Need Advice: Design Decisions for Our Columbia, TN Flip

Need Advice: Design Decisions for Our Columbia, TN Flip

Member since 2024 · 15 posts · 4 votes

Hey, BiggerPockets community! đź‘‹

We recently purchased a property in Columbia, TN, for $135,000 and plan to flip it. It’s a modest home, and we aim for broad appeal with a neutral, updated look that attracts a wide range of buyers. This will be our first flip, so we’d love your input on a few design decisions.

Siding Color

We need to replace the vinyl siding and are torn about what color to choose. Currently, we’re considering white as the replacement option. Do you think sticking with white is a safe choice, or is there another color that would add some more curb appeal while remaining neutral?

Exterior Paint

The home has a concrete foundation wall that extends about 3 feet up before the siding starts. We’re considering painting it black to create contrast and a more modern look. Does black make sense here, or would another color or treatment work better?

Flooring

We plan to install luxury vinyl planks (LVP) throughout the home for the flooring. We want something neither light nor dark—maybe a mid-tone that won’t show too much wear. Is this a good approach, or should we look at a different shade or finish?

Wall and Trim Colors

For the interior walls, we’re considering using Sherwin-Williams “Snowbound.” Should we choose this color, or is there a better neutral option? We’re also debating whether to paint the walls, trim, and ceilings the same color to give them a cohesive feel. Would this work, or do you recommend using a slightly different shade for trim and ceilings?

Kitchen Finishes

The kitchen will have white cabinets and white subway tile. We’re considering adding black hardware and a black faucet for some contrast. Is this neutral enough, or should we add more color somewhere to make it stand out?

Would love to hear your thoughts, suggestions, and any design tips that have worked well for your flips. We want to create a fresh home without turning off potential buyers.

Thanks in advance! 🙏

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  • Member since 2024 · 1k+ posts · 351 votes
    2y

    Appliances will be replaced?

  • Member since 2024 · 15 posts · 4 votes
    2y

    There is essentially a black/stainless steel stove. We are getting a new fridge, dishwasher, and microwave to match! 

  • Member since 2024 · 15 posts · 4 votes
    2y

    Just an update: Someone said they should use an off-color white, not straight white, to hide the stains. 

    Any other advice would be appreciated :) 

  • Lender · Ponte Vedra, FL · Member since 2024 · 25 posts · 11 votes
    2y

    Keep that concrete finish on the large foundation! I love seeing crispy concrete with a slightly darker  exterior color. On the siding maybe do something like a desert tan with some red hue that’s a light warm and inviting design. Look up brick and large concrete foundation homes. They pop with the color contrast. Kitchen sounds solid and love white on black. Especially if it has eastern facing windows for great morning light. And make sure the floors have a nice contrast such as the middle ground flooring you touched on. That will make the whites of the exterior come together and white makes for a spacious appeal. Solid choices already, just my take. 

  • Investor · CA · Member since 2023 · 16 posts · 9 votes
    1y

    Hi Haley! Would love to chime in. Are you doing a flip and trying to keep costs as low as possible? If so, neutral, updated and home depot/amazon is definitely the right way to go. One thing to consider is also looking at other homes on zillow around your address, if you see that everyone is doing homes the same way then yes, you should consider what color, tile, and updates can really make yours standout. 

    Flooring: I personally love home depot's LVP in Easy Oak. It's a really beautiful warm color that is neutral, durable, and cheap.

    Wall color: Snowbound works but just know that it tends to be slightly colder. I have loved greek villa and alabaster from SW as they are slightly warmer esp with sun. I agree that doing the walls, trim and ceilings the same color is a great option. If you are flipping to sell, it may be best to present the house with an open airy feel that is ripe with potential.

    Kitchen finishes: Our primary home was a flip with white cabinets and black finishes. We loved it when we bought the house and what mattered to us most at the time was the layout of the kitchen, not the color of the cabinets. If they were a better material, I probably would have loved the house even more but if they were a color I didn't like it would have been a harder sell for me. Now that I'm a more experienced designer in real estate, I would love to customize my kitchen more with different materials, unique tile, and more unique pulls/knobs but having a large, clean kitchen was extremely appealing to me as a first-time buyer 4 years ago. I've also renovated another kitchen to just have white cabinets and black finishes to keep things as cheap as possible. Photos were great, and we got a renter quickly at a higher rent. At the end of the day your cabinet colors will not necessarily add $ to your purchase price since color is so subjective. I'm a fan of the more neutral color choices so that you can stage your home in such a way that there are more options and opportunity to create more pop for your photos. White subway tile + white paint + white cabinets + black finishes = a great formula to keep cost low while achieving a modern look that will appeal to buyers.

    Happy to connect and hope this helps!

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