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.
Lynn says
Hello! LOVE your site and all the creative work you do :)
Was wondering if you could suggest a color/brand of paint that, if you had to, you would use on an entire house. We are renters and really just want something that will give it a fresh look but we will be adding color with furniture/accesories.
It has medium blonde wood flooring and we have lots of espresso wood furniture (bedroom sets, living room furniture etc). It’s a one floor place and I wouldn’t say it’s huge at all. Probably medium-small.
Any recs for both the wall paint that would do it all and also the trim color? TIA!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Lynn,
You could do an entire house in Benjamin Moore’s Ashen Tan with Decorators White trim. Plus to save money you can get the swatches at Benjamin Moore and get Behr paint color matched to ’em at Home Depot. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
kimberly says
Thanks so much Sherry! I am going to paint the spare bedroom along with the laundry room Gentle Tide, with white trim. I did my floor plan on the computer with the current colours I have and Gentle Tide looks awesome. I have a another question, for the spare bedroom. I have this massive closet/storage with no doors on it in the room, and I want to cover it so it doesn’t look messy. I was thinking curtins, but not sure what colour to go with since the trim is going to be painted white with Gentle Tide on the walls, any suggestions? Thanks again! Take care :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Kimberly,
I would definitely do a white curtain (one of the thicker ones from Ikea should do the trick) on a stainless steel tension rod for a seamless and soft look that works with the trim. We used the same thick white Ikea curtains in our bedroom with white trim and Gentle Tide on the walls and we love the outcome. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Lynn says
How wonderful of you to respond! Thank you :)
I found an example of Ashen Tan in “Carla’s Dilemma” (her kitchen redo for under $800). I love how it looks around her dining area windows but in the pic of her kitchen, it looks rather dark. I still love the actual color and *her* kitchen looks absolutely fabulous now, but I’m worried about making our smallish space apear smaller. Is this still a good shade to go with in small spaces?
We have a nice bay window in the living room so light should be similar to her dining area but the other rooms are window-lacking :(
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Lynn,
If you think it’s too dark just slide down a square on the color swatch to the lighter tone under it. Colors look different in every space so it’ll be up to you. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Lynn says
ps. And by “window-lacking” I mean they each have 2 windows, 1 on each facing wall in the bdrms.
Amanda says
My husband and I are under contract for our first home that is being built. Because it is new we get to pick everything!! However, for a 1400sqft 3 bedroom 2 bath house, we only get to pick two wall colors. Thankfully it has several raised ceilings and lots of windows for light but I’m still concerned with “shrinking” the space with color. I’m definitely leaning towards the lighter colors because everything else is going to be dark (choc cabinets, stained concrete floors, dark furniture). Do you have any colors that you would recommend to be an overall color? I was leaning towards your sand white or the water chestnut. Something that adds a little warmth and doesn’t blend into everything, but also doesn’t cave everything in. I was also leaning towards a blue so everything isn’t a shade of beige (like your gentle tide) but my husband freaked :-) So, I’m trying to figure out a compromise. Anyways, I’m just kind of stuck. There is so much out there and it makes it difficult to make a final decision.
Sorry for the long entry! I would appreciate any help :-)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Amanda,
A soft yet warm neutral like Glidden’s Sand White or Water Chestnut would be absolutely perfect. Glidden doesn’t offer paint chips for Sand White anymore but they have the formula in the computer if you’d like a gallon (or ten!) and Water Chestnut is still readily available so that’s the good news. You could also do a soft taupey-gray tone for a few of the other rooms to achieve a light and airy look that’s still polished and inviting. Try Benjamin Moore’s April Showers. It’s a misty taupy-grey that we love. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Kelley says
Hi Sherry & John! I came across your blog a little after painting our small downstairs & now I want to repaint!!!! But…I have another priority, the nursery. We have a 22 month old son & are expecting a little girl in Sept. This means, they will be sharing a room. I absolutely love our son’s room, but it definitely is decorated more on the boys side. Currently the room is blue with a darker 12 in blue stripe running around the room above center. I want to make it more gender neutral while keeping most of the accent colors (antique/rustic reds, blue, yellow, & green) while bringing in some pink too. I found this bumper at ikea (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10126853) that I’m basing the accent colors off of. We bought our son a white twin bed (with blue chambray duvet & red gingham sheets)& are thinking of painting the crib white (a task I am quite afraid of, but cheaper than buying a new one). My dilemma is wall color. Picking paint causes me so much anxiety!!!!! I love your bathroom & was thinking of doing vertical stripes around the room in stead of horizontal. I like the idea of adding interest to the walls with paint (by the way I love the nursery you are doing) Any suggestions on wall colors, stripes, & should I take the plunge & paint the crib?????
Thanks so much! Love the blog!
Kelley
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Kelley,
We would definitely recommend painting the crib and the walls with no VOC paint so it’s super non toxic for baby. You can even find it at places like Home Depot these days (they have a line of totally VOC-free paint called Fresh Aire). We don’t know their color names off hand, but something cream on white like our bathroom would look lovely and you could even go for something like yellow on white to work with your color scheme. And the vertical stripes sounds awesome. Happy painting!
xo,
s
kristen says
hello there
i went to home depot yesterday and asked about glidden sand white. they didn’t have it in their system anymore. do you guys happen to have the formula off the top of your paint can?
if so it would really help me out. thanks so much!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Kristen,
Sorry they don’t have it in the computer! I’ve heard they should keep those formulas forever. Bummer. Anyway, here’s the formula: sand white (30YY 58/082) with a pure white base 1 (EM6411).
Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Kelley says
Hi Sherry & John! It’s Kelley again (about the nursery). I was thinking of sticking to white & cream, but really like your idea of yellow & white. I went to Home Depot today & picked a bunch of swatches of both color combinations & as I was getting ready to leave, I checked out the Disney colors. I noticed you gave some one advice on those colors & wanted to know what you thought of the color combo from Disney (New Day Dew & Dandelion for Roo). Yellow scares me…because, like you mentioned, its so hard to get right. Thanks for all your help!
Kelley
Kelley says
By the way…I know they aren’t the no VOC paints, but I thought it would give me a place to start & I can check out the no VOC to match!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Kelley,
Those would look lovely in your nursery! Go for it!
xo,
s
kristen says
thank you so much!
i was surprised that they didn’t have it either. maybe it’s a newer home depot (i dont know i just moved here).
thanks again for your help and inspiration
Jennifer says
I just happened upon your site the other day, and I can not stop coming back to it. You guys have some amazing before and after pictures that are truly inspiring. I just wanted to comment on a paint color that a wonderful lady at Benjamin Moore helped us find. The color is gray wisp, but we had our primer tinted at 50% of that color and loved it even more, so we got the actual paint made in that shade. It is a beautiful, soothing color that actually goes on as a soft, cool green, it doesn’t look gray at all. We chose it for our family room redo, but fell so in love with it that we have used it in 4 more rooms.
Joelle says
Hey J & S,
I am struggling with a color to paint my ceiling; I was trying to keep it the same color throughout the house, but I have warm tones in the living room and cool tones in the bath and bedrooms, so I got ultra pure white to avoid clashing and I think it is just too white! What paint color did you use on your ceilings?
Thanks!
Joelle
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Joelle,
Try Benjamin Moore’s Decorators White. It’s still white so it won’t look dingy or dirty but it has a bit of a warm undertone so it works with virtually anything. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Erica R. says
Hi Sherry and John,
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for this post…I have been a disaster when it comes to choosing paint colors for our home. My husband and I just recently purchased our first home (55 yrs old) and it certainly can be overwhelming when it comes to decorating. Your blog has been beyond helpful to us, so thank you for the inspiration!
I have a question for you – My husband has been updating the house by changing out the old bedroom doors to the new six-paneled doors (so proud of him!) What type of finish should we paint our doors? Satin? Eggshell? I’m hesitant to do a gloss finish because I’m afraid everything will be too shiny. What about the moldings/trim?
Thank you again for your help!
Erica
YoungHouseLove says
Lucky you! New doors sound like fun. As for the finish, we went with crisp white semi-gloss but if you think that’s too shiny eggshell or satin paint is perfect. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Rachel says
I just discovered your website and cannot get enough of it! My husband and I are about to celebrate our 1 year anniversary and are also buying a house! We close next Friday. We are trying to decide on paint colors… I love the way all the colors flow in your home & I want ours to flow as well but am having a hard time picking out colors!!
I know we for sure want our bedroom to be a grayish-blueish color with white trim…. and we cannot decide what would look best with that for our kitchen and living room. We are leaning towards a taupe color with an antiquey white color on the cabinets in the kitchen. Do you think those two colors would flow?
Would you do the kitchen and living room the same color? And do you have any colors that you suggest would flow with the rest of the house?
YoungHouseLove says
Your color scheme sounds lovely! Definitely go for it. The whole house will feel open and soft and inviting (and painting the kitch and the living room the same color is totally cool if that’s what you’d like- we painted the kitchen and the master bedroom the same color so anything goes). Happy painting!
xo,
s
Erica R. says
Hi again J & S,
Thank you so much for the help with the door…its good to know there isn’t any right or wrong way to go. I hope you don’t mind if I ask you for some more advice.
We painted our living room Benjamin Moore’s Georgian Green and now I hate it. Our living room is too small and we only have one big window in the room. I don’t think its giving enough natural light, causing the room to be a bit dark for me.
I bought samples of Glidden’s Sand White and Water Chestnut (love the colors in your home) and I’m considering painting the living room and hallway either of those colors…only problem is, our 30 foot long (but not very wide) kitchen is right off of the living room and we already painted that another creamy/tan color (can’t find the paint can to figure out what color it is). Is this going to be too “blah”?
We live in a small Cape Cod so we only have our living room, kitchen, and then 2 small bedrooms and a bathroom on our bottom floor so painting both rooms tan won’t give me much chance to bring in some color (besides the 2 empty bedrooms that noone sees).
I looked at Gliddens color line and saw some other soft hues like Barely Jade, Slate Green, Soft Meadow, Quiet Rain and was considering doing one of these colors in either space but again was worried about my color choice and that it would be too pastel. What do you think?
Erica
YoungHouseLove says
We live in a house with at least five rooms that are cream or tan and we love the restful effect, so don’t be afraid of doing the hallway in Sand White or Water Chestnut while the kitchen is also a creamy tan! It can actually help with the flow of a small house to have similar soft tones throughout adjoining rooms so you breeze in and out of each space without feeling like there’s an obvious transition (which bolder or more contrasting paint colors tend to create). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Erica says
Thank you Sherry! You’re right – I like an easy flow throughout the house rather than lots of bold colors with obvious transitions. I need to stop hesitating and just go for it. Thanks for your help!!
Tracy says
I need some help!!
Sherry, I love your blog! I have painted my bedroom and dinning room Gentle Tide – love love love it! The color really compliments my Pure White trim and ceilings. I now have the painting bug.
So today I went to HD and got a sample of Sand White to test in my kitchen- it’s currently yellow (SW Blonde) which I hate. The Sand White actually looks grey on my wall. My countertops are New Venetian Gold and my cabinets are called Cherry Mahogany with a black glaze – so maybe I need a warmer color? I thought you’d be just the gal to ask. I can send a pic your way as well…. oh, and I’ll be sure to send several before and after pics for your viewing pleasure! The kitchen will be room #3! Fun Fun!!
Thanks,
Tracy
YoungHouseLove says
Sand White would probably work but something warmer might be nice too. Try Benjamin Moore’s Tapestry Beige along with the Sand White and see which one you love. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
hhl says
I’m getting ready to change the whole color scheme in the downstairs of my house. When we moved in it was gold and red which, unfortunately, I’ve decorated around. I really love reading your blog and others and seeing the neutral, calm spaces. I’d like to create this feeling in my own home. A decorator came and suggested I paint the walls BM swiss coffee throughout, the trim BM hazy skies, and our cabinets BM nantucket grey. The countertoprs are a grey speckled corian. What do you think of this? It’s a pretty generic builder house. Also my sofa is a spice color. Thanks for any suggestions you may have.
YoungHouseLove says
Sounds delicious and layered and lovely. Go for it! Good luck…
xo,
s
hhl says
Thanks for your advice. I guess I was unsure of paining the trim grey and if swiss cofee was too white. Since I’ll be painting the trim near the stairs, do I paint the spindles on the staicase the grey color? Also wondering if I should paint the dining room a different color than the swiss coffee. It’s a large room and somewhat separated from the fam/kitchen. Do the ceilings stay white? Sorry for so many questions. I just can’t visualize the the final product and I think you guys are very talented!
YoungHouseLove says
I think you just have to start painting! You can make decisions as you go and your confidence will grow. Going blindly off of what a designer says or what we say (especially since we haven’t even been in your space) could yield something a lot less lovely than going slow and trusting your own instincts- you’re the one who lives there, right?! So trusting your own eye (the same eye that will see the place every day) is always the key! Start with the Swiss Coffee, then do the trim. If you don’t like the trim ten minutes into painting you can always change it. That’s the beauty of paint! And as for the spindles and the dining room, see how you feel after you get started. You might think they’d also look great white while the dining room could go a shade darker or lighter so it’s still cohesive but has a bit of dimension. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Meagan says
Choosing paint makes me very nervous because I always seem to just miss the right tone. My husband and I just purchased our first house and it is brand new. I am trying to choose a light blue-gray for the master bedroom. I have looked at Benjamin Moore’s Glass Slipper and Silver Gray. What are your thoughts? Also even more stressful is the formal dining room. I want to do it in a burnt, pumpkin orange because I have espresso furniture and white wainscoting. Any ideas for the best orange?
Thanks
Meagan, but not the one above!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Meagan,
I would go with Glass Slipper. It’s gorgeous! As for the perfect pumpkin orange, just pull some of the swatches we’ve mentioned above as our favorites (in the “orange” category) and see which one you like best in the room. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Elizabeth says
Hello,
First I must say WOW! Ya have done an amazing job with your home.
We are in the process of moving into our first home : ) and I wanted to know if you could help me find a color to paint our living room.
Our furniture is black/brown.
Our couch is black.
Our floor is chocolate brown.
We have some woven baskets.
Here are the details:
All of our living room furniture is from Ikea. We have the KLIPPAN couch in Granan Black and an EXPEDIT bookcase in black/brown placed horizontally with some KNIPSA baskets inserted in each opening. We also have a coffee table and side table from the LACK collection also in black/brown. We have the same exact chocolate brown hardwood floor like the one you guys have. We only have one window in our living room about the size of the one you guys have on the left side of your bedroom. The door is the same color as our hardwood floors.
I was thinking about buying the Jute Rug from West Elm which ya have in your “we’re digging” section to place under the coffee table.
PLEASE help me! I have no idea what color would look good with our black and woven furniture.
Here are the links just in case.
Baskets:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20110540
Couch:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S69826273
Bookcase:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50103086
I apologize for the very long message but I wanted to give as much details as possible.
Thanks in advance.
YoungHouseLove says
I would go for something to warm up all that black and brown while keeping things light and open. Try Benjamin Moore’s Moccosin (a rich, warm sandy tan) or even Hawthorne Yellow (the most perfect wheaty yellow that looks rich and elegant). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Angie says
Hi Sherry and John,
Since I discovered your blog a couple of weeks ago, I have been truly addicted. You are both truly talented! :)
I desperately need your advice! I am closing on my first house next Friday and plan to get in there and start painting as soon as I have the keys in my hand! As I was cleaning out my (current) garage, I realized that I have 2 full cans of Glidden’s Dapper Tan paint left over from a project. I was originally planning to use Glidden’s Water Chestnut in my kitchen and Warm Caramel in my living room…but I didn’t realize that I had all this Dapper Tan available and now I feel like I have to use it! I’m considering going with the Dapper Tan in my living room, but I don’t know what to use in the kitchen. Do you have a good suggestion for a lighter complementary color for Dapper Tan that I could use in my kitchen? ANY suggestions would be MOST appreciated.
You guys rock!
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
We love Glidden’s Wishes with Dapper Tan! It might not be available in swatch form anymore, but if you ask for it by name at the counter the paint person should be able to find the formula on the computer and whip up a gallon for you. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jenny says
Dunn Edwards Fresh Artichoke. Its an awesome green, when you really want a GREEN green.(Its the perfect leafy earthy green, not too brownish, not too yellowish.) I used it on the inside of some open kitchen cabinets in our old condo, and in our laundry room in our new house.
Sandi says
great site
need paint help moving to our 1st new house in 7 weeks, great bones but a blank canvas. Even the Kitchen cabinets need to be painted. I was thinking of either a creamy white or chocolate brown for them and baby turtle on the walls. The living room is off the kitchen (so it’s visible) we have cranberry furniture so need color suggestions for there. the stairway leading up I wondering if an accent wall would look cool. Gray shower curtains what color there. Master bedroom we would like a blue brown combo. The two other bedrooms are totally up for grabs. Now for the basement we have paneling we want to paint over any suggestions I have an awesome dark green velvet love seat that I think i would like to use as inspiration i was thinking a creamy white. please please create a wonderful color scheme for me.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Sandi,
We used to offer a paint color service but I’m afraid we just can’t find the time to dole out a bunch of colors for multiple rooms. The good news is that THIS VERY POST is an awesome list of all of our favorite colors, so we would suggest that you print it out and grab a bunch of them at the home improvement store. Then just hold them up around the house to find pre-approved colors that we love love love (and you will too). Good luck!
xo,
s
Karen says
Please help picking a paint color for my bedroom. My headboard is tufted in a carmel brown, drapes are bronze/antique goldish, duvet is neutral beige that pulls golden tones. All paints Ive tried are either too orange or too gold. I would like to stay in “tan” range with darker tone. Thanks
YoungHouseLove says
It sounds like you have a lot of beige, tan, and gold in there already so soft cream walls would set everything off nicely (Benjamin Moore’s Mocassin). You could also go for a rich brown color as you mentioned (Benjamin Moore’s Dellwood Sand) but try to keep it a few shades darker than the other neutral tones in the room so it doesn’t feel flat and adds some dimension. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Meagan says
Well I tried glass slipper and it was way too little baby boy for me. I am really hunting for a nice blue gray that is very calming. The good news is that BM Fall Harvest was perfect for my dining room!
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Meagan,
How about Benjamin Moore’s Quiet Moments? It’s a timeless and soothing blue-gray that’s subtle and chic without being too baby-ish. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Lisa says
Hey Sherry,
I just wanted to say thank you for your suggestions. BM’s Dune grass looks lovely in my long living room/ kitchen and the kitchen cabinets are BM’s Decorator’s White. My husband even noted how my painting technique has improved (along with my patience for painting!) and I attribute it to your blog. Still working on decor but will def. send before and after pix. If you have any suggestions for complimentary colors for our 3 bedrooms it would be, again, a huge relief.
Thanks again for helping me make my house feel more like a home.
natalie says
Hi Sherry,
WE are ready to paint our basement and the only thing we can agree on is bm paint, I would like to ask your opinion on what color to paint the walls, I have a bathroom , bedroom and a home theater room. I like neutral colors (beige)and I forgot to mention that the hardwood floors are chocolat brown and the furniture is chocolat brown except for the bedroom furniture is bleach wood.
Please help!!
Thank you,
Nat
YoungHouseLove says
I would do Benjamin Moore’s Sea Urchin in the bathroom (a creamy warm tone) and BM Sierra Hills in the bedroom (a nice tan that works with the cream). Then for the home theatre room I would go with a nice medium brown (BM Sherwood Tan) for definition and to make it really cozy for move watching. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Amber says
Hi Sherry,
I was wondering if you prefer a brand of paint more than the others? I’ve used Valspar and Behr but not in the same house so I’m not sure if there is a difference in quality? And I never even considered using Glidden until I found your blog.
Thanks,
Amber
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Amber,
We love Glidden and Benjamin Moore for their color palette (they just seem to always have exactly the tone we’re searching for) but Behr and Benjamin Moore when it comes to quality. Sometimes we have Glidden or Benjamin Moore paint swatches on hand so we can have Home Depot mix up a batch of affordable Behr paint in the tone we like so we don’t have to compromise on color or quality. Although lately Glidden revamped their formula and it seemed to have better coverage and quality when we recently used it to paint our ceiling in the bedroom. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Mary says
You are so nice to answer all these paint questions! I have have one more if you have time – similar to Natalie above, I want to paint our tv room/den in our basement and we have dark brown furniture and medium tan carpet. I wanted a tan that has a little bit of yellow or golden in it, to really make the room feel warm and cozy, since it only has one small basement window and I don’t want it to feel too cave-like with too many dark colors. Thank you!!
PS – we painted our kitchen cabinets BM Decorator’s White earlier this week and it looks great! Couldn’t be happier!
YoungHouseLove says
So glad you had luck with your cabinet painting project! Yay. As for a nice lighter tan with warm undertones (you don’t want it to be too close to the medium tan carpet so I would go a shade lighter) try Benjamin Moore’s Sepia Tan or Moccasin. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Mary says
Thank you! You are so quick… I can’t believe you answer so many questions so fast! The newly painted white cabinets look great but we have yellow countertops and am trying to find a soft gray for the walls that will go with the sunshiney yellow and soft white. I love yellows with Decorator’s White but they clash with the countertops. I definitely like grays that have bluish undertones rather than tan or taupe. I would love any suggestions.
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, try BM’s Horizon, Alaskan Husky, or Silver Crest. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Mary says
So funny… I have the paint swatch with all those colors taped to my kitchen wall already! Glad to hear that you agree :)
Vicky says
I was curious what color paint you have used for all your baseboard and window trim? It looks perfect! Thank you!
YoungHouseLove says
Benjamin Moore’s Decorators White. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jennifer says
Quick question: Is Ben Moore’s quiet moments very similar to Glidden’s gentle tide?
YoungHouseLove says
They’re not identical but they’re both serene soft grey-blue tones. It’s definitely a good substitute. Good luck!
xo,
s
Jennifer says
Thanks Sherry! This has to be one of the most responded to posts you guys have done!
FARIHA says
hi i have a living dinning in my town house with cherry birch flooring and i have black leather sofas and as well as vaneer dinning table and color suggestion pleasssssssssssse
YoungHouseLove says
Try Benjamin Moore’s Ashen Tan- it’s warm and neutral and airy. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jeannine T. says
You’ve inspired me to repaint my kitchen walls and I need some help! I have chocolate cabinets, creme floor tile, warm brownish granite and white trim. I’m considering a light blue/grey color (restoration hardware silver sage). There’s also a small nook area where I’d love to do something different/special. I’d really appreciate your ideas!
YoungHouseLove says
Oooh, do Silver Sage. We love that color (you can even see it on our list above). As for the nook, you could go a shade lighter or darker for interest. Hope it helps. Happy painting!
xo,
s
Annie G says
Love your taste in colors and would love your opinion! We have a ranch with a living room/dining room combo. Large Medium Brown traditional leather sofa , ottoman and chair , beige carpet that I have placed a tribal rug over to break it up that’s predominately rust with cream and indigo accents. Am thinking of doing 2 accent color walls in the dining room…dark wood furniture in DR, primitive folk art paintings. The room faces north, albeit with a floor to celing window wall…so we want to keep it light, and we like BM colors the best. Can you help? Thanks!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, I would do both rooms in a warm wheaty tan tone (Benjamin Moore’s Palm Desert Tan) and then an accent wall (or two) in a richer ruddy bronze tone (Benjamin Moore’s Harvest Bronze). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Lisa says
Help! I started to pain my bedroom RL’s Natural Gray, like in the reader redesign “From pink to perfect” because my accents are purple like theirs. But I am not loving the color! I’ve got dune grass in the living room and kitchen and no other paint colors going on in the house. Now I’ve got a half painted bedroom and no clue where to go next! Help!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Lisa,
Our advice would be to figure out why you don’t like the new color and go from there. If it’s too dark for your tastes you can slide up the paint swatch for something lighter, and if it’s too taupey or too gray just go for something with less of that undetone. A great color that always works with purple accents is Benjamin Moore’s Ashen Tan (or Baja Dunes). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Nelsie says
Love, love, this site. Great job! Well, I see you are great with colors. I am ready to paint my basement, which is dark and drab. I want it to be warm and comfortable. For light, we have little windows close to the ceilings. So I can’t really choose a dark color. But I love nice warm spaces. So what do you think for a paint color? A corner of our basement has a beige, tan, grey, and off white real stone. So I need something that is going to compliment that. We have a dark wood pool table and a built in bar that’s a natural honey wood. Floor is concrete slab that we are plaining on staining it a nice burnt sienna stain. It will look dark with a little red in it. So what do you think of color for the walls?
YoungHouseLove says
Since the floor will have a little red in it, we’d suggest a light neutral for the walls (with a bit of warm honey to complement the floor and the natural stone). Try Benjamin Moore’s Sepia Tan. Hope it helps!
xo,
s (& j)
Lisa Hess says
Thank you for compiling so much useful & entertaining information in one website.
We are updating our 14 year old kitchen, but keeping the honey oak cabinets. We have hw floors, white appliances, black countertops and creamy white trim. I want to update the look of my room by choosing the right wall color…what would you suggest? I currently have “burnt sienna walls and it’s too much color. What would work next to that honey oak and bring into this century?
Thanks!
~Lisa
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, a warm honey wheat color would look lovely (try Benjamin Moore’s Brunswick Beige) or even something lighter like a warm cream (Benjamin Moore’s Moccasin). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Mary says
Hi Sherry,
We are re-painting our guest bedroom, which has big windows looking out into our green garden and built in shelving that I am going to paint BM Decorator’s White. Do you have any suggestions for the wall color? I want something warm and inviting that also compliments the views of the garden. The rest of our house is painted in creams, yellows, greys and grey blue. Thanks!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, you can try Benjamin Moore’s Cocoa Sand or Sepia Tan (both are warm wheaty neutrals with almost golden undertones). Of course there are warm greens too, which might be super lovely with your garden view. Why not try BM’s Flowering Herbs or Sesame too!
xo,
s
Maryhp says
Hi! I love this site. I always read it and since I am stuck I decided to ask for help. I am about to paint and have many sample areas painted but can make no decision. I have an open kitchen/family room floor plan. My kitchen cabinets are white with a van dyke brown glaze. My granite is giallo ornamental. My furniture is off-white sofa, natural chair and two french arm chairs with distressed light blue-green wood and off-white upholstery. My floor in the family room is walnut and in my kitchen is a light travertine. As you can tell……it is fairly monochramatic. My family room lighting tends to make any paint I try have more green tones in it than does my kitchen lighting. What to do? I assumed that i would need to paint both rooms the same color but……? Amy advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
I would paint both rooms a pretty neutral and open color like soft creamy Moccasin (by Benjamin Moore) or Cedar Key. They both should complement the tones in the room and the lighting. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Maryhp says
Thanks YoungHouseLove……I am off to the store for samples of each. I’ll let you know!! Can’t wait!!
Anastasia says
Sherry:My spare BedRm window 48″x49″ & the room is 10’6×10’2. The ceiling is slanted, 8’10 to 7′,slanted side has the window”. Flooring is a click it;color is Harvest Oak with wide boards, very cottage like.White Cedar Paneling on the ceiling can’t be painted, it has a light stain of cherry rubbed on it. So the paneling on the ceiling is warm and not orange coloring. The trim is Pine stained the same as the paneling to match.
My question is what color should I paint this room?
The other colors in my house are Benjamin Moore-Ult Matt.
-castleton mist HC-1 in downstairs BathRm,DrK Chocolate in the downstairs LivingRm,dunmore cream HC-29 all thought out Hallways,HC-98 in Mastrm & office,HC-96 richmond gray in BabyRm, HC-147 woodlawn blue in other Bathrm. Kitchen has homecoming warm yellow from Homehardware, this bedroom is off the Kitchen which also has Creamy white Cupboards & White Cedar Paneling on ceiling and walls. Thanks in advance. Anastasia
YoungHouseLove says
Good question! A nice crisp yet warm color like Benjamin Moore’s Crisp Khaki Or even Oak Ridge might be lovely. You could also try something with a bit more color in it like Spanish Olive or even Dried Basil. They’ll all really complement the other tones you have in the room. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Carmen Beaudoin says
Help.I need a color suggestion for my kitchen.The cupboards are medium oak(kind of dark orangy)my counter top is dark(verde green)my floor is light grey and white(ceramic)It is also facing north.Very difficult to choose a color.
YoungHouseLove says
What about a soft sage color for the walls? Try Benjamin Moore’s Spanish Olive.
xo,
s
Kate says
I was looking for a paint color for an accent wall (the wall where the tv is) in my living room. I have cream carpet (its an apartment) and a brown area rug covering some of it. I have black bookcases and a black tv stand and am getting a brown microfiber couch…We’re planning on hanging my light blue curtains.
Would gray look weird with all of these other colors? I really want to paint the accent wall a lighter gray but didn’t know if it would look odd with all of the other stuff we have.
YoungHouseLove says
I think a soft light gray would be awesome. Try Benjamin Moore’s Light Pewter. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Megan says
Help!! Just moved into a brand new house which is spacious and has lots of light. The double story foyer, as well as the entire downstairs was freshly painted Benjamin Moore’s Mohair color prior to us moving in. It seems like a nice neutral warm creamy color and since it was freshly painted we would like to keep it. I want things to be cohesive but not monochromatic. Currently am looking to decorate the downstairs bathroom…we are putting up beadboard wainscoting in it. The floor tiles and shower are a sort of almond color. The vanity cabinet is black with a beige granite sinktop that has flecks of gingery gold in it. I have already purchased sage green towels that have a purple flower & butterfly embroidered on them. I am fond of the french country style and I was envisioning accents in sage & lavender for this bathroom. I plan on using sage in other areas of the downstairs in a sofa and maybe on the walls in the dining room. Soooo…let me get to the point here and ask for suggestions on what to paint this bathroom. I am wanting to keep the chair rail and base trim, and doors Decorator’s White. I was thinking of painting the beadboard a golden honey creamy kind of color that will coordinate well with the granite. I was also considering painting the top part of the wall Dune Grass or Harbour Town. And I was also looking at the paint swatch card that has the Mohair color on it (that is painted all throughout our house)…some of the darker colors on that swatch look nice such as Brunswick Beige. Gingersnaps looks nice too but I am afraid of going that dark. I am babbling here but in a nutshell, I want a classy, warm french country look that will be blend with the rest of the house that will also look well with my sage/lavender towels. What to paint that beadboard? And what to paint the wall above???? Thanks so much for reading thru all this lol
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh we love Dune Grass! Go with that! Of course a golden wheaty color to bring out the flecks in the granite would also be pretty like BM’s Boardwalk or Sepia Tan (and all three of those ideas would work well with Decorators White trim). We actually would suggest painting the beadboard Decorators White too (and just settling for one color on the wall, either Dune Grass or a golden wheat color) since two different colors can really cut a room in half and make it feel a bit chaotic (like it’s fighting with itself- does that make sense?). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Megan says
Thank you!! Yes that makes perfect sense! I do worry about clutter and chaos in a room. However, when we moved in, the entire bathroom was painted Blanched Almond and with the 9 foot high walls and the almond tile on the floor it felt so monochromatic and like too much of one color. So that is why we decided to put in the beadboard to help break up the wall a bit and allow us to put more than one color. I am afraid to do white on the beadboard because the shower and toilet are almond..and the granite is beigy gold, so kept thinking of a warm butterscotchy color for that and something darker on the top. I will think about this some more! I am glad to know that Dune Grass is a popular choice!!! THANK YOU!!
Danielle says
I love this blog! Getting ready to move into my first place – a 100 year old ½ duplex and would love your suggestions. I have an open living/dining area with one long fully-exposed brick wall (light red brick). On that wall there is also a fireplace (not brick) with some of the original light green marble and a dark wood mantle. This room leads into the kitchen which has white cupboards and white bead board and I am definitely going to paint it Glidden Candy Apple Red. Finally, through the kitchen there is a bathroom (claw-foot tub and all!) with another fully-exposed brick wall and white bead board on the bottom half of the other three walls. My question is what should I paint the walls in the living/dining room and also the bathroom? I don’t think I want to paint the brick, so what will go with the brick that will keep both rooms looking spacious (and neutral) and give a nice flow to the whole house? I definitely like Glidden Sand White. Should I paint the fireplace wall an accent?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
You totally read my mind! I was thinking a nice neutral like Sand White would look lovely in both the living room and the bathroom since it will work with the red kitchen and the exposed brick for a warm and inviting feeling that flows from room to room. A slightly warmer tan tone like Benjamin Moore’s Stone House would also be lovely. And I wouldn’t actually paint the fireplace wall as an accent since the red kitchen will benefit from less chaotic and disjointed rooms on either side, which will really make the whole floor plan feel open and spacious instead of fragmented. Hope it helps!
xo,
s