Avoid Painting Your Bathroom This Color (It Could Majorly Decrease Your Home Value)

One of the perks of owning a house is making it feel like home through design choices. Adding personality to your decorating scheme through paint color, decor, and other updates can be satisfying. However, these choices can impact your home's resale value down the line, and not always for the better. Even something as simple as your bathroom color can decrease the value of the property. According to recent findings, you may want to reconsider using dark forest green paint in your bathroom.

While shades of green had been the preferred bathroom color that's on trend for 2024, research shows that the forest green paint trend is on its way out. In fact, according to Zillow research (via House Beautiful), this color has caused offers to come in $1,760 below a home's expected value. From a buyer's perspective, it's important that they're able to envision themselves and their own design choices in each room; if they don't resonate with a highly personalized shade like forest green, you risk throwing them off. For that reason, it's best to avoid polarizing shades to better appeal to potential buyers.

Dark forest green may be too much of a gamble, but there are other shades that can work for a colorful bathroom without decreasing your home's overall value. Generally speaking, neutral shades are the safest choice for your bathroom if you're thinking ahead about reselling. These tend to be more appealing since they allow buyers to visualize themselves in the space more easily, but that doesn't mean you should deprive yourself of color entirely. Earthy hues like moody browns and dusty blues, for example, can be great alternatives to forest green for your bathroom.

Mid-tone browns are a once-outdated bathroom color that's making a design comeback, and for good reason. According to a 2025 Zillow survey, these shades can increase your home's value by up to $680 compared to similar homes. The nature-inspired color can make a space feel grounded and comforting. Consider rich, neutral browns, such as Middlebury Brown by Benjamin Moore or Sable by Sherwin-Williams. 

Pale, dusty blues are another soothing color that can boost both your environment and your home's value. A 2021 Zillow-commissioned study found that light blue bathrooms could cause homes to sell for $4,698 more than their expected price. The airy color can create a relaxing and calm environment while staying versatile enough to appeal to a range of homebuyers. If you're shopping around for paint, you may want to consider Breath of Fresh Air or Blue Hydrangea by Benjamin Moore.