magnolia or off-white walls? 20 February 2013 at 2:15PM in House Buying, Renting & Selling 30 replies 7.5K views

pinkskyatnight

thinking of putting house up for sale soon. it was all decorated 2 years ago but already looking tired with the usual moving in marks etc. its currently magnolia, but i am wondering if i should paint it an off-white this time round as magnolia seems to have gone out of fashion and all white seems to be in, but i worry that an off-white might seem cold?

would you prefer magnolia or off-white walls?

ceilings and coving are bright white.

POPPYOSCAR

I would do it white.

The paint is cheaper to buy and it will make the house seem bigger.

Meadows

Depending on the quality of the paint you use magnolia can be off white or yellowish.

Personally I would opt for a magnolia as it is warmer and the tone will blend in with more furniture, go for a Satin rather than a matt so it reflects the light better.



Vinyl Matt Emulsion: A wall and ceiling paint that is easy to apply. It is water-based and provides a flat non-reflective finish so it is good for masking surface imperfections. However it can mark easily so it is best used in light-wear areas such as bedrooms (apart from children's bedrooms), sitting rooms, dining rooms and on ceilings.

Vinyl Satin Emulsion: Also known as soft sheen, vinyl satin is like matt emulsion but has a subtle shine finish. It can be used in main reception rooms if you don't mind a slightly reflective surface, and, as little finger marks can be removed more easily, it is ideal for children's rooms. It's a good paint for bathrooms and kitchens where you don't want a high-sheen finish but need a wipeable surface.

Vinyl Silk Emulsion: This is the shiny member of the emulsion family. Less attractive to have in reception areas because of its sheen, it nonetheless has the benefit that small marks can be wiped off with a damp sponge. Good for steamy areas such as bathrooms and kitchens if you don't mind the shiny surface, but as it is not oil-based, it's only water resistant, not waterproof.

SailorSam

I'd go for magnolia, if the ceilings are already white i think it would all look to harsh with more white

arbrighton

As long as it's clean and neutral rather than dirty or garish, it doesn't really matter surely- your buyer will probably want to put their own mark on it anyway but if it is clean and neutral, at least they won't have to try and see past it.
Brilliant white would probably be cold. SOme of the 'whites with a hint' are cold, some are warmer. Our house is currently 'ivory lace' which seems to be fairly similar to magnolia and the multitude of 'whites with a hint' we tried.

Lucy_Lastic

I like magnolia! My neighbours have white and I find it cold and stark. I think magnolia contrasts well with white paintwork (doors, celings and skirtings)

SternMusik

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

I would do it white.

The paint is cheaper to buy and it will make the house seem bigger.

+ 1

Matte white is the way to go. I really don't like shiny walls at all - I am considering redecorating my house purely to get rid of the shiny paint used by the previous owner. It is otherwise nicely decorated. Also, painting over silk/shiny paint is more difficult than painting over matte paint.

BigG10

White defo...but surely any buyer will think about re-painting anyway!

DRP

SternMusik wrote: »

+ 1

Matte white is the way to go. I really don't like shiny walls at all - I am considering redecorating my house purely to get rid of the shiny paint used by the previous owner. It is otherwise nicely decorated. Also, painting over silk/shiny paint is more difficult than painting over matte paint.

^^yes

White.

The only shiny walls in my house are the kitchen and bathroom (water resistant paint).

I also used the silk paint below the dado in the hall, as it is more resistant to scuffing in high-traffic areas....

I only consider white to be a cold colour if the house is actually ..er.. cold

krlyr

If the paint is in good condition then I wouldn't worry too much. I dislike magnolia (with a passion) but realistically wouldn't rule out a house because of it. I find garishly patterned wallpapers or neon walls far more offensive. And, from experience now, darker coloured walls may put me off, from knowing how many fresh coats they need to paint over (5 so far and still a teeny hint of blue coming through..argh! We've probably lost an inch of room from paint layers :rotfl:)

If it looks light (and therefore spacey - as much as possible anyway), the walls look good condition and like you've made a half-decent effort (so no wibbly cutting in lines, obvious missed patches behind furniture etc. - stuff that hints you only do half a job on the "easy" stuff and theremore may have cut corners elsewhere too) I wouldn't worry about the particular shade of it too much, for every magnolia hater you'll probably get a magnolia lover who'd be put off by a colder white shade.

Edit: Sorry, re-read and see it's a bit worn. Perhaps look at other houses for sale and see what your first impression is? Get friends and family to give their views too, purely based on what they see and what pops into their head straight away. I know my OH definately would buy with his eyes - he loved the neutral, freshly decorated houses we saw for sale down our road and would have happily paid an extra £40k..I could see the potential despite the hideous blue, green and purple walls and tired looking trim in ours! Nearly as soon as we moved in, I gave just one room a big overhaul - the living room, where we spend most of our time - with new flooring and white paint floor to ceiling, and it made such a difference. It didn't cost me a lot so it wouldn't put me off knowing I had to do some painting in a house, which I know I'd have to do even if it was magnolia. Infact, even if it was white, I might (plan it to do a final coat in off-white but it's taken us absolutely forever to try to find a shade we like that looks right once it's on the wall vs. the colour on the tin - so another reason why I wouldn't worry too much about what shade you do it!)

Tixy

Depends on the property - I wouldn't do pure white in a period property but would in a newer property.

If its already magnolia I'd just do another single coat of magnolia over it to tidy it up.

I can't imagine the difference between magnolia and off white would be a deal breaker or clincher which ever you decide.