If you’re thinking of decorating – or selling – your home soon, you may be interested in a surprising study into how colour can affect property prices.

New research suggests that covering your abode in a certain hue may inflate the value by thousands.

Read more: How spending £40 on your house could increase its value by thousands

A study of more than 30,000 properties sold online by US estate agents Zillow has found that various shades of one colour can make buyers part with much more money – and it applies outside and inside, from the bathroom to the dining room.

And the colour? It’s not unicorn pink or ravishing gold – but classic blue.

“Homes with light pale blue to soft periwinkle blue bathrooms sold for $5,440 (£4,273) more than expected,” the analysis found. 

While pale blue was the money-maker for bathrooms, soft grey-blue kitchens, cadet blue bedrooms and dining rooms with slate blue and pale grey-blue walls also ramped up prices.

This “blue gold” effect wasn’t just confined to interiors either – painting front doors a deep navy blue was found to add $1,500 (£1,177) to the cost of homes.

And the least profitable colour? White.

Zillow found that homes with white bathrooms sold for an average of $4,035 (£3,167) below similar properties.

Studies into the psychology of colour have long suggested blue is a subtle, cooling shade that can increase productivity and improve relaxation, while white is linked to secretiveness and – obviously – shows up stains.

And on the flipside, if you don’t own your own home, it’s worth remembering that higher property sale costs may be reflected in the rent...

How much blue paint adds to a home:

• Blue kitchens – often soft grey-blue: $1,809 (£1,420)
• Light pale blue/soft periwinkle blue bathrooms: $5,440 (£4,273)
• Light cerulean to cadet blue bedrooms: $1,856 (£1,457)
• Slate blue/ pale grey blue dining rooms: $1,512 (£1,191)
• Navy blue/slate grey doors: $1,514 (£1,177).

*study by Zillow of more than 32,000 photos of properties sold online

Images: iStock/Giphy