are ready to make a move, connect with Stuecher Manning Group.

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Source: realestate.usnews.com