Painting for Re-sale

Hi:
I am trying to choose a color for my dining room. I am absolutely stuck with a round 90" golden oak dining table and buffet (table only - no upward cabinetry). I am getting my house ready to sell and the combo of the furniture and deep red wall color looks very dated. The room is very square with crown moldings (white) and white from a chair rail down to the ground. I don't want to paint the furniture - just the wall.
What color would you suggest? I am considering mocha or chocolate brown. What do you think?
Thanks so much,
Cathy
Hi Cathy,

First of all I want to say that the advice I am going to give you is for re-sale- if you were sticking around- my advice would be different. But- with that said....

1. Keep your paint light. Do not go dark brown or dark anything. It makes the room appear smaller, (cozy- yes- but smaller)- and some prospective buyer might look at it and fret over how many coats of paint it would take to cover it. Keep it light- but maintain a good contrast with your crown moulding. I am not suggesting you go white.
2. I can't really tell you what color to paint it when I don't know what other colors are in your home. Don't have too many different shades of paint. Start by looking around your other rooms and see if duplicating a nearby color would work well in this room. You also want to make sure there is a good flow- and all of the different paint colors blend well together.
3. Keep it neutral. If you go yellow- go with a very neutral shade- not a pure bright sunshine yellow- but more of a blond hair yellow. If you go green- don't go with a pure green- but rather a more neutral khaki green.
4. If your table is unattractive- consider a floor length table cloth. A nice fabric can be a great way to change the room at a minimal cost- that you very well might like in your next home as well. (check out the photo at the top of the post.)

So- there you go- keep it light, neutral, and blending with the colors in your home. Good luck selling your home. I have a couple other posts for people selling their homes here.

photos from elle decor