The “Barbie” movie appears to have caused a temporary global shortage of pink paint – but here's why homeowners shouldn't worry if fuchsia is out of stock

Barbiecore may be the hot new trend of 2023 — but it won't necessarily increase the value of your home in today's real estate market.

In the Barbie movie, of course, a lot of pink was used in the set design for the Mattel doll's three-story dream house, complete with a twisty slide and pool.

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But Rosco's use of bright pink in the film apparently contributed to the paint maker's international shortage. “The world ran out of pink,” production designer Sarah Greenwood told Architectural Digest.

Of course, there were other factors that contributed to the global shortage that arose after the Barbie movie wiped out the paint manufacturer's supply. The COVID-19 pandemic had a severe impact on the global supply chain, and the company was still recovering from the Texas cold snap in 2021, which impacted paint production materials.

However, if you're planning on selling your home soon, it's also a good idea if you don't get your hands on pink paint. Data from online real estate marketplace Zillow shows that you can get up to $5,000 more for your home simply by choosing the right colors for your walls—and pink won't do.

How home buyers react to color

Zillow surveyed current and potential home buyers in 2021 to find out which colors they think are worth a higher price.

Of the 15 colors shown to survey participants, these were the colors that consumers were most likely to raise or lower their bids on depending on the room.

In the bathroom

According to Zillow, light blue is the most popular color for bathrooms. Survey respondents said a light blue bathroom would be enough to justify a 1.6% higher asking price – about $5,000 for a $290,000 home.

Neutral colors – gray, dark gray, light yellow and off-white – were found to increase the likelihood that participants would either choose to view a home or place a higher bid.

While light yellow was considered attractive as a bathroom color, bright yellow, bright green, bright red and pink were considered repulsive.

“Buyers tend to shy away from bright colors in the bathroom, so it’s best to choose a softer shade,” Zillow says in its report.

In the kitchen

White walls in the kitchen increased survey participants' interest in viewing or purchasing a home.

But interestingly, their preferred alternatives to white weren't just neutral colors. While light yellow and off-white performed well, dark grey, dark red and dark green also attracted more than a few looks.

As with the bathroom, participants were not enthusiastic about the idea of ​​a colorful kitchen. Bright green, pink, bright yellow and bright red all elicited negative reactions.

“Bright red could reduce the price buyers would be willing to offer by almost $1,500 on average,” says Zillow. “A kitchen painted light yellow elicited the least purchase intentions for the house.”

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In the living room

Gray dominates the preferred living room colors, while light green, white, dark gray and light yellow also score positively.

Bright green, according to Zillow, “introduced an average increase in the asking price of several hundred dollars.”

When it came to living room color, the usual suspects fared poorly: pink, bright green and bright yellow.

“On average, bright green and bright yellow living rooms decreased surveyed buyers’ interest in viewing a home,” says Zillow. “On average, both colors had a negative impact on expected asking prices.”

In the bedroom

Although neutral colors were the top choice for bathrooms, kitchens, and living rooms, Zillow survey respondents were a little more adventurous when it came to the boudoir. Dark blue was the bedroom color that would most increase the average price consumers were willing to bid.

Light blue also performed well alongside white, light blue and dark gray.

Again, bright yellow, bright green and pink were the least likely to have a positive influence on shoppers.

“In a separate survey of potential buyers and sellers, both groups said they were less likely to paint a room these colors, regardless of the room’s purpose,” says Zillow.

Don't get caught up in trends

However, if the Barbiecore movement inspires you to shake things up at home, you're probably in good company.

Back in November 2022, interior design magazine Better Homes and Gardens predicted that the bright pink hue would be popping up in homes across the country this year.

And then in December, the pigmentation experts at Pantone announced their “color of the year” for 2023. The crimson red “Viva Magenta” was chosen because it is a “powerful” and “empowering” color that “encourages experimentation and self-expression.” without restraint.”

While Barbiecore pink didn't make it to Pantone's top spot, Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute, told USA Today that they acknowledged the color's “powerful statement” and that their staff simply felt that the magenta -Colour “the” is a larger picture game.”

However, if you're hoping to sell your home in the next few years, those thinking about “the biggest picture game” should keep Zillow's color results in mind. That is, only if the plan is to get the highest offer on your home. (And why shouldn't it be?)

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This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as advice. The provision is made without any guarantee.