Paint doesn’t last forever. After all, it doesn’t take too long before the sun fades it to the point where touchups become obvious. But there’s one additional factor that can shorten its lifespan, and that’s the never-ending trend cycle.
While you can’t control trends, you can aim to choose a color that will stand the test of time when repainting your home. We asked three designers to weigh in on which paint colors instantly date a house these days, and some timeless alternatives to consider instead.
Meet the Experts
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Cathleen Gruver is the lead designer at Grover Cooley, a family-owned home design business that has been operating since 1908.
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Andrea Sinkin is a second-generation interior designer based in Connecticut, specializing in timeless design.
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Dusti Jones is the owner of Dusti J Design, where she weaves in color, pattern, and vintage finds into her work.
1. Fire-Engine Red
Anytime Cathleen Gruver, lead designer at Grover Cooley, comes across a room painted fire-engine red, she immediately assumes that it hasn’t been updated for about three decades.
“Super saturated reds—especially blue-based ones like fire-engine red—had their moment in the late ’90s and early 2000s when Tuscan and faux-finish styles were everywhere,” she says. “It’s a jarring color that doesn’t translate well in modern homes focused on softness, balance, and organic palettes.”
For a similar but more updated and refined alternative, she suggests a deep burgundy or oxblood. These modern takes on bright red will still provide warmth and drama to the room without overwhelming the space or clashing with other design elements.
2. Yellow-Beige
While we’re starting to see beige re-enter current design trends in a big way, be careful what type of beige you choose for your walls. Specifically, Gruver suggests avoiding any beige or tan with a yellow undertone.
According to her, yellow-based tans have become permanently known as “builder beige” since the color started running rampant in the 2000s in spec homes and flips. Instead, opt for a beige with warm or neutral undertones. “A warm greige or taupe with neutral undertones feels much more current, especially when paired with natural textures and layered lighting,” she says.
3. Stark White
When the minimalist movement was at its peak a few years back, stark white was considered a modern paint choice. But that’s not the case anymore, according to designer Andrea Sinkin. Bright white, especially ones with blue undertones, can read as cold and clinical in certain applications.
“I used to use [stark white] a lot in new construction and new builds, but now I want the home to feel like it has more soul,” she says. To set a more welcoming tone in a home while still maintaining a clean look, she reaches for White Dove by Benjamin Moore. “We have been using it for 20 years,” she says. “White dove has a warmness to it that lends itself to really any palette you can imagine.”
4. Black
House flippers often make the mistake of opting for black paint for a home’s exterior base color or interior trim, thinking that they’re making a modern choice that homebuyers will love. But it seems to be falling out of favor just as fast as it rose to fame.
“Black instantly can date a home,” says designer Dusti Jones. “The style of the home and the quantity used will determine if black was used in a complementary balance or was brought in to do the ‘heavy lifting’ in trying to make the home feel more updated with a quick addition of a trendy color alone.”
When you pair black with stark white, Jones says it’s even worse. According to her calculations, we are nine years into the black and white trend cycle, and she’s ready to see it retire. For a more modern neutral that’s still bold, consider warm, rich brown hues. Ever since Pantone named Mocha Mousse its 2025 color of the year, brown has become the new black.
5. Sage Green
We’ve all been told that gray is outdated for quite some time now, which is why some homeowners have started opting for its slightly more interesting cousin, sage green. However, due to recent overuse, sage green is now being referred to as “millennial green,” and not in a flattering way.
“Sage had a huge moment in the early 2010s, particularly in farmhouse and transitional spaces,” Gruver says. “While not offensive, it now feels a little overdone and expected, especially the versions that skew too yellow.”
Lately, Gruver has been steering clients who request sage green to a muddier olive or a deep eucalyptus green. According to her, these hues still evoke a natural feeling, but with a richer, more grounded energy that complements both modern and classic homes.
Related: Designers Agree: This Color Is the Next Millennial Gray—3 Tips to Keep It from Feeling Overdone
Update Your Paint with Confidence
If your home features several of these outdated colors, paint offers a great opportunity to dramatically modernize it with minimal effort and a relatively small investment. But at the end of the day, always aim to choose colors you personally love. When you decorate in a way that aligns with your personal style, it will outlast any trend.
Read the original article on Better Homes & Gardens
