Paint and Color Trends for 2027: What San Diego Sellers Should Paint, Keep and Skip Before Listing
/By Morgan Craft, Founder, Creative Director, CASA BY CRAFT. Published October 2026.
Short answer: For 2027, the paint brands are telling the same story: earthy green is the headline, with warm browns, golden neutrals and smoky blues behind it. Sherwin-Williams chose Celery SW 6421, Benjamin Moore chose Webster Green HC-130 and Behr chose Grounded T27-01. On the way out are cool gray as a default, stark all-white rooms, and the formulaic black-and-white farmhouse. For San Diego sellers, the practical move is to repaint worn or bold rooms in a warm, soft neutral, then let one or two 2027 colors show up where they photograph well, like a front door, an island or a powder room. Always sample before you commit.
Some colors want to be remembered. Others want to sell the house.
What the 2027 colors of the year say
Every fall the big paint brands announce a color of the year. Here are the 2027 picks announced so far.
| Brand | 2027 color | Code | Announced | Described by the brand as |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwin-Williams (with HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams) | Celery | SW 6421 | September 15, 2026 | A soft, muted green with subtle yellow undertones |
| Benjamin Moore | Webster Green | HC-130 | October 14, 2026 | A quintessential green that bridges timeless design with contemporary aesthetics |
| Behr | Grounded | T27-01 | August 26, 2026 | An earthy olive green that moves between olive and moss, with subtle brown undertones |
| Valspar | Cottage Door | 8004-38E | August 5, 2026 | A mid-tone neutral blue that blends warm and cool undertones |
| Glidden (PPG) | Artifact | PPG10-16 | September 14, 2026 | A warm, smoky blue |
The pattern is easy to see. Three of the five picks are greens, two are smoky blues, and none is a bright, high-energy color. Sherwin-Williams ties Celery to wellness and calm, and Behr's color-marketing team says Grounded reflects a move "toward richer, earthier color with character and a sense of ease," as quoted by Axios. Benjamin Moore says its 2027 palette emphasizes warmth and heritage while encouraging personalization.
Three front-door colors we love: Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black SW 6258, In the Navy SW 9178 and Hunt Club SW 6468. A front door is the lowest-risk place to try a deep color before a showing, because it is the first thing a buyer sees and the easiest thing to repaint.
Courtesy of Glidden. Photography by Erin Wheeler.
Walls: what is rising and what is going away
Rising: warm, earthy color. Green leads: Celery, Webster Green and Grounded. Benjamin Moore's palette adds spiced brown (Antique Copper), burgundy brown (Townsend Harbor Brown) and a golden neutral (Shakespeare Tan), and the Behr 2027 palette adds warm beiges, muted pinks and clay tones. Smoky and gray-blue shades show up in the Valspar and Glidden picks.
Going away: cool gray as the default neutral, and stark all-white rooms. Glidden's announcement says Artifact represents "a shift away from using cool grays as neutrals" toward colors that feel welcoming and personal. Sherwin-Williams' color marketing manager Emily Kantz says in a Zillow guide that buyers are shifting away from cool, light neutrals and stark whites toward warmer, deeper hues. Chicago designer Kristen Ekeland told Camille Styles that there is "a strong desire to move away from painting interior rooms all white that was popular seven years ago."
Courtesy of Glidden
What buyers actually responded to: Zillow's 2026 Paint Color Analysis surveyed more than 4,400 recent and prospective buyers and showed them homes with rooms painted in one of 11 colors. Compared with white, buyers' stated offers were higher for a chocolate-brown bedroom (+$2,277), a pale-blue living room (+$1,723), a charcoal-gray living room (+$1,509) and a charcoal-gray kitchen (+$1,373). Sage green was the only color in the top tier in every room, worth more than $1,000 in a bedroom and nearly $500 in a living room. At the other end, ochre yellow painted throughout could cost an estimated $18,164, and a bold red bathroom nearly $8,000. Blush pink also landed in the bottom three for every room. This was an image-based survey, not actual sales, and Zillow worked with Sherwin-Williams on its paint guide.
Two notes. First, dark charcoal performed well in Zillow's study, so "gray is out" really means the cool, light, builder-style gray that once covered everything. Second, designers are predicting dusty pink for 2027 (Camille Styles, citing House Beautiful), while Zillow's buyers marked blush pink down for resale. A color can be trending and still not be the right choice for a listing.
What is going away, at a glance
Cool, light gray as the default neutral (Glidden, Sherwin-Williams). Dark charcoal still tests well.
Stark all-white rooms (Zillow, Camille Styles). Creamy, warm whites remain popular.
Formulaic black-and-white or gray-and-white farmhouse (Good Housekeeping, August 2026). Black and white are not banned; the cookie-cutter version is what designers are tired of.
Ochre yellow, bold red and blush pink for resale (Zillow's buyer study).
Whites that still photograph beautifully
None of this means white is over. It means white is getting warmer and more thoughtful. Benjamin Moore's own 2027 palette includes a cozy off-white, White Down OC-131. On the front of our flyer, we picked six whites we love, with the same descriptions we printed:
Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace OC-65: Crisp and clean. The brightest of the bunch, with almost no undertone. Gallery-wall crisp and made for photos.
Benjamin Moore Simply White OC-117: Bright and sunny. A clean white with just a whisper of warmth. Bounces light around and plays nice with wood.
Sherwin-Williams Pure White SW 7005: Soft and neutral. Not too stark, not too creamy. The designer workhorse for walls, trim and everything between.
Benjamin Moore White Dove OC-17: Warm and balanced. Warm, never buttery. A touch of gray keeps it classic on walls, trim and cabinets.
Sherwin-Williams Alabaster SW 7008: Warm and creamy. Cozy without going yellow. Soft, welcoming and lovely with warm wood tones.
Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee OC-45: Warm and classic. Creamy, cozy and a little bit timeless. Made for natural wood, rattan and stone.
The CASA BY CRAFT perspective: when a client asks which white photographs best, we start with the home's light and finishes rather than a favorite color. A very bright white like Chantilly Lace reads bright and clean in listing photos. A warm white like Alabaster or Swiss Coffee reads softer next to wood floors and natural materials. Pure White sits in between. This is our styling opinion, not a measured result, which is exactly why we sample.
Swatch recommendations from the flyer, by use
Here is how we would use the colors on the flyer when staging for a sale. This is the CASA BY CRAFT perspective, and every home is different.
For the main living spaces: one of the six whites above. Alabaster, Swiss Coffee or White Dove for warm, cozy rooms with wood floors. Pure White or Simply White for a clean, neutral backdrop. Chantilly Lace when you want maximum brightness for the photos.
For a soft-green moment on walls: Celery SW 6421 in a bedroom, bathroom or powder room. It is lighter and yellower than the sage shades Zillow tested, so sample it and check it in your own light.
For a warm wall or a feature wall: Shakespeare Tan 228 or Antique Copper 1169. Both are richer than a typical resale neutral, so we would use them in one room or on one wall in a home that can carry it, such as a den, dining room or primary bedroom, rather than throughout.
For islands, built-ins and cabinets: Webster Green HC-130, Behr Grounded T27-01 or Townsend Harbor Brown HC-64. Deep colors like these are most effective where there is plenty of light, wood or natural stone nearby. Keep the walls around them warm white.
For the front door: Tricorn Black SW 6258, In the Navy SW 9178 or Hunt Club SW 6468, a deep green that fits the 2027 green trend. A freshly painted door is an inexpensive first impression.
One designer quoted by Camille Styles, Kristen Ekeland, suggests painting only the casing, baseboard and crown molding in a soft green and keeping the walls a warm white such as Benjamin Moore's Swiss Coffee. It is a low-commitment way to bring in 2027 color.
What to repaint before you list
Paint is one of the most affordable updates a seller can make. A 2025 survey found that 84% of real estate agents recommend painting interiors white, gray or beige before selling, as reported by Axios, and Zillow reports that nearly one-third of homeowners paint before listing. Our checklist:
Repaint anything scuffed, stained or dated. Fresh paint says "well-maintained," and buyers notice. Fix this first.
Neutralize strong personal colors. Zillow's data shows ochre, bold red and blush pink can cost sellers at resale. Choose a warm white or soft neutral instead.
Keep the palette cohesive. A consistent warm neutral through the main living areas photographs better and makes the home feel larger. Add the 2027 color as one planned accent, not five.
Think in layers. Paint the walls, then consider the front door, an island or the powder room for the 2027 color. Pair with natural wood, stone, linen and warm metals.
Ask your agent about your neighborhood. Zillow itself advises sellers to consult a local agent about what buyers in their area want. Our pre-listing consultation ($350 to $500) includes paint color recommendations in the follow-up email.
For homes that are staged, the furniture, art and accessories can carry the 2027 palette without a single paint swatch, which is useful when the walls need to stay neutral for the widest set of buyers. See vacant staging (starting at $3,500 plus tax) and occupied staging (from $3,000), and browse our portfolio for examples. If you are wondering how those fees are built, read Why Does Staging a House Cost So Much?, and for what to watch for in cheaper options, read Cheap Staging Is Never Free.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 2027 paint colors of the year?
Sherwin-Williams chose Celery SW 6421, Benjamin Moore chose Webster Green HC-130, Behr chose Grounded T27-01, Valspar chose Cottage Door 8004-38E and Glidden chose Artifact PPG10-16. Pantone had not announced its 2027 color as of October 18, 2026.
What paint colors are going out of style in 2027?
Designers and brands point to cool, light gray as a default neutral, stark all-white rooms, and the black-and-white farmhouse look. Warm whites, dark charcoal and wood tones remain popular, so these are shifts in emphasis rather than rules.
Is gray still in style for walls?
Cool gray is fading, according to Glidden and Sherwin-Williams' color team. Warmer grays and dark charcoal are still used: charcoal gray tested well in Zillow's 2026 buyer study.
What is the best white paint for selling a house in San Diego?
It depends on the home's light and finishes. Chantilly Lace is the brightest of the six whites on our flyer, Pure White is a balanced neutral, and Alabaster and Swiss Coffee are warmer and creamier. Sample on two walls and check morning and evening light before choosing.
What is LRV and why does it matter when choosing paint?
LRV, or light reflectance value, is a scale from 0 (black) to 100 (white) that shows how much light a paint color reflects. A higher number reads lighter and brighter in a room and in photos, while a lower number reads deeper and richer, so it helps predict how a color will behave in your space before you sample it.
Let's talk about your listing
CASA BY CRAFT is a San Diego home staging company serving agents and sellers across Downtown, Point Loma, Scripps Ranch, Coronado, North Park, Kensington, Mission Hills, La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, Solana Beach, Encinitas and Carlsbad. Want a second opinion on paint colors before you list? Contact us for a consultation, browse vacant staging and occupied staging, or see our portfolio. Ask us for a copy of the flyer.
Expertly styled to stand apart.
Color notes: swatches are approximate on screens and in print; always test a sample on your wall. This article is general information, not a guarantee of sale price.
About the author
Morgan Craft is the founder and creative director of CASA BY CRAFT and a Certified Real Estate Staging Professional who has been staging San Diego homes since 2018. CASA BY CRAFT is The Staging Collective's San Diego metro member, and is also a member of the San Diego Association of Realtors (SDAR), the Kensington Talmadge Business Association and the Real Estate Staging Association. More about Morgan.