TO PAINT OR NOT TO PAINT? !!! Vote please!!!

I have to say first that I do not know anything about that area.  But, I say, yes, paint it!

In my humble Realtor opinion...paint it. It isn't about the "funky" factor, it's about the totally un-hip "two-tone sponged" factor. The area may be funky but the house doesn't need to be!

I think somewhere in all that sponging it said

PLEASE

PAINT ME

PLEASE

Paint paint paint paint paint paint paint paint paint (there, I think I get points for this one!)

I see a lot of houses ... represented by a lot of different Realtors ... and I've never seen any "individualized decorating" walls survive, whether its sponge painting, or faux finish or the hand-painted vineyard motif wall mural ...we paint them.

Independent of the area I would vote vor painting, this will look so much better and fresher and lighter afterwards

I'm south of Portland but any any district....PAINT!  I agree with Sarah.  That sponged paint look is way passe.

Beautiful detail on the staircase but the colors are so distracting. Very 80's and taste specific so I say paint it!

Why would you have to ask?  Painting it is a must!  If you don't want to sell it, don't paint.

Ditto to all of the statements above.  This type of painting is very personal...like wallpaper and it should GO!   I can just hear the seller saying "but I like these walls"...honestly, so what. 

Paula -- Please convince the sellers to PAINT.  I'm not only in Portland, but I've staged homes in this neighborhood, and we recommend painting (especially if we see the two-tone sponge painting effect).  That is not historic, it's just funky.  The home will look so much better and the energy will be lifted with the paint colors you suggested.  Good luck!

Yes, definitely paint, paint, paint. Sometimes, you can get away with not painting, but I will follow suite with the others above and say the look is far too personal and must be neutralized. We'd love to see the photo's once you've made the switch.

In an attempt to be helpful .. since most agree painting is the way to go ... and having empathy for your Seller who no doubt is wistful about painting over something they cherish ... I'm trying to offer to your Seller a perspective and rationale beyond just saying "paint it".   From my standpoint, I'm looking at a gorgeous stairway with hardwood treads, carved newel post, wood-spindled balustrade and hardwood banister which should be the STAR of that space....it is not, the paint job is detracting from it.  

Has your Seller considered the following ....  (1) as much as the seller enjoyed personalizing that space, the new owner will, too (especially if this property is in an "artsy" district) --- HOWEVER the first thing they see is the cost/labor of 3 gals of Kilz plus the time and labor to prep the area to allow them to be artistic in that space.  Not that they don't appreciate the Sellers artistry ... but they want to make it "their" home. So, they are turning away the "artistic types" of buyers....

(2) Would the Seller consider puttingin a "kilz allowance" for lack of a better phrasing, much like some Sellers offer a carpet allowance? --- Call in a painter and get a quote on the work.  So, they are turning away the non-artistic types of buyers who can only see the expense of changing it....

(3) Do they realize the paint treatment in that space is completely overpowering the staircase? Had they looked at it in that light? So, they are turning away buyers interested in architectural features ...

Uh..Hellooo... we've just turned away three major categories of buyers for this property ... Is the present paint treatment REALLY that valuable to turn off/turn away whole groups of buyers?  ... they may want to rethink this again. Repainting in a neutral tone is a low cost solution that returns ALL of those buyers back to the table.  (Good luck!)

The funky finish detracts from the architecture. Paint and hang funky artwork!

No question - PAINT!   There is nothing attractive about the current look.  It is dark, detracts from the architecture and passe

Good luck!

I don't know the area but a solid neutral will really complement that staircase. It would also make it appeal to a wider range of buyers no mater what district it is in.

I vote PAINT.

Please be sure to do a follow up with pictures when they make a choice.

Bonne Chance!