Stark white walls are no longer the norm, and homes painted in darker hues now sell for more than their pale counterparts, according to a new report from Zillow.

Charcoal gray is apparently the color attracting the most buyers: Zillow found that dark gray walls — no matter which room in the home — are associated with higher offer prices.

For example, homes with dark gray kitchens can sell for up to $2,512 more than similar homes with lighter kitchen walls, while pewter gray kitchens can add up to $2,553 to the selling price. When it comes to living rooms and bedrooms, shades of dark gray can fetch up to $1,755 more than pales and neutrals.

“Buyers have been exposed to dark gray spaces through home improvement shows and their social media feeds, but they’re likely drawn to charcoal on a psychological level,” said color psychology specialist and interior designer Mehnaz Khan. “Gray is the color of retreat. As we come out of the pandemic and return to our hectic lives, buyers want home to be a refuge. They want to withdraw and escape from the uncertainty of the outside world, and rooms enveloped in dark gray can create that feeling of security.”

Not all shades of gray are quite as popular, though: Buyers are more likely to favor a black front door over one painted midtone gray (think the color of cement).

Another color that can boost selling price is terra-cotta brown, one of the 2023 colors of the year. Homes with terra-cotta bathrooms can sell for up to $1,624 more than those with plain colored bathrooms, Zillow found.

“Paint is a relatively affordable and easy change, yet it has an outsized impact on a buyer’s perception of the home,” said Amanda Pendleton, home trends expert at Zillow.

“People don’t buy homes every day, so they’re trying to quickly process a lot of complex information in an area where they don’t have a lot of experience. That uncertainty is likely why buyers rely on color as a powerful visual sign that a home is modern and up-to-date, or tired and needs maintenance. That first impression contributes to their overall feelings about a home and ultimately, how much they’re willing to pay for it.”