The One Kitchen Color That Actually Decreases Your Home's Value

Whether you're selling your home for the first time or you're an experienced guru who knows all the tricks of the trade, there are a myriad of ways in which sellers can increase the value of their home before the appraiser arrives (bring out that checklist of to-dos). And no, I'm not talking about your impeccable staging, the fresh coat of paint on the exterior or the Marie Kondo-like organization in your closets and pantry. While the scent of fresh-from-the-oven cookies may dazzle buyers during showings, this one minor-yet-critical detail might be the culprit that's lowering the value of your home.

According to Zillow’s latest 2025 research, bright, daisy yellow kitchens were found to slash nearly $3,915 off a home’s sale price. Fire hydrant red wasn’t far behind, knocking off $1,820 from the listing price. Even though red has long been touted as a bold, appetite-inducing color, today's buyers are more drawn to hues that evoke calm, modernity and natural textures. Bright red, yellow, green and pink—essentially any color that screams “look at me!”—are now a major turnoff.

So, what should you paint instead? Zillow’s new study found that olive green kitchen cabinets can increase your home’s sale price by $1,597. These muted, dramatic greens are being embraced for their ties to “organic modernism,” a style rooted in natural materials like wood and stone. Think: serene, contemporary, and Pinterest-worthy.

Can’t commit to green? Charcoal gray continues to perform well, not just in living rooms (where it can add over $2,500 to the home’s value), but also in kitchens and bedrooms. To that end, the overall trend is leaning towards darker, more sophisticated shades of green, blue and gray—not light and bright, as was once conventional wisdom.

Skip the yellow and fire-engine red. Embrace the olive, charcoal, or navy if you want buyers to fall in love—and pay more.