Email Answer: Picking The Perfect Paint Color
Q: First of all I love your site. It inspires me to fix up my own home (you make it look so easy!). But if there was a class called Paint Picking 101 I would be getting a big fat F. So far every room I’ve painted in my new house is either too bright, too dark, too dirty looking and just plain ugly. I’m having the worst time finding a perfect tan tone and I’m even messing up colors like light blue and cream, which I never thought was even possible! Do you have any foolproof colors you can recommend? A favorite blue? Cream? Tan? White? Yellow? Gray? I know natural light and other factors can change the way paint looks substantially so it’s probably not 100% foolproof, but I’d love to know your favorite paint colors so at least I have a shot of living in a house that doesn’t make me feel like a total paint failure! Thanks so much for your help! – Meagan
A: Picking the right paint color can often be a doozie, so don’t get down on yourself! Take comfort in the fact that repainting, while annoying, is super inexpensive and it can instantly transform your room from wrong to oh-so-right in an afternoon. And thanks to the transformative power of paint, we’re the proud owners of an entire storage ottoman full of paint decks and swatches. Name any color or any brand- it’s all in our little paint chip library of sorts.
And although we have quite a slew of selections we still find ourselves reaching for some tried and true favorites again and again when it comes to doling out room recommendations. As you mentioned, paint colors can look very different under different lighting circumstances, but for the most part there are a bunch of practically error-proof tones that we find ourselves recommending again and again. Some of them are bright and fun (better suited for only one wall or even a punchy piece of furniture) while others are classic and serene- perfect for an entire room or even an entire home. Here’s the swatch suggestion scoop:
White- Benjamin Moore Decorators White, Glidden Dove White, Behr Cascade White, Sherwin-Williams Alabaster.
Cream- Glidden Antique White, Sherwin-Williams Creamy, Benjamin Moore Muskoka Trail, Benjamin Moore French White, Benjamin Moore Natural White (pictured below).
Red- Benjamin Moore Million Dollar Red, Glidden Red Delicious, Behr Firelight, Valspar Fabulous Red (great for a front door- it’s too bright for inside).
Pink/Coral: Sherwin-Williams Comical Coral (shown below), Sherwin-Williams Animated Coral, Behr Be Mine, Behr Silk Sheets, Behr Coquette.
Brown- Benjamin Moore Branchport Brown, Benjamin Moore Woodacres, Benjamin Moore Stampede, Sherwin-Williams Cobble Brown, Sherwin-Williams Van Dyke Brown (shown below), Behr Traditional.
Yellow- Benjamin Moore Hawthorne Yellow (it is the be-all end-all of yellow paint, which is notoriously hard to get right).
Green- Glidden Fennel (no longer available for swatches, but still in the computer so they can whip it up for you), Glidden Celery Sticks, Benjamin Moore Mosaic Glass, Benjamin Moore Hibiscus (great for a cheerful kid’s room with white trim and brown furnishings), Benjamin Moore Soft Fern, Benjamin Moore Silken Pine, Benjamin Moore Sweet Pear, Sherwin-Williams Lime Granita (shown below).
Purple- Glidden Silver Plum (no longer available for swatches, but still in the computer so they can whip it up for you), Glidden Delicious Plum (amazing eggplant color for a front door), Glidden Black Tulip (the deepest moodiest purple-black that’s dripping with drama) Benjamin Moore Nosegay, Benjamin Moore Violet Pearl, Benjamin Moore Iced Lavender.
Blue- Glidden Gentle Tide (no longer available for swatches, but still in the computer so they can whip it up for you), Benjamin Moore Quiet Moments, Benjamin Moore Saratoga Springs, Restoration Hardware Silver Sage (it has green undertones but looks blue-gray in most rooms), Behr Pensive Sky, Behr Flint Smoke, Behr Grand Rapids (pictured below).
Navy- Benjamin Moore Spellbound, Benjamin Moore French Barret, Benjamin Moore Hudson Bay, Sherwin Williams Grays Harbor, Sherwin-Williams Naval.
Black- Glidden Onyx Black, Benjamin Moore Graphite.
Tan- Glidden Sand White (no longer available for swatches, but still in the computer so they can whip it up for you), Glidden Water Chestnut, Glidden Cafe Latte, Benjamin Moore Baja Dunes, Benjamin Moore Davenport Tan, Behr Harvest Brown (shown below).
Orange- Benjamin Moore Beverly Hills, Benjamin Moore Lion Heart, Benjamin Moore Corn Husk, Sherwin-Williams Marquis Orange, Sherwin-Williams Mandarin (shown below).
Gray- Benjamin Moore North Hampton Putty, Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray, Benjamin Moore Nantucket Fog, Glidden Silver Dust.
Beige- Benjamin Moore Clay Beige, Benjamin Moore Green Brier, Sherwin-Williams Ancient Marble.
Greige- Benjamin Moore Tapestry Beige, Behr Ocean Pearl.
Oh and a word of warning: you don’t want one of each of these colors in your house! Here’s how we learned that a tighter color scheme can make your home feel bigger, more open, and a lot more cohesive and welcoming. Of course it doesn’t have to feel expected or monochromatic since you can bring in different accent colors with art and accessories in each space to make them feel unique and interesting!
And a second word of warning: Of course paint colors look different in every room (due to lighting and other ever-changing factors) so we just suggest grabbing a bunch of the swatches above and bringing them home to see which ones look best on your wall. We can’t suggest a specific color for your specific situation with any great accuracy since we have no idea how it’ll “read” in your home (your eyes will be much better than ours since we’re not in your space) so just tape up a variety of swatches and pick the one that looks best to you!
What about you guys? Do you have some favorite paint picks that have worked out wonderfully for your casa? Any that were terrible that you’d love to warn others about? Let’s all help Meagan out by dishing the paint picking dirt.
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Comments
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I am painting my master bedroom and need some direction please. I was thinking of green – the hallway off the br is creamy yellow, the trim is pine, carpet beige. Can you give me some help! Thanks so much!
Green walls will look lovely with a creamy yellow hallways and beige carpet. Just bring home a bunch of our recommended green swatches (included right in this very post) and hold them up to see how they look in your space. Since things like lighting can really effect a paint color, this method is a lot more accurate than us tossing out a suggestion or two (especially since we listed our favorite green tones right here in this post). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Funny that there was just another question about green! I am torn between two greens right now – Georgian Green and Rosemary Sprig, both BM. Our dining room is very sunny, and it’s next to a hall painted in Water Chestnut and a kitchen painted in Hawthorne Yellow. We have dark furniture (brown/black from Ikea…) and are getting the Asimi rug from Crate and Barrel, that has a lot of beige and khaki tones. What do you guys think?
Both could probably work swimmingly and it definitely depends on your lighting sitch, but we’re leaning towards Rosemary Sprig after looking at them in our house under our lighting conditions. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I want to paint a kitchen table black (going to paint kitchen cabinets “Decorators White” by Benjamin Moore) and some other pieces of furniture. Possibly even some bathroom cabinets. What color black would you suggest from Behr? And is it possible to pick the wrong color of black? Just looking for a no-fail black to use everywhere. Thanks for any suggestions.
We actually don’t know of any black swatches by Behr that we can recommend off the top of our heads, but there are usually not many black options so you really can’t go wrong. Just bring home all the potential swatches and hold them up in your space to pick the ones that look the most “true” in your lighting situation. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hi! I love love love your blog! I hope you are doing well! Congratulations on the baby! What an exciting time!
I am having trouble picking out a paint color for my cabinets. They are white, but a little on the discolored side. The people that lived in the house before us smoked in it plus I think a little discolored from cooking and age. The tile in the kitchen is blue and gray mostly, but have several others colors. I was thinking about painting the cabinets with a very subtle tint of gray, but I am scared of the cabinets looking dingy. I use Sherwin William paint, what would you guys suggest? Should I just go with a no-fail bright white? We are using the Countertop Transformation kit in charcoal on the countertops(they are a lovely shade of green now). Thank you for any suggestions!
You definitely can’t go wrong with a crisp white tone but you can also bring home a bunch of soft grey swatches and hold them up to see which ones look best in your lighting situation (we hesitate to suggest anything specific because you’ll likely find something better by bringing a bunch of options home to see which one works best). Good luck!
xo,
s
Sorry to be a pest! But could you recommend a nice black color in a Benjamin Moore or another brand. I really am challenged when it comes to picking colors. Thanks in advance for all of your help! This site has given me so much inspiration!
Hi guys,
I have a very open living room/dining room area that is seperated ever so slightly by a square shaped floor to ceiling pillar like divider on either side in-between the two rooms. The “pillars” have some definition at the top that kind of remind me of crown molding—but it’s actually part of the pillar. Right now they are painted a very stark white. My dining room is shaker beige (which I might change–just doesn’t seem right somehow) and the living room is Lenox tan. You can see the kitchen and the entry from both rooms and they are Hillsborough beige(kitchen) and Putnam Ivory (entry). What color do you think I should paint the pillars? Would you keep them white? Should I match the tops to the white trim and paint the rest of the pillars an off-white color? I’d like a “prettier” white if that’s what I’m sticking with. Oh and there is alot of light in these rooms. Any ideas would be so appreciated!
We would definitely paint the pillar part (except for the molding or trim, which we’d keep white) to match the wall color to help them blend in (either Shaker Beige or Lenox Tan). You can pick either room’s tone for it (since they’re adjoining it should look cohesive enough). And you can even consider painting both rooms the same tone (along with the pillar) for an even more open and airy feeling (we love rooms that open to each other when they’re the same color for that nice effortless flow). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hi! I would love some expert advice…My adventures in painting my office Fresh Guacamole from Glidden have derailed a bit. I have done half the room and it is green overload! I loved the paint on the chip card, but it is much to much green.
Our office is currently boring beige, with walnut brown window and door frames, beige carpet with a mix of black and brown furniture. Right now the budget is only for paint, so I would love to find a color to brighten up a boring room, to get along nicely with beige, browns and blacks and be an inspiring and motivating color for doing paperwork and computer work too.
I like green, but I am open to any color. Only one thing is for sure, Fresh Guac should only be in the fridge!
Thanks so much!! :)
Amy
Try Celery Sticks by Glidden or Dune Grass by Benjamin Moore. The first one is lighter and more playful but still not overpowering and the second one is more of a sophisticated khaki-green neutral tone. Both will look great with your furnishings. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hi,
I just bought new bedding so it’s time to change the bedroom paint color. The bedding is navy, white, and cornflower blue paisley. The bedroom can be seen from the hallway, and the hallway is painted Benjamin Moore Putnam Ivory. Any suggestions?? The bedroom always seems dark (it’s sage green currently) for some reason, so although I was initially thinking tan–I’m now thinking cream??? We have white doors and trim. Thanks for any suggestions.
What about a soft cloud-like platinum grey? It’s just as airy and light as cream but it looks lovely with navy, white and cornflower blue (try Benjamin Moore’s Light Pewter). Of course you can also go with any of the cream tones that we recommended above (or any of the tans that we have listed as well)- just bring home a bunch of swatches and see what tickles your fancy.
xo,
s
I am going crazy trying to find a color for our living room. The furniture is very neutral so we could really use some color! I am thinking grey with a hint of blue. However, everything I try is either too blue or light baby boy blue. Does anyone have any recommendations?
Thank you in advance!
Just bring home a bunch of the blue swatches that we recommend above and see what you like. Benjamin Moore’s Quiet Moments might be especially perfect for you. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hi,
I just recently discovered your blog and I am so inspired! We moved in to our house in August and have only painted one room in our house (our kid’s). I am itching to paint the entire interior of our home but can’t get past what to paint our living room which is a taupish brown. I would like the all the rooms to be somewhat cohesive. It is very dark due to one wall of windows blocked by an enclosed porch and one wall facing our neighbors house which is north, I believe??? Our furniture is not permanent so it doesn’t matter what I am matching. Although now that I am thinking of it we have decided on Starbright 390E-2 Behr (sort of a tannish yellow?) for our dining room which is right next to the living room and it is full of light in the morning and afternoon. I was thinking of a shiny pale gray or purplish gray. Would you be able to offer up any ideas? Honestly doesn’t matter what colors, just something that would look nice in a dark room. The only thing I don’t want is to make it cozier by painting it with a darker color.
On a side note, congratulations on the baby. I am a babywearing educator and would be happy to answer any questions you might have on wearing your baby in a sling. Although I encourage you to find a local group before the baby is born. Sometimes you just can’t get out of the house for months. Meetings or classes are usually free and open to the general public.
Thanks for any help you can give.
Hey Michelle,
You’re on the right track with the grays, and one of our favorite pale grays is Benjamin Moore’s Light Pewter. That should look pretty with the tannish yellow you mentioned. You might also want to try Benjamin Moore’s Sting Ray if you’re looking for a slightly deeper (but still light) gray.
Good luck!
xo,
s
How does one select the ceiling color? Before I had Benjamin Moore’s Nantucket Fog (more blue than gray) on the walls with a stark white ceiling but I’ve noticed since I’ve selected Benjamin Moore’s Mellowed Ivory (softer green/yellow in semi-gloss) to replace the blue, the stark white ceiling isn’t as obtrusive now. If I plan on using Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White for the trim (semi-gloss) should I use a flat version for the ceiling? There is no crown moulding in the bathroom. Thanks!
Hey Dan,
Here are three posts full of tips for selecting a ceiling color. Of course it’s really about personal preference (some people love them to be stark white in a flat finish, others appreciate a bit of tone or even a contrasting color to draw the eye up).
http://www.younghouselove.com/2010/02/our-homes-recently-expanded-color-palette/
http://www.younghouselove.com/2009/09/things-are-looking-up-2/
http://www.younghouselove.com/2010/01/nursery-progress-painting-the-walls-ceiling/
Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hi Youngsters,
We are in the process of developing our unfinished basement and I am so inspired by your blog to make it a fun family room (we have an almost 10 month old daughter). I am unsure as to what paint color to choose because of the paint color in the kitchen which leads to the basement steps. Our kitchen is blue and I want the house to flow nicely. I dont have the exact name on it but it is VERY similar to Benjamin Moore’s Glace Bay (CC-814). I kinda wanted to go with a pale turquoise for our basement but I am afraid that I will then have two different blue tones on walls that are virutally next to each other.
Also, off the family room in the basement we are developing a mud room (I got some ideas from you guys!), a bedroom, and bath/laundry. I really like Behr’s Celery Ice 410E-2 for the mud room and am unsure about the other two rooms. I just wanted to get your thoughts as to whether I am on the right track to cohesiveness.
Any help you can give is greatly appreciated. Love your blog! I tune in everyday :)
Thanks,
Krista
You are absolutely on the right track! In fact, one of the prettiest colors to put next to a soft blue wall is another tone of blue (like a light turquoise hue). Our tip would just be to make sure it’s a very subtle turquoise so it works with the blue in your kitchen and feels harmonious and related (instead of like it’s competing) and the Celery Ice in the mud room sounds lovely too. Go for it! And good luck!
xo,
s
I just wanted to let you know that you were right on about BM’s Iced Lavender. I painted my home office with that color and I LOOOVE it! Thanks so much for the tip :)
So glad! We love that color and it’s great to hear that it worked out for you. Send us pics whenever you get a chance!
xo,
s
Hello..I love your blog! I always need advise with paint colors. Ive painted my living room 4 times in 5 years..lol I am going to have my kitchen cabinets repainted. They had a really bad paint job during construction so I have to have them redone. The color on them now is SW Pure White but was thinking about Alabaster. I will be painted all of my trim the same color. My walls in my living room and foyer are painted SW corkwedge #7539. Alabaster is not as crispy white as the pure white so Im afraid that i might make the trim look alittle dirty up against the corkwedge. Do you have any advise? Im also repainting my bedroom that has double treys in it and the color in the room now is BM Greyhound..Its blue but I wanted a softer blue instead. any suggestions with that and should I paint the treys a darker shade than the walls. Im at a stand still on those treys.
Hey April,
We would definitely go with the Alabaster since it’ll still feel crisp but won’t be stark. It’ll look great with everything else so fear not. And as for the bedroom, we love Benjamin Moore’s Quiet Moments. Gorgeous! And you can slide one square lighter or darker on the paint swatch for the trays to ensure that they easily coordinate. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hi – I just found your blog and have really enjoyed peeking around! I figured you seem to have such a great eye for this stuff, that I’d ask you the question I’m agonizing over. We have just moved into our first house and knocked down a wall to open the living room to the once tomb like dining/kitchen area. Its a huge room with a somewhat divider beam on the ceiling. Should I paint it all the same color (right now its yellow in the living room and peanut butter in the kitchen/dining. We have dark brown leather furniture in the living room and recently painted cream cabinets in the kitchen. I appreciate any suggestions you have!
Shannon
We would definitely paint it all the same color. We’re huge fans of keeping things looking open and cohesive instead of broken up and it’s a great way to make that beam blend right in with the rest of the space for a seamless effect. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hello – It’s amazing and impressive that you guys still read and answer comments 8+ months after the original post! I’m hoping I can also obtain some of your generous advice.
Like many of your fans, I found your blog as I searched for decorating ideas for our first house. Our painting dilemma is this: the basement walls are covered in ugly fake wood paneling with white trim. Painting it is #1 on our to-do list, but I am stumped on the color. The carpet is a warm beige color and the room doesn’t get much natural light. The room is used for music which means tons of (huge) black amplifiers and guitars. So perhaps something to go with all the musical equipment? I know that sounds strange, but my husband has some beautiful guitars that he’d like to display (a red strat and a maple epiphone casino). Any color recommendations to go with all the musical equipment?
Hey Sylvie,
We would actually go with something light and neutral since that will allow a lot of instruments to be the focal point (whereas something that is dark like them might make them blend in too much). You also want your basement to feel light and you want the color to work with your carpet. We would suggest Water Chestnut by Glidden. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hi. I just stumbled onto this site, after going crazy trying to pick paint colors for a small room. I wanted to do a rich ethnic feeling room with perhaps a maroon-ish wall and the rest lighter walls. It is a small room that will have a desk and a bed in it. I have tried Sherwin Williams Borscht, Stolen Kiss, Henna Shade, and my own mixes and they all look awful. They are too orange or too brown or too dark or too ugly. Do you have any ideas? I am so stuck!! Thanks so much.
Try Benjamin Moore’s Warm Sienna 1203 or Onondaga Clay 1204- they’re rich maroonish terra cotta colors that could look fantastic. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hi Sherry – thanks for the quick response and the recommendation. Will definitely try it out.
hey! i have hard wood floors and natural wood cabinets. both with underlying tones of yellow. very yellow. i’m wanting to paint the kitchen, dining, and living room which is all one big open space. a painter friend recommended green to contrast the yellow tones, but that seems all wrong to me.
what do you suggest?
The key is to pick a neutral color that doesn’t contrast the yellow too much (like a cool gray or even a cool tan color) but not to overload the space with more yellow by picking something too tawny and golden. Try a neutral and just-warm-enough sand color like Glidden’s Water Chestnut to temper all the yellow and add some soothing and classic tan color. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
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Good question. We have no idea. Hopefully following the source link at the bottom of the post will yield more info for you. Happy hunting…
xo,
s