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. But 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.
Red- Benjamin Moore Million Dollar Red, Glidden Red Delicious, Behr Firelight, Valspar Fabulous Red (great for a front door- might be too bright for inside).
Pink/Coral: Sherwin-Williams Comical Coral (shown below), Benjamin Moore Wild Aster, 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, Benjamin Moore Dune Grass, Sherwin-Williams Lime Granita.
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.
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.
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 Light Pewter, 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: 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 recommend 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 right there in your space). Just tape up a variety of swatches and pick the one that looks best to you (and get a few test pots of paint if you’re still not sure)! That really is the best way to get it right every time.
What about you guys? Any words of warning or paint color advice? Do you have some favorite hues 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.
martin says
Hi! I am painting furniture for my child’s bedroom. I want to paint it black and sand around some of the edges to give it an antique look. I purchased onyx paint from Benjamin Moore, but the paint looks gray in the can instead of black. I applied the first coat and am hoping that it darkens as it dries. Do you have any suggestions for a Benjamin Moore black paint color if this doesn’t work?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Martin,
It’ll defnitely dry darker and get even deeper in tone with the second coat, so that’s the good news. Ben Moor’es Onyx is a super deep and rich black tone so you’re well on the way to the look you’d like. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
julie says
Do you use primer when you paint?? We are going from darker colors to lighter colors and the walls are dingy. I had heard we should use primer plus one coat of paint but then a pro painter in the Dunn Edwards store suggested no primer and said ALWAYS do two coats. He said the primer is just too hard to work with and today’s paints give excellent coverage. What has been your experience?
YoungHouseLove says
Hi Julie,
We had the benefit of painting over light (or white) walls in almost all cases, so we have only used primer in one case (to paint over wood panelling). The advice from the Dunn Edwards guys is right – primer is hard to work with and can be very messy, from our experience. That’s why we’ve since relied on doing just two coats (assuming we’re working with an already painted surface).
However, if you are going over a very dark surface with a lighter color, you may find more is needed. You should try paints like Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams that have great coverage. Also Behr has recently released a new paint with primer built in. We haven’t tried it, but it may be worth checking with your Home Depot paint department to see if that’s a good, affordable option.
-John
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Julie,
Primer is great when you’re using darker colors (you can get it tinted to close to the wall color for great coverage. And Behr even has a new paint that’s self priming (all in one step!). We don’t use primer unless we’re painting a surface that needs it due to being too glossy for good coverage (like wood paneling) since we stick to lighter colors, but if you’re going for a red or a chocolate wall you’ll definitely get better coverage and a deeper, richer tone with tinted primer. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Becky says
Help!!!I’m driving my husband nuts because I can’t choose a paint color for our kitchen. The family room is painted BM Key West Ivory with stained trim. The kitchen is open to family room with two windows and dark stained cabinets. I want to do the walls BM Dijon, but family thinks too dark and cave-like (both windows overlook shaded backyard). Family wants BM Pearly Gates (top color on same BM paint card)…Can you suggest a neutral that would work with Key West Ivory? (what do you think of a green?) See…I’m all over the place!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Becky,
Try Guilford Green- it’s a soothing gray-green celedon tone that looks gorgeous with dark stained cabinets (and it’s still light enough to make the space feel open and expansive). And if you’d like something more neutral, Mellowed Ivory is a classic sandy tan tone. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Becky says
Sherry…Wow, thanks for such a quick response! Just one more question, though. Is Mellowed Ivory a Benjamin Moore paint, because I couldn’t seem to find it in my paint samples. My hubby was too anxious to wait so he went ahead and got a gallon of the Pearly Gates. I’ve painted half the kitchen and I don’t.like.it! :( So back to the drawing board. My daughter likes the green idea, but don’t you feel like sage-y greens look better with white woodwork, rather than stained? That’s my hesitation about green, even though that is the color I started out wanting (with some orange accents!)
Thanks for your input…I love your blog and have sent many co-workers and friends to visit!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Becky,
I think grabbing the paint chips we recommended above (yup, Mellowed Ivory is a BM color, number 2149-50) and and seeing how they work in your room is the first step! Then you can decide whether you want to go deeper, richer, more neutral, etc. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Ace says
Just wanted to say thanks to you guys for these suggestions! My husband and I painted our dining room this weekend. It has a chair rail and we’re going to install some paneling underneath that, so our idea was to paint the wall above the rail a dark color and below the rail a lighter one, using colors one shade apart on the same strip. We decided to go with green… but to our horror, the colors we had chosen, trying to pick greens that weren’t too yellow (BM Olive Branch and Camouflage), looked like army colors (according to my husband) and like someone had eaten pea soup and then thrown up on the wall (according to me). I remembered this post and checked it out… we were only one paint swatch away! We went with Soft Fern, your recommendation, and the next darker shade on the same strip, Rosemary Sprig. We are absolutely thrilled with the colors – they are just what we had in mind! I’m definitely starting here first before we paint our next room.
Thanks again!
Ace (and James)
Ace says
P.S. Should we paint the ceiling a color besides white? I’ve never lived in a room with such a dark wall color before and am not sure whether the white ceiling is weird, or whether it’d feel too dark if we painted the ceiling green, too. Any tips?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Ace,
I would take one the green wall color and ask the person at Home Depot to add 75% white to the formula and whip up another gallon so it’s not white but a light green tone that will work with the walls without feeling too stark and white and out of place. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Emily says
I just bought my first house and I can’t decide on paint colors! We just had the hardwood refinished and want a beige to open and brighten the space since it’s a bit small.
I put a bunch of samples on the wall – Behr Oat Straw, Brown Harvest, Sand Fossil and Brown Teepee and I’m not crazy about them. Now I’m leaning towards Benjamin Moore Shaker Beige or Mocha Cream?
Any ideas?
I just can’t make a decision!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Emily,
We looove Mocha Cream- go for it!
xo,
s
krstn says
But what about a house’s exterior? Our wood siding is drab gray that’s in serious need of repainting and we’re thinking about going a slightly darker gray/blue. But it makes me feel old!
YoungHouseLove says
Krstn,
A darker blue-gray tone on your home’s exterior sounds awesome. Benjamin Moore’s Evening Dove is a good place to start (feel free to bring home a ton of swatches and look at them morning, noon and night before painting a test swatch to be sure you’ve landed on the right one. Happy hunting…
xo,
s
trish says
i love your website! i am in the thick of it all in choosing colors for my living room/dining room stairway and hall (upstairs from living room) i want to do two different shades. a green tint in living room with a bluer tint of same green for dining room. sort of like sea glass. (i have two pieces of sea glass that i adore) but not sure if it translates to paint. any suggestions?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Trish,
Try Benjamin Moore’s Pale Vista 2029-60 (a soft sea-glass green) with Leisure Green 2035-60 (which is actually a soft seaworthy blue-green tone). They’ll look awesome in adjoining rooms. Pictures please!
xo,
s
Jen says
Hi – I just found this site today and I absolutely LOVE it! I’ve spent way too much time looking through it all (I’m at work.. I should be working!) and I can’t get enough. Your color sense is amazing – which is why I am posting!
We are moving into a larger apartment in a month, and plan to be there several years – essentially a clean slate. We have a large dark grey couch with blue undertones (somewhere like a combo between slate grey and cadet blue). I don’t want the big couch to weigh down the room. What other colors can we pull in to make the living room classy and cozy? The carpet is a typical off-white/beige wall to wall. We barely have any furniture besides the couch for the larger space, so we have plenty of opportunities for paint, accessories, and color!
I’d appreciate any thoughts you have – I can’t wait to start planning! (and using the floor planner you mentioned on the other page!) Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jen,
I would go with a nice sandy tan tone on the walls (try Benjamin Moore’s Quincy Tan HC-25 or even Decatur Buff HC-38). The warm neutral hue will balance the cool gray-blue couch for a classic space that feels inviting and welcoming (plus you can use any number of colors for accessories: yellow, gold, slate blue- even orange and turquoise if you’re feeling gutsy). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jenny says
I have been reading over your suggestions and love them! I am decorating my sons room and have painted the walls with BM Quiet Moments. I need a color for his desk and dresser. I was thinking of a cool tan or dark bone color, but I cannot seem to come across a color that goes really well. I would love your opinion!!! Thanks!
Jen says
Thanks for the suggestion! I was so excited to hear you say orange/turquoise accessories might be good – I was hoping to include them but wasn’t sure if they would be too loud. I’m very tempted to do a turquoise accent wall and white trim/curtains/tables, then leave the sandy tone on the other walls and spice it up with some white pillows with a turquoise or orange pattern for the couch. I can’t wait to get started – thanks so much!
Vanessa says
Thanks so much for the post! I decided at the last minute to just pick up a gallon of Water Chestnut (the Behr match of it anyway) for our full bath that was being redone thanks to the storm damage…and we love it!! In fact, we are thinking of repainting the kitchen either that or Sand White (instead of the current Behr Cornerstone, which is a little too yellow still). Thanks!!
Jill says
I am in the process of painting my bedroom. I really like benjamin moores muskoka dusk cc-6
for three walls, boulevard cc-394 for the ceiling but I am at a loss on what color would look the best for an accent wall. Your opinion would be appreciated. I am open to any variations. Thanks:)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jill,
I would just slide a shade darker on your paint chip (from the wall color) to pick your accent wall color. It’ll look more seamless since it’s in the same color family but will still add drama since it’s a shade darker. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Laura says
Okay so I love your website and have read through almost everything and thought maybe you might be the right one for advice. I am closing soon on this large traditional, has very cool bathroom floors which I plan on decorating around. In one guest bath has dark brown tiles and a yellow tone to shower tiles trying to figure out a paint color to blend the two. Another guest bath has pearl tiles with gold flecks trying to think what color might accent the floor in a modern way.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Laura,
Try Ashen Tan by Benjamin Moore in the bathroom with the brown tiles and the yellow toned shower tiles. The sandy tan neutral tone will tie everything together instantly. As for the pearl tiles with gold flecks, I would go with something creamier in there, like Ivory Lustre by Benjamin Moore. You obviously don’t want the paint color to be the same as the pearl tiles (ideally it would be a shade darker or lighter but still complement the tone) so it might make sense to bring home a bunch of creamy paint chips to hold up in there. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Becky says
A HUGE thank you for your paint advice. You suggested Guilford Green for my kitchen (dark stained cabinets/white counters/almond stove & dishwasher) and I can’t even tell you how great it looks! Even my 19 year old son is impressed!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Becky,
So glad to help! Feel free to send us before and after pics so we can share them with everyone!
xo,
s (& j)
Roxann says
I was just introduced to your site by a high school friend. I LOVE IT! You definitely have “the gift” for decorating!
Here’s my question:
We have a basement. We have built a room for my 13 year old son there. In his room, 2 of the walls are sheet-rock and the other 2 walls are a poured-cement wall that looks like bricks. His bedding is black/white squares. Very modern looking. The ceiling in his room is being left open and painted black. (so you can see all the studs, pipes, etc. much like you see in many restaurant decor) Well, my son wants bright green or turquoise blue for paint color. I need help!
Thanks in advance!
Roxann
YoungHouseLove says
Try Benjamin Moore’s Spring Moss for a bright, modern green tone that feels right at home in the industrial and mod room. It’s definitely bold and punchy but your son will love the vibrant feeling that it brings to the basement. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jennifer says
I love Valspar’s “Mark Twain House Brown” as a replacement for red in the interior of a house. It’s enough of a punch to give it a change of color for an accent wall with the look of a red, but since it is actually a brown, it doesn’t overwhelm a room.
Meanwhile, regarding small houses: my MIL is worried that I am adding too much color to her walls. She’s of the generation that says “white walls make a house look bigger.” My point is that a small house is a small house and what makes it look smaller is not paint, but too much/too large furniture. What is the current trend/thinking for painting the walls in a small house (we’re talking 1100 sqft). Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jennifer,
Good question! We think paint is totally subjective so it’s really all about what makes you smile when you walk into the space that you call home. We do agree that light paint tends to make rooms look more expansive, but sometimes embracing a richer color in a small room can make it a little jewel box (it’s never going to look huuuge, so embracing the small footprint and adding some vibrant color can really add a lot to a room).
We actually like soft neutrals (as demonstrated by our house tour) since they make a space look large and cohesive (our house is only 1300 square feet) instead of all white walls (which can make a room look stark and unfinished like a hospital or a dorm room. Plus sandy tan tones and soft gray walls look so lovely with crisp white trim (it adds detail and height and architecture when there’s a bit of contrast between the walls and the trim) while white walls with white trim don’t pop nearly as much. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Amy says
Hi!
I just recently found your site and it is just what I have been looking for. We just moved to Virginia (Powhatan) and absolutely love it out here and have been slowly taking on house projects one at a time. Your site has given me so much inspiration.
I do have a quick question and would love your input. We have a 1/2 bath on the first floor off the kitchen. The cabinets are dark brown (just two under the sink), the sink and toilet are white with silver facuets and the counter is beige. The only window and door frames are stained dark brown as well. I would love to hear your ideas on a color to bring it all together and brighten it up. I have a semi-island theme (a few pictures and candles), but I”m just not sure what color would work with the beige and white and silver and brown thing going on.
Thank you so much! I’m looking forward to being on your site all the time!
Amy :)
YoungHouseLove says
I would try a soft gray-green or gray-blue (so it’s not too pastel-y but still keeps things open and airy and looks great with beige and chocolate brown). Try Benjamin Moore’s Tea Light or Pleasant Valley. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Candi says
Hi Sherry and John! Love your site! My husband and I moved into our first home a few months ago. I picked out a light gray wall color to go in our living room, hallway, master bath, and two of the bedrooms. I am so happy with the color everywhere except the living room. First of all we have 11 foot ceilings and the room feels really….huge. I want it to feel more cozy, and I thought it may feel cold because of the gray. The other dilemma I have with the gray is that it doesn’t seem to go with any of my accessories. I wanted a neutral backdrop to place all of my colorful furniture against (a bright red leather chair, chocolate brown couch, and a multicolored, geometric rug) but even with all of this, it feels like something isn’t quite right. The rug I have has warmer neutrals (tans, creams, browns, deeper grays). Do you think I should paint the room to match the hues in the rug? The light gray doesn’t appear anywhere else in my decorations. Thanks for any advice you can give!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Candi,
I would repaint the living room with a creamier warmer tone that goes with the furnishings! Bringing home a slew of cream paint swatches will help you choose one that can work with the other gray rooms (since you want your house’s palette to flow) while also warming up that big room and complementing the furniture in there). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Candi says
P.S.
I love the color of your den/dining room. I also want a room with crisp white trim. Thanks for being such an inspiration!
Robyn says
hey Sherry (and John!)
we are looking for a taupe color for our living room (and my new white accents I’ve been collecting need to look good against the color) and I don’t see any on your list. Are taupe’s included in your “brown” section above, or maybe the “greige”? Not sure what greige is…
thanks so much!
YoungHouseLove says
Try Mocha Cream or Ashen Tan by Benjamin Moore. Bellisimo!
xo,
s
Laura says
Hello!
I was just told to check out this website, and I am so impressed! I am completely intimidated by diy projects. Anyways, I’m about to move to a rented 1-bedroom apartment so for the first time in my life I’ll be living alone (and my landlady is ok with me painting things!). So, for the first time, I get to pick whatever colors I want. Of course, that’s completely overwhelming as I have about 100 ideas!
I need help with two separate rooms. My bedroom will have light-colored hardwood floors and light wood furniture. My bedding right now is tan sheets and a bright red comforter. My favorite color is red, and I really want to bring some warmth to my room. However, an all-red room sounds a little headache-inducing. What color would you suggest that would bring the room some warmth and that isn’t super close to white?
Also, for my living room, I’ll have white furniture with dark wood accents as well as a dark wood coffee table and a black tv console. I’ve always wanted to have a blue and chocolate brown room, so I was thinking of painting the walls a nice airy blue and having chocolate brown pillows and accents. What kind of blue would you suggest?
Thanks for your help!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Laura,
For the walls I would go with a warmer and richer tone than the tan sheets that will look amazing with the red as well: golden wheat. Try Benjamin Moore’s Barley as a start. And when it comes to your living room, there are so many lovely blues (many of which are listed above) but Restoration Hardware’s Silver Sage is pretty darn amazing- probably our favorite! Hope it helps.
xo,
s
Lisa says
Problem: One long kitchdinliving room
Have read so much of your website Sherry and still can’t figure out paint colors! My kitchen counters are light gray, cabinets will be painted some TBD shade of white and tile is a salmon color. The dining/living area is clearly separate, but entirely connected to the kitchen. So I’m looking for 2 colors that will go together for the 2 different areas. I am inspired by your “eclectic/casual entryway/dining room” mood board for the kitchen.The living room has zero color scheme right now(maybe purple or green accents?). Just a new cream colored couch and a gigantor TV.
YoungHouseLove says
I would actually do the same wall color in both spaces to make them feel even more open, cohesive and expansive. Why not try a cool gray-green to pick up the colors of the countertop and complement the cream sofa. We looove Benjamin Moore’s Dune Grass. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Theresa Kennedy says
I have Benjamin Moore’s Davenport Tan in my dining room and it is a FANTASTIC color! Also, I have Benjamin Moore’s Buckland Blue, which is a gorgeous blue, in my kitchen. The two are open to one another and compliment each other very well.
Karen says
Hello! I just came across this site and I’m hoping i can get some insight. We recently bought our house and I’m unsure about what colors to pick for the walls. My fiance bought a couple gallons of white Behr paint since they were on sale. Now i have to pick the colors from that brand. We have dark wood furniture in the living room with a brown leather sectional. For the dining area i have a glass table with dark wood stand and a brown rug with yellow-green large circles. In the kitchen i will have light colored granite countertops with white wood cabinets. Any suggestions for a modern feel?
YoungHouseLove says
A soft new-grass green or yellow-green will feel modern and fresh in either space. Try a tone slightly deeper in the dining area (Benjamin Moore’s Sweet Caroline) and a similar color that’s a bit lighter in the kitchen (Benjamin Moore’s Stolen Moments) for a cohesive and crisp look. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Julia says
Hi, since they don’t have the chips anymore (and I don’t want to buy a quart if I don’t have too), can you tell me how Glidden’s Gentle Tide compares with Benjamin Moore’s Quiet Moments and Woodlawn Blue? I am looking for a blue for my living room. Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Julia,
Go with Quiet Moments. It’s extremely similar to Gentle Tide and oh so lovely and subtle and airy. Happy painting!
xo,
s
Bre says
Good morning,
I am a 1st time homebuyer and i’m going nuts over choosing the right colors for each room.
For startes can you please give me a few ideas for a living room and kitchen?
The kitchen is entirely white, the walls, the cabinets, the fridge, etc. I’d love to make it fresh and bright and am open to really any color.
The living room is also very white lol. Here i’d like it to be as inviting as possible. I’ve not picked out couches, tables, rugs for the area yet so again i’m open. The problem with this room is that I need it to be a dining area slash living room as the kitchen has no dining area. So i’d be open to even doing 1 wall in 1 color and the other 3 walls a different color just to help differentiate the areas. Here i’d really like to see something maybe in color schemes of lavendar, lilac, greens, or blues.
I hope this question wasn’t too vague. Thank you so much for any help you can lend :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Bre,
Since this post has a list of all of our favorite colors in every tone and shade, we’d suggest just grabbing the swatches suggested above in the color categories that appeal to you (green, blue, etc) and bringing them home to check them out in your lighting. They’re all “pre-approved” so to speak, so there are lots of possibilities to warm up your stark white rooms! Hope it helps.
xo,
s
Sally says
Thanks for this post! It came at the right time, while I was considering paint colors for our newly-purchased 50’s brick rancher. We used two of your suggestions and love them both: Hawthorne Yellow (in the kitchen) and Hibiscus (in the master bedroom). Hibiscus isn’t just for kids! We also used the Hibiscus color strip for some Grape Green (living room) and the lightest color on that strip for the hallway that connects the living room to the bedroom.
Thanks again!
YoungHouseLove says
So glad you used two of our suggested colors for what sounds like a fabulous result! Isn’t it amazing what a little paint can do?!
xo,
s
karen says
We painted our whole living area in a color that was supposed to be taupe and it looks more like purple. Help, how can we fix this how can I make it lighter and on the brown side?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Karen,
The key is to pick up a ton of taupe looking paint swatches and tape them up on your walls and look at them at all times of day (morning, noon, night, etc). Then you’ll see which ones look too purple or too fleshy and hone in on the perfect one. We like Benjamin Moore’s Ashen Tan but it might still look purple due to the lighting at your house so it’s important to look at the paint swatches in your room for a while before making a decision. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Alyssa says
Hello. I came across your website today, and am amazed by your talent. My husband and I are young (24/25) and like color, but I feel we have gone overboard in our ~1000 sq ft home. Each room is a different color (red, brown, green, blue, yellow). I fear it’s starting to look like a circus! We have cherry stained cabinets, white baseboards & doors. Most of our furniture is also dark. Our kitchen and bathroom have “Tuscan copper” tile floors from lowes. The rest of the house has the lightest laminate hardwood you can buy from menards/lowes. So I’m curious as to what color you would recommend to two people who love color but need a better flow.
Thanks,
Alyssa
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Alyssa,
I think picking a smaller palette will do a world of good to help the flow. Check out this post all about how we honed ours down from a bunch of different colors to a few hues that complement each other and make each room feel different and defined without feeling totally chaotic and polarizing. https://www.younghouselove.com/2007/12/watching-paint-dry/
Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Lisa says
Back again!
Salmon kitchen tile, light gray counters and BM’s Dune Grass, per your suggestion, which I really like. But I give up: kitchen cabinets? Decorator’s white seems too “hey! Look at me, I’m white!”. Thx :o)
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, what about a soft grey cabinet? Try Benjamin Moore’s Horizon. You could even go for a deeper grey darker than the counters for a richer look with more depth (Benjamin Moore’s Sabre Gray). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
May says
Hi, I’ve been resesarching paint colors and this page of your website came up… and now I’m hooked on your blog! Everything on your website is so helpful and inspiring! I’m trying to put together a color palette for my first house, and I’m not sure what and how many colors to choose. I’d really like to do a pure pale gray for the living room (currently considering BM Stonington Gray or Gray Owl), and I’m at a loss as to how to make the rooms complement each other. The foyer is in the center with the dining room to the left, living room to the right and kitchen in the back. The kitchen has light colored wood and light beige stone tiles. I was considering a deep navy foyer or deep gray dining room, but I’m afraid the two together might be too bold for me, leaving me at a loss as to what to do with the kitchen and its beige tiles. But would painting all four rooms different colors be too much? Do you have any suggestions for colors that are contemporary and mostly neutral? Thank you so much!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey May,
I love the idea of Stonington Gray in the living room with a rich navy foyer. Then I would select something a bit less saturated for the dining room (perhaps a different tone of grey or blue to work with the two established colors in the foyer and living room). You could probably derive the entire color scheme from those two paint strips and just slide up and done on them for a cohesive look. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Melissa says
My 9 year old son would like a blue room. It is a small room with a double north facing window. He has maple bunkbeds and floor to ceiling bookcase. What blue would you suggest and what accent color that I could use for drapes? Thanks for your help
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Melissa,
Something dramatic like a rich blue-gray color from Benjamin Moore would be awesome (Santorini Blue) with a light silvery grey as an accent color (BM’s Pebble Beach). And if that blue is a bit too saturated for your taste you could always try something a bit lighter like BM’s Bali, which will still look lovely with a soft grey accent color. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
jamie says
Hi, I’ve been researching how to paint furniture and came across your blog. So helpful (and inspiring)! I now want to re-do the whole apt, of course. But since I am new to this, am taking it slow and just starting with re-painting a dresser and a corner bookshelf. The dresser is currently painted white. As I started sanding it to get ready for the primer, I discovered that the paint is peeling off (I don’t think it was ever sanded or primed before the white coats were put on). So now it seems I need to strip all the paint off before priming as otherwise I think everything will end up pealing eventually. Any tips for efficient paint removal?
Also, I’m planning to paint the pieces a rich black and wondered if you have paint color recommendations. I wasn’t sure if the suggestions above were more for wall colors vs furniture? I’m planning to use Benjamin Moore paints and have quite a few paint chips already (I have the graphite chip per your reference above, but it seems to be a bit more gray and perhaps not as deep a black as I would like for the furniture – although I’m not sure if it will look deeper when painted over an entire piece)? I’d love any suggestions you have.
Thanks so much! I look forward to continuing to read your updates and great suggestions! You and your husband have such a wonderful design aesthetic!
~jamie
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jamie,
In semi-gloss the Graphite by BM will be a lovely rich black. As for your piece, we would suggest a thorough sanding to get rid of any peeling paint followed by thin and even coats of primer and then paint. It’s important to remember that paint and primer won’t even out a piece that has irregular marks and peeling paint (and will actually accentuate these imperfections) so the key to a good paint job is proper prep. If a good sanding doesn’t even everything out I would visit Home Depot or Lowe’s and ask a paint professional to recommend a stripper or solvent to remove the paint completely from your piece before starting over (although if a good sanding evens everything out the extra paint stripping is unnecessary). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jody Kilpatrick says
Your site is so fun! Love it.
We’re moving into a new home. Hope you can help me decide…
First question, fireplace in new home is dark brick colors – burnt orangish, brown, ,red…I am dying to paint it white but AM TERRIFIED it’ll look bad! Any suggestions on color? I am doing most of home in tans/white.
Second question, we have a sunroom that has pine-like wood for the walls & ceiling (too rustic for me)Do I dare paint it white??
Thanks so much! Again great site, thanks for offering the tips & advice!
Jody
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jody,
Deciding to paint paneling or brick is really a personal decision, but we have learned that if you’re “dying” to do something it will make you endlessly happy once you accomplish it (and you’ll often ask “why didn’t I do that sooner?”). Customizing your home and creating a place that truly makes you smile every day is definitely a worthwhile undertaking, and we think clean and fresh white on both the fireplace and the paneling will look fresh and amazing- but in the end it’s up to you. Good luck!
xo,
s
Mary says
Our new (old) house has a bathroom with peachy pink tiles straight out of the 1950s. I was thinking Glidden Wishes for the walls (which are stark white right now) but it might be too yellowy for the tiles, if it has a hint of buttercream. Can you recommend a nice creamy color that might complement peachy pink?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Mary,
Benjamin Moore’s Muskoka Trail or even Mocha Cream will totally complement those tiles for a crisp and updated look. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Mary says
Thanks, Sherry! I will be sure to let you know how it turns out/send pics.
Alyssa says
Okay, I’m back! I can’t get enough of your blog :) We recently inherited a brown micro suede couch and recliner for my in-laws for our living room. Our living room has three Olympic Caravel Brown walls & one Olympic Burning Bush wall. I would like to repaint the brown walls to lighten things up (my husband has requested that I leave the red wall). All the trim and ceilings are Olympic Queen Anne’s Lace. What color would you suggest??
Ideally, I would like for the color that you suggest to also work with Olympic Sterling Silver (in the office).
Thanks!!!
-Alyssa
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Alyssa,
I would suggest a nice warm taupe, tan or caramel color to lighten up those brown walls for a just-as-rich-but-not-as-dark effect. Try Glidden’s Caramel or Benjamin Moore’s Crisp Khaki or Sandy Brown. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Reese says
I have to echo a lot of other comments here. I LOVE your place!! If I had a million dollars lying around,I’d buy your place in a heart beat! but since I don’t, I need your help to make my place more livable! :>
I have a medium size kitchen that gets very small amount of light. To light up the space, I’m thinking about painting cabinets white. it’s currently dark maple color. although I’m scared to do so! I have a granite called “baltic brown”. it’s essentially black granite with lots of beige and silver specks and swirls. It’s not the prettiest granite, unfortunately. I have off-white floor tiles. so 3 questions for you.
1. do you think painting cabinets white will match the granite and the floor? would it make the floor look dirty? 2. if you do recommend painting the cabinets, what color do you suggest?
3. what kind of paint color do you suggest to lighten up the room?
sorry this message is so long, but I’d reaaaaaally appreciate your input!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Reese,
Good question! You’re smart to think about how the cabinet color and the floor tile will look together, and a stark white just might make the floors look a bit dirty. Our advice would be to snag a bunch of white paint chips (there are so many whites with creamy undertones as opposed to stark blinding options) and bring them all home and look at them against the granite and the floor tiles until you find the perfect warm and creamy white that complements the floor and the counters. Ideally it will still be light and airy but a bit more warm with subtle beige undertones to work with the floor and feel cohesive. If you aim for something that looks like the floor color, only a shade or two lighter you should have your match. Hope it helps! Happy painting…
xo,
s
Reese says
P.S. if you could recommend the colors by Sherwin-Williams, that would be great. my contractor gets a discount from them!
Reese says
thanks for your super quick response! i’m heading to a paint store very soon.. oh by the way, in my 3rd question, i forgot to insert a word “wall”.. do you mind giving me suggestions for a color that makes a room look brighter than it is? I am interested in a color with yellow with gold undertone. or khaki color. thanks!! oh, and the wall includes backsplash, space above the cabinets and just the rest of the wall in the kitchen.
YoungHouseLove says
Sure thing! Try Benjamin Moore’s Moccasin. It’s a warm golden tan that’s still light and subtle and airy (and you can have it color matched to any brand of paint you’d like). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Reese says
thanks much! wow, you are the best!
Sandra says
Thanks for your advice, yet again. I have the WORST time picking a white – of all things – and Sherwin-Williams Alabaster (which looked too warm to me on the swatch) was absolute perfection to redo all of the white trim in my home.
Thanks Youngsters!
Corrie Hilty says
This paint how-to has been so helpful especially when considering paint colors for a small apartment. My roommate and I would love to find a muted or muddied teal or turquise color. Something that looks like your blue picture above, but with more teal (added green). The only teals that I have seen are too bright for a soothing bedroom look, but the plain blues are not quite there. Do you have any suggestions?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Corrie,
This is going to sound crazy but Behr has a Disney paint wall at Home Depot where you’ll find “Atta Boy Blue” which is the perfect muddied teal-ish turquoise that’s still subdued enough to feel bold yet soothing at the same time. Of course it looks different depending on the lighting situation in your home, so here’s hoping it works for you!
xo,
s
Corrie says
I can’t wait to go take a look! Thanks for understanding my dream of the perfect “muddied” paint. :) I’ll let you know how it goes.
Corrie
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Corrie,
No worries! If that’s a bit too crazy in your space (again, lighting will really effect how that color looks) you might also want to grab Benjamin Moore’s Dreamcatcher for another muddy tealy-turquoise option. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Carrie says
Hey J & S, I’m getting ready to repaint our kitchen that is currently a too dark sage color with cream color cabinets. The kitchen opens up from the Shaker Beige painted dining room, so I want it to mesh with that color. We have black appliances and a tannish laminate countertop with hints of green and chocolate running through it. I was thinking about going with Hawthorne Yellow with crisp white cabinets, but hubby doesn’t want white cabinets because they get too dirty with two little boys. Any suggestions??
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Carrie,
Ooh definitely go with Hawthorne Yellow! As for the cabinets. They would look amazing in a crisp white tone (Decorators White by BM is a fav of ours) and semi-gloss painted cabinets, no matter the color are super easy to keep clean (a quick wipe with a sponge and you’re good to go) but if you’d like a less snowy tone try BM’s Brandy Cream. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Carrie says
Thanks, Sherry! The trim in our home is Decorators White by BM, should I continue that through to the cabinets or is that too monotone?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Carrie,
Definitely continue it since the wall will be a different color it will just look like the whites in the room (trim & cabinets) are cohesive, which is a good thing! Hope it helps.
xo,
s
megan says
Hey Youngsters,
My husband and I just bought a house and want to do something cool in the “master suite” with colors.
Our bedroom furniture is a very deep mocha brown and we have tan/taupe/goldish bedding. My husband wants to do a light bluish-gray, but I think I’d like more of a sage green. Since our bedding and furniture is pretty dark, we want to keep it soothing, and there’s not much natural light in the br (1 window). The master bath is pretty stark white, with lots of natural light…I think the walls may be a very pale blue.
We want the bedroom and bath to flow, with calming soothing colors. Any suggestions? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Megan,
Definitely check out Benjamin Moore’s Paradiso or Brittany Blue. They’re both soft muddy grey-blues with hint of green in them so they’re the ultimate compromise. They’re soothing and airy but still ad some serious style to any room- and either one will look great with your furniture and bedding. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
kimberly says
Hi Sherry and John! I must say like all the others, I absolutely LOVE your website. It is very inspirational. I do have a big painting dilemma on my hands though. My fiance and I have a ranch house. The spare bedroom/work place needs to be painted. I just don’t know what colour to go with. The spare bedroom is off of the living room, next to the main bedroom. The living room colours are Traditional by Behr then the molding in the middle of the wall which is a creamy white, along with the trim in the room and then the bottom is Noah’s Ark (I forget who makes that colour, but it’s a nice neutral to go with the Traditional). Then the main bedroom is Noah’s Ark with the creamy white on the trim. Now what colour would you suggest for the spare bedroom since it is off the of the living room and you can see into from sitting on the couch. Should I stick with the neutral’s or do something different? The other colours in the house are bathroom: steal gun grey, kitchen: mountain elk ( by Behr) and laundry room: this blue (it was there when we moved in and haven’t painted it if that helps. Thanks so much :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Kimberly,
I would choose a slightly lighter or darker tone of one of the other rooms in the house (or even the identical color of them) for a cohesive feeling in your whole house. We made the mistake of painting every room in our house a different color and things look so much more cohesive now that we basically have three tones throughout (cream, tan and gray-blue). A nice soft grey or a lighter blue (or even the same room you use in the laundry room) would be lovely. Hope it helps!
xo,
s