Which color to paint inside apartment?

Question

Hello BP,

I recently bought a 4 apartment building in Queens, NY. I'm currently rehabbing my first vacant apartment and I'm undecided about which color to paint the apartment. I've heard a light grey for the walls and white for the doors and ceilings and trim, but I'm also a super big fan of white walls. It makes the space more inviting and brighter. It will also be easier to paint and save me money. Which color should I paint the apartment?

Keep in mind, my hallway walls are already grey and the ceiling, doors and trims are white.

Gabriel Watts · Answer

Agreeable gray was most common used for rentals last year. I use alabaster white in all my rentals now. It's easier to cover up after tenant turn arounds. And saves a lot of labor cost on remodels, we will paint everything that same alabaster white and looks great while like I mentioned before saves on labor cost ask on tenant turn around cost

Jules Aton · Answer

As much as I personally like gray it is considered dated in my area. For the past several years I have used Dover white by SW for the entire place-walls, ceiling and trim.

David Peschio · Answer

Something light and easy to touch up with turns.  Spend a bit on good quality paint and also agree with the walls and ceiling being the same color to save on cut in's.

Colleen F. · Answer

@M Edouard Ok I agree most of the time but if you have nice condition older natural woodwork, pick a color that goes with the woodwork like an alabaster/off white, and don't paint the woodwork. You make work for yourself painting woodwork that is in good condition.  We have large windows with wide wood trim and thankfully no one painted it. What you want is a nice crisp line between the woodtrim and the walls.It is more work to paint the ceiling white but it looks right. I have never had someone not rent an unit because the trim and cabinets aren't white. You want it clean and not an assault on the eyes.

James McGovern · Answer

@Greg Scott I second agreeable gray as a color but believe in using Behr

Chase Busick · Answer

@M Edouard, I ageee with light Gray, As it is a safe enough color to go with for most modern people's tastes. If you split up colors, it's fine too, may just save time & $ for all one color.I think all white is also fine or a light cream/beige. The white will most likely get dirtier over time but the light cream/beige & even light gray may conceal more. With that said white paint may last longer.

At the end of the day, up to you. Most recent 1s I've done were light gray. Because had already had most of same paint & short period of time in between projects. Then an all white since kept stained/sealed wood finish for doors & trim - since I only needed less than another 5 gallon.

Brendan Mullenholz · Answer

SW Agreeable grey is an excellent choice.  I've used it before and what I like is it's very neutral, and as you get less light it keeps it's brightness and kind of changes tone making it a different color.  It also hides smudges and is easy to clean even as a flat sheen

Patrick Hancock · Answer

We primarily use repose gray.

Michele Fischer · Answer

For some comic relief, I am going to say mint green.  On all surfaces.  Walls, ceiling, switch plates, all of it the same shade of mint green, in all rooms of the apartment.  This is a gift one of our outgoing tenants left us.  They thought they were helping.

Bill B. · Answer

You agreeable grey people are still painting ceilings white right? (I saw someone reply “paint walls/ceiling gray and trim white.” And nobody said no on ceilings?) I can’t tell you how much it bothers me when ceilings aren’t a clean white

We used Nomadic taupe from D&E for walls, bright white and ceiling white for doors/trim.

Ps. My first 5 years in Vegas were spent in a builder painted BRIGHT white walls/ceiling home. I didn’t realize how much it hurt my eyes and how horrible it was until I saw homes with blue or grey tinted walls. Please don’t go all pure white.

Which color to paint inside apartment?

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