The Property Brothers Say to Avoid These Two Colors for Your Walls

Before you grab that paint and roller, the Property Brothers want you to know about the two colors that rarely work for interior walls.

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Paint can help freshen up a room, whether you’re going for a new look or planning on putting your house on the market. But, before you grab that paint and roller, the Property Brothers have some tips they want you to know about.

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In a 2019 episode of the popular home improvement show, Property Brothers: Buying and Selling, the duo—Jonathan and Drew Scott—noted that there are two colors that should never be used to paint interior walls: Red and yellow.

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In the episode titled “Condo Dreams,” the Property Brothers tackled a home that the owner wants to sell so she can downsize after the death of her life partner. “Drew and Jonathan see plenty of potential in Roseanne’s existing digs. In its current condition, it’s worth only about $600,000. But if Roseanne invests $85,000 in the renovation Jonathan envisions, the Scotts believe she’ll be able to sell it for at least $800,000—a massive $200,000 increase,” realtor.com reported.

Roseanne’s living room was a pale yellow and Jonathan noted yellow walls don’t sell in today’s market. The dining room walls were painted what Jonathan called “angry ’90s red,” which he said needed to go as they it was extremely outdated. Next, find out what are the best wall paint colors this year.

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Today’s Color Trends

Trends come and go, and according to the Property Brothers, the ship sailed for both red and yellow walls quite some time ago. And while the brothers suggested avoiding bright, primary colors in general, you can still go bold. Instead of primary hues, the Property Brothers suggest leaning toward minimal decor, which includes lots of black, white and grays mixed with wood tones. Then accent with bold colors, such as red throw pillows or a sunny yellow area rug.

Rachel Brougham
Rachel Brougham lived through a major home renovation in 2019, knows the ups and downs of home improvement, and loves sharing tips with readers. A veteran journalist of both print and television, she’s won several awards for her writing and has covered everything from the environment and education to health care, politics and food. She’s written for several publications beyond newspapers including Bob Vila, Taste of Home and Minnesota Parent, and she currently writes a weekly syndicated newspaper column. Her memoir, Widowland, about the sudden loss of her husband, was published in 2022. She specializes in everything from home decor and design to lawn and garden, product reviews and pet care. When she’s not writing, you can usually find her tending to her garden (both vegetables and native plants), playing with her dog, watching sports with her family or getting some exercise. A native of Michigan, she currently lives in Minneapolis. An avid user of Instagram, you can follow her @RachBrougham.