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Stardew Valley: Step-by-Step Guide to Painting Buildings

Patricia Jul 20, 2026

Stardew Valley, the beloved farming simulator, offers a wealth of customization options, including the ability to paint buildings. This feature allows you to transform the visual charm of Pelican Town, creating a space that truly reflects your unique style. Let's explore how to paint buildings in Stardew Valley, transforming your farm and town into a vibrant masterpiece.

Recolored Buildings - Smaller Silos - Alt Brick House - Rainbow colors
Recolored Buildings - Smaller Silos - Alt Brick House - Rainbow colors

First, it's crucial to understand that painting buildings in Stardew Valley isn't just about aesthetics; it's also a key aspect of raising your friendship levels with the game's NPCs. As you improve your relationships, you'll gain access to new features and interactions, providing an incentive to raid the paint store in search of new colors.

two video game screens showing the same house as they appear in this screen graber
two video game screens showing the same house as they appear in this screen graber

Gathering Paint in Stardew Valley

Before you start painting, you need to obtain paint. The Paint Store in the Saloon is your go-to location for this. Here, you can purchase a variety of colors for 500g apiece, along with unique paints that cost more and have special effects. Regular paint simply changes the appearance of a building, while unique paint can also change the behavior or advantages of a building.

four different types of wooden houses with windows and balconies on each floor, all in purple
four different types of wooden houses with windows and balconies on each floor, all in purple

To save some gold, consider fermenting alcoholic beverages in the Saloon's Cask. This can yield copious amounts of alcohol, which you can sell or use to craft more unique paints. Remember, the Stardrop Room in the Saloon is where you can use these specialty paints if desired.

Accessing the Paint Use Menu

Top 10 Best Stardew Valley Mods [2024]
Top 10 Best Stardew Valley Mods [2024]

Once you've acquired paint, it's time to apply it. Approach a building you want to paint, and you'll see a prompt telling you to press the action button (X on Nintendo Switch, E on PC, A on Xbox). Select this action to open the paint use menu. Here, you'll see an overlay of the building, allowing you to select which walls you want to paint.

Use the paint use menu to apply your chosen color to the building's exterior. Remember, some buildings may have limited surfaces that can be painted, so choose your colors wisely! Also, consider that painting the interior of buildings requires specific, interior-only paints, which can be purchased from the Paint Store or crafted.

Undoing Paint and Sailoring

four different types of wooden houses with windows and roofing on each side, including the second
four different types of wooden houses with windows and roofing on each side, including the second

Made a mistake or changed your mind about a color? You're not stuck with your paint job forever. To undo a paint job, simply approach the painted building and select the paint use action again. This will give you the option to remove the paint for free.

Another option is to sail to the Old Mariner's Shippings and purchase a Sailor's Mark. This item can be used once per day to remove all paint from a building for free. Be mindful, though; you'll need to craft Sailors' Marks once you've used up your initial supply.

Raising Friendship Levels with Paint

Farmhouses and Stable Appearance
Farmhouses and Stable Appearance

As mentioned earlier, painting buildings in Stardew Valley can raise your friendship levels with NPCs. Each NPC has preferred and disliked colors, influencing their response to your paint jobs. To maximize your relationship gains, focus on using their preferred colors, ensuring a warm reception from the villagers.

Additionally, consider painting buildings that NPCs frequently interact with. This can provide a quick and easy way to boost your friendship levels, as the game considers these interactions when calculating your relationship with a villager.

Best Stardew Valley Texture & Visual Mods (All Free)
Best Stardew Valley Texture & Visual Mods (All Free)
FarmerBeans' Cozy Farm Building Repaints for Content Patcher
FarmerBeans' Cozy Farm Building Repaints for Content Patcher
a pixel art house with a red roof
a pixel art house with a red roof
a pixel style house with lots of plants and trees
a pixel style house with lots of plants and trees
Custom Farm Buildings (non seasonal version)
Custom Farm Buildings (non seasonal version)
Carpenter's Shop - Stardew Valley
Carpenter's Shop - Stardew Valley
Elle's Seasonal Buildings
Elle's Seasonal Buildings
WIP - Winery/Brewery Retexture Mod (Assets completed) | Chucklefish Forums
WIP - Winery/Brewery Retexture Mod (Assets completed) | Chucklefish Forums
an old - school computer game with pumpkins in front of a house
an old - school computer game with pumpkins in front of a house

Preferred and Disliked Colors

You can find the preferred and disliked colors for each NPC by speaking to them on their birthdays. On their special day, they'll reveal their favorite gifts and mention their favorite building colors. Take note of their preferences, and you'll be well on your way to improving your relationships.

If you'd rather not wait for a birthday, consider using a wiki or guide to look up an NPC's preferred and disliked colors. This can save you time and help you make the most of your paint jobs. Remember, experimenting with different colors is always an option, and you might unlock unique dialogue or interactions by painting with an NPC's disliked colors.

Ultimately, painting buildings in Stardew Valley is a fun and engaging way to customize your gameplay experience. With a little creativity and some consideration for your villagers' preferences, you can transform Pelican Town into a vibrant, personalized haven. So, grab your virtual paintbrush, and let your artistic flag fly – the future of Stardew Valley is in your hands!