A homeowner's post about regretting their new house color has struck a chord with users on Reddit.
The post was shared by u/NayaMon in the r/ExteriorDesign subreddit and has garnered over 1,100 upvotes and hundreds of comments since it was posted in late June.
The post, titled "Losing sleep over the new house color I picked," details the anxiety that followed after the homeowner painted the exterior of their home "SW Connected Gray" or Sherwin-Williams' Connected Gray, a muted greenish-gray hue.
"The green looks so much more...well, green...than I expected!" the poster wrote in a follow-up comment. "I was expecting it to be more muted, and so it was a shock. Sunlight changes everything!"
While the house itself had been painted, the garage doors remained their original pink, a contrast that appeared to intensify the new color. "I think a lot of my panic is due to not yet having painted the garage doors paired with not being used to it yet," the homeowner explained.
The incident comes as home renovation spending in the United States was reported to have surged in recent years, with the median spend rising by 60 percent between 2020 ($15,000) and 2023 ($24,000), according to a survey conducted by Houzz, a home design website.
Kitchens were the most commonly renovated interior room (with 29 percent of those surveyed having done so last year, followed by guest bathrooms (27 percent) and primary bathrooms (25 percent), the survey found.
The color, especially under changing light, seemed to take on a different life than what the homeowner had anticipated. "It's nuanced for me...the green in person can get a bit brighter than I had anticipated, especially in the evening sun," they said in response to another user's question. "I would still go green, but I would maybe have gone a shade darker or more muted."
Despite their misgivings, the homeowner admitted that their initial reaction may have been amplified by overthinking. "Also, I'm notoriously skilled at overthinking, and I'm getting used to the color by now. All the comments saying it looks good helps too lol," they added.
'That Is Stunning'
Users on Reddit were overwhelmingly supportive of the paint job, with many expressing admiration for the new look.
"That is stunning," wrote u/stay_positive_girl, while u/LilMsCurtainTwitcher said: "It looks really good." Another user, u/Valkyrie_Skuld, chimed in saying: "It looks great! get some rest."
Several users reassured the poster that their reaction was understandable—and temporary. "Blends beautifully with the surroundings," wrote u/Own_Advantage_8391. "After a bit of time I bet you will grow to appreciate it. Sometimes it has to grow on you but I absolutely think everything about it is a perfect harmony in every way."
Others zeroed in on the unfinished garage doors as a contributing factor. "I agree. The house color and trim looks great but the garage doors......NO!" wrote u/yoman-1.
But not everyone was critical—u/viewering offered a different take saying: "I actually think the garage doors brighten the place up and there is a nice interaction between the colors."
Practical advice also flowed in. U/MarvinDMirp suggested: "Paint the garage doors to match the main house color. You have made your garage doors a central feature, doing this will keep your whole house the star of the show."
Amid the encouragement and design insights, the homeowner seemed to soften their view. "The color is growing on me... I think it was mostly shock!" they wrote. "The house used to be the pink garage door color, those will be painted next."
Throughout the thread, the tone remained largely empathetic, with many users echoing the idea that even small home improvement choices can carry emotional weight—especially after major renovations.
"I realize I'm very lucky to live in this home and that this is definitely not something I should be stressing over... harder said than done for me, but working on it," the homeowner reflected.
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via the Reddit messaging system.
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