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.
Jen says
Sherry,
after seeing the colors at night, they looked so blah.! is this just me not being used to neutral paint colors??? LOL.. also i realized maybe going a touch less ashy than the ones i had might be better, and in this case that meant Water Chestnut was winning out. Do you think that color will work well w/my coral and blue accents? also another suggestion given to me was a light silvery sage color. do you think that would work (and still seem fresh and airy) or do you think it would compete w/the bright coral? which would be more orange-red/grapefruit! LOL
Thanks a ton!
Jen
YoungHouseLove says
We definitely can’t see those swatches in the different lighting situations like you can so any advice we could dish out won’t be nearly as good as trusting your eye! We think Water Chestnut is a super neutral color so it should go perfectly with the coral and blue accents. I’m sitting here looking at it on my walls and picturing those colors around the room. So nice! As for thsilvery sage color we think that might compete and look a bit disjointed so our vote is definitely for Water Chestnut or some other neutral tone that will complement without competing. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jen says
OH sorry to board hog, but I have a bluish grey in my bedroom w/orange accents, my boyfriend suggested going lighter version of this and then the coral wall will mirror it and tie everything in??? I see you’ve rec’d RH silver sage (BM gray wisp) i’m going to check them out…
Jen
YoungHouseLove says
Sounds fun! Good luck! It really is all about how they look together in your space with your lighting and your furnishings. Happy hunting…
xo,
s
Jen says
Thanks Sherry,
any silvery color i do will definitely have to look good with the coral swatches i find. obviously a bluish silver will go better and not compete as much as the silvery green! thanks for your help and advice. i’ll def email before/after pics for you! Love your blog!
Kat says
Hi,
I’m really enjoy reading this blog (and this from someone who does not follow blogs!). A friend referred me, DH & I are avid DIYers for years now.
I’m a freelance artist and paint fanatic, absolutely rabid about color. I’ve been searching your paint colors, love your choices!
I wanted to share something with you (if you’re not aware of it already) and help answer Leigh’s 2/18/2010 color match question. (I don’t work for the site I’m about to mention, have no affiliation with them in any way.) It’s a good tool for trying to get a close color match based on formula, very popular at one of my favorite DIY message boards. I hope you’ll find it as helpful as I have when searching for elusive colors (e.g. a retired formula a local dealer can’t match, color from a manufacturer not in your area, etc.)
I’ll use Sand White as the example.
1)Go to colorcharts.org
2)Enter name “sand white” in top middle search box (note: only enter color name, not manufacturer)
3)At next “Color Results” screen, on the left side you’ll see a list of manufactures that have that color name. Since we know this is a Glidden color, click on Glidden
4)Still at the same screen, you’ll now see a swatch of Glidden’s Sand White appear on the center portion of the screen. Click on the color swatch box.
5) That will take you to a Glidden palette and off to the right is a larger swatch of Sand White. Below that swatch is a “Match this color” tab. Click that.
6) Now you’ve arrived! This is the screen showing various paint manufacturers who offer colors very similar in formula to Glidden’s Sand White. They are ranked in closeness of match by percentile. It shows that ICI paints offers a 100% match, and there are 12 other manufactures with colors that are an excellent match.
7)This is just my humble 02. Anything in the high 90’s percentile is going to get you an almost perfect match, barely discernible difference with swatches compared side by side. (Of course 100% would be spot on). Anything in the mid to lower 90’s percentile will get you something very close, tho the difference might be slightly discernible to the eye with swatches side by side. Still excellent contenders. Anything 90 or below probably won’t be an acceptable enough match, the difference too discernible even when compared on a monitor.
I hope that helps!
You’ve given me a lot of ideas, love the little stool makeover! And the bamboo shades on your pic window made my heart do a flip flop. Your window is almost identical to mine, and my picture window has been a thorn in my side till I saw what you did. What a great update that doesn’t cost a fortune! Completely inspired me to go for it!
YoungHouseLove says
Wow! Thanks so much for the tip! We’ll definitely pass it along and might even give it a spin ourselves when we’re searching for a good color match! Awesome.
xo,
s
linda says
awwwwww…… fabulous red, while bright… isn’t necessarilly always too bright for indoor use :o( we painted our laundry room that color and i LOVE it! granted…. when we asked them to mix the paint i got a little sick…. then when we put the first few roller strokes on the wall i thought to myself: “WHAT have we done?????” even once all the walls were painted i was like… “uhm…????” but then we added the bright white crown molding…. gorgeous black and silver mettalic tile…. bright white base boards…. painted the doors bright white… put the bright white blinds back as well as adding the new bright white cupboards…. all the while taking away from so much red showing…. then finally the brand new washer and dryer (and old white freezer)…. and the red just POPS! granted there ended up being more white than faublous red in the room… but i absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE it now!!!!
i love when you link to older posts in your blog that i haven’t come across yet! you’ve become a daily read for me!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
So glad to hear that you’re loving your Fabulous Red laundry room. Sounds fun and cheerful!
xo,
s
Emmary says
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your blog. I check it almost as often as Facebook. My 4-year-old now tells me it’s his turn for Sesame Street games, not HOUSE LOVE! We recently moved into a new home. It is about 30 years old and has some dated qualities. It has an amazing floor plan, one of the big selling features. The kitchen was recently rennovated and opens up to the living room. The living room has a HUGE fireplace (I think these massive half-wall thing were very popular in the 70’s). It is an attractive brick (browns and grays—not red at all). I wanted to paint it white, but my hubbie won’t go for that. He likes the coziness the warm tone adds to the room and our furniture is a warm brownish tone as well. We have gray accents in our curtains, pillows and accessories. We wanted to pick up on that gray so we painted the fireplace wall,what we thought would be gray, but turned out blue and the other walls a light shade of gray, almost white. What color scheme would you recommend? I have looked at darker “true” gray colors to replace the blue tone. We are also trying to figure out what color to paint our enormous kitchen. The job of painting this space is daunting due to the ceiling height and square footage. I guess my words may not be enough. Do you accept pics of a home and then give advice? Thanks for offering so many inspirational ideas on your blog. If only I wasn’t balancing a 4 year-old, a 2-year-old and one on the way! I keep telling myself we’ll make the house our own someday.
Blessings to you and your soon-to-be bundle of JOY!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah, a light charcoal gray wall would be enveloping and cozy with the natural fireplace you have in there. Of course since the coloring in every room can alter the way paint looks, your best bet is to just bring home about thirty gray swatches and tape them up on the wall next to the fireplace wall and see which one you like best in all times of day. As for your kitchen, we love how soft gray-blues (like Benjamin Moore’s Quiet Moments) look with richer charcoal grays so that might be a nice pairing. And as for our design services, you can find out more about those right here: https://www.younghouselove.com/home-advice/
Hope it helps!
xoxo,
s
Emmary says
Thank you so much. I just love how kind you come across…you truly have a gift for this. We’ll try your suggestions and keep you updated.
Blessings,
E
Ann says
The photo you have under the tan paint colors- I assume Behr harvest brown is the color on the right but what is the color on the left?
YoungHouseLove says
Good question. We have no idea. Hopefully following the source link at the bottom of the post will yield more info for you. Happy hunting…
xo,
s
Monique says
I am painting my master bedroom and need some direction please. I was thinking of green – the hallway off the br is creamy yellow, the trim is pine, carpet beige. Can you give me some help! Thanks so much!
YoungHouseLove says
Green walls will look lovely with a creamy yellow hallways and beige carpet. Just bring home a bunch of our recommended green swatches (included right in this very post) and hold them up to see how they look in your space. Since things like lighting can really effect a paint color, this method is a lot more accurate than us tossing out a suggestion or two (especially since we listed our favorite green tones right here in this post). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Lisa says
Funny that there was just another question about green! I am torn between two greens right now – Georgian Green and Rosemary Sprig, both BM. Our dining room is very sunny, and it’s next to a hall painted in Water Chestnut and a kitchen painted in Hawthorne Yellow. We have dark furniture (brown/black from Ikea…) and are getting the Asimi rug from Crate and Barrel, that has a lot of beige and khaki tones. What do you guys think?
YoungHouseLove says
Both could probably work swimmingly and it definitely depends on your lighting sitch, but we’re leaning towards Rosemary Sprig after looking at them in our house under our lighting conditions. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Stephanie says
I want to paint a kitchen table black (going to paint kitchen cabinets “Decorators White” by Benjamin Moore) and some other pieces of furniture. Possibly even some bathroom cabinets. What color black would you suggest from Behr? And is it possible to pick the wrong color of black? Just looking for a no-fail black to use everywhere. Thanks for any suggestions.
YoungHouseLove says
We actually don’t know of any black swatches by Behr that we can recommend off the top of our heads, but there are usually not many black options so you really can’t go wrong. Just bring home all the potential swatches and hold them up in your space to pick the ones that look the most “true” in your lighting situation. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Rylee says
Hi! I love love love your blog! I hope you are doing well! Congratulations on the baby! What an exciting time!
I am having trouble picking out a paint color for my cabinets. They are white, but a little on the discolored side. The people that lived in the house before us smoked in it plus I think a little discolored from cooking and age. The tile in the kitchen is blue and gray mostly, but have several others colors. I was thinking about painting the cabinets with a very subtle tint of gray, but I am scared of the cabinets looking dingy. I use Sherwin William paint, what would you guys suggest? Should I just go with a no-fail bright white? We are using the Countertop Transformation kit in charcoal on the countertops(they are a lovely shade of green now). Thank you for any suggestions!
YoungHouseLove says
You definitely can’t go wrong with a crisp white tone but you can also bring home a bunch of soft grey swatches and hold them up to see which ones look best in your lighting situation (we hesitate to suggest anything specific because you’ll likely find something better by bringing a bunch of options home to see which one works best). Good luck!
xo,
s
Stephanie says
Sorry to be a pest! But could you recommend a nice black color in a Benjamin Moore or another brand. I really am challenged when it comes to picking colors. Thanks in advance for all of your help! This site has given me so much inspiration!
YoungHouseLove says
Try Benjamin Moore’s Onyx, Black Satin or Midnight. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Mel says
Hi guys,
I have a very open living room/dining room area that is seperated ever so slightly by a square shaped floor to ceiling pillar like divider on either side in-between the two rooms. The “pillars” have some definition at the top that kind of remind me of crown molding—but it’s actually part of the pillar. Right now they are painted a very stark white. My dining room is shaker beige (which I might change–just doesn’t seem right somehow) and the living room is Lenox tan. You can see the kitchen and the entry from both rooms and they are Hillsborough beige(kitchen) and Putnam Ivory (entry). What color do you think I should paint the pillars? Would you keep them white? Should I match the tops to the white trim and paint the rest of the pillars an off-white color? I’d like a “prettier” white if that’s what I’m sticking with. Oh and there is alot of light in these rooms. Any ideas would be so appreciated!
YoungHouseLove says
We would definitely paint the pillar part (except for the molding or trim, which we’d keep white) to match the wall color to help them blend in (either Shaker Beige or Lenox Tan). You can pick either room’s tone for it (since they’re adjoining it should look cohesive enough). And you can even consider painting both rooms the same tone (along with the pillar) for an even more open and airy feeling (we love rooms that open to each other when they’re the same color for that nice effortless flow). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Amy says
Hi! I would love some expert advice…My adventures in painting my office Fresh Guacamole from Glidden have derailed a bit. I have done half the room and it is green overload! I loved the paint on the chip card, but it is much to much green.
Our office is currently boring beige, with walnut brown window and door frames, beige carpet with a mix of black and brown furniture. Right now the budget is only for paint, so I would love to find a color to brighten up a boring room, to get along nicely with beige, browns and blacks and be an inspiring and motivating color for doing paperwork and computer work too.
I like green, but I am open to any color. Only one thing is for sure, Fresh Guac should only be in the fridge!
Thanks so much!! :)
Amy
YoungHouseLove says
Try Celery Sticks by Glidden or Dune Grass by Benjamin Moore. The first one is lighter and more playful but still not overpowering and the second one is more of a sophisticated khaki-green neutral tone. Both will look great with your furnishings. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Melissa says
Hi,
I just bought new bedding so it’s time to change the bedroom paint color. The bedding is navy, white, and cornflower blue paisley. The bedroom can be seen from the hallway, and the hallway is painted Benjamin Moore Putnam Ivory. Any suggestions?? The bedroom always seems dark (it’s sage green currently) for some reason, so although I was initially thinking tan–I’m now thinking cream??? We have white doors and trim. Thanks for any suggestions.
YoungHouseLove says
What about a soft cloud-like platinum grey? It’s just as airy and light as cream but it looks lovely with navy, white and cornflower blue (try Benjamin Moore’s Light Pewter). Of course you can also go with any of the cream tones that we recommended above (or any of the tans that we have listed as well)- just bring home a bunch of swatches and see what tickles your fancy.
xo,
s
Trish says
I am going crazy trying to find a color for our living room. The furniture is very neutral so we could really use some color! I am thinking grey with a hint of blue. However, everything I try is either too blue or light baby boy blue. Does anyone have any recommendations?
Thank you in advance!
YoungHouseLove says
Just bring home a bunch of the blue swatches that we recommend above and see what you like. Benjamin Moore’s Quiet Moments might be especially perfect for you. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Michelle says
Hi,
I just recently discovered your blog and I am so inspired! We moved in to our house in August and have only painted one room in our house (our kid’s). I am itching to paint the entire interior of our home but can’t get past what to paint our living room which is a taupish brown. I would like the all the rooms to be somewhat cohesive. It is very dark due to one wall of windows blocked by an enclosed porch and one wall facing our neighbors house which is north, I believe??? Our furniture is not permanent so it doesn’t matter what I am matching. Although now that I am thinking of it we have decided on Starbright 390E-2 Behr (sort of a tannish yellow?) for our dining room which is right next to the living room and it is full of light in the morning and afternoon. I was thinking of a shiny pale gray or purplish gray. Would you be able to offer up any ideas? Honestly doesn’t matter what colors, just something that would look nice in a dark room. The only thing I don’t want is to make it cozier by painting it with a darker color.
On a side note, congratulations on the baby. I am a babywearing educator and would be happy to answer any questions you might have on wearing your baby in a sling. Although I encourage you to find a local group before the baby is born. Sometimes you just can’t get out of the house for months. Meetings or classes are usually free and open to the general public.
Thanks for any help you can give.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Michelle,
You’re on the right track with the grays, and one of our favorite pale grays is Benjamin Moore’s Light Pewter. That should look pretty with the tannish yellow you mentioned. You might also want to try Benjamin Moore’s Sting Ray if you’re looking for a slightly deeper (but still light) gray.
Good luck!
xo,
s
Dan says
How does one select the ceiling color? Before I had Benjamin Moore’s Nantucket Fog (more blue than gray) on the walls with a stark white ceiling but I’ve noticed since I’ve selected Benjamin Moore’s Mellowed Ivory (softer green/yellow in semi-gloss) to replace the blue, the stark white ceiling isn’t as obtrusive now. If I plan on using Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White for the trim (semi-gloss) should I use a flat version for the ceiling? There is no crown moulding in the bathroom. Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Dan,
Here are three posts full of tips for selecting a ceiling color. Of course it’s really about personal preference (some people love them to be stark white in a flat finish, others appreciate a bit of tone or even a contrasting color to draw the eye up).
https://www.younghouselove.com/2010/02/our-homes-recently-expanded-color-palette/
https://www.younghouselove.com/2009/09/things-are-looking-up-2/
https://www.younghouselove.com/2010/01/nursery-progress-painting-the-walls-ceiling/
Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Krista says
Hi Youngsters,
We are in the process of developing our unfinished basement and I am so inspired by your blog to make it a fun family room (we have an almost 10 month old daughter). I am unsure as to what paint color to choose because of the paint color in the kitchen which leads to the basement steps. Our kitchen is blue and I want the house to flow nicely. I dont have the exact name on it but it is VERY similar to Benjamin Moore’s Glace Bay (CC-814). I kinda wanted to go with a pale turquoise for our basement but I am afraid that I will then have two different blue tones on walls that are virutally next to each other.
Also, off the family room in the basement we are developing a mud room (I got some ideas from you guys!), a bedroom, and bath/laundry. I really like Behr’s Celery Ice 410E-2 for the mud room and am unsure about the other two rooms. I just wanted to get your thoughts as to whether I am on the right track to cohesiveness.
Any help you can give is greatly appreciated. Love your blog! I tune in everyday :)
Thanks,
Krista
YoungHouseLove says
You are absolutely on the right track! In fact, one of the prettiest colors to put next to a soft blue wall is another tone of blue (like a light turquoise hue). Our tip would just be to make sure it’s a very subtle turquoise so it works with the blue in your kitchen and feels harmonious and related (instead of like it’s competing) and the Celery Ice in the mud room sounds lovely too. Go for it! And good luck!
xo,
s
Stancie @ Fig+Sage says
I just wanted to let you know that you were right on about BM’s Iced Lavender. I painted my home office with that color and I LOOOVE it! Thanks so much for the tip :)
YoungHouseLove says
So glad! We love that color and it’s great to hear that it worked out for you. Send us pics whenever you get a chance!
xo,
s
April says
Hello..I love your blog! I always need advise with paint colors. Ive painted my living room 4 times in 5 years..lol I am going to have my kitchen cabinets repainted. They had a really bad paint job during construction so I have to have them redone. The color on them now is SW Pure White but was thinking about Alabaster. I will be painted all of my trim the same color. My walls in my living room and foyer are painted SW corkwedge #7539. Alabaster is not as crispy white as the pure white so Im afraid that i might make the trim look alittle dirty up against the corkwedge. Do you have any advise? Im also repainting my bedroom that has double treys in it and the color in the room now is BM Greyhound..Its blue but I wanted a softer blue instead. any suggestions with that and should I paint the treys a darker shade than the walls. Im at a stand still on those treys.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey April,
We would definitely go with the Alabaster since it’ll still feel crisp but won’t be stark. It’ll look great with everything else so fear not. And as for the bedroom, we love Benjamin Moore’s Quiet Moments. Gorgeous! And you can slide one square lighter or darker on the paint swatch for the trays to ensure that they easily coordinate. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Shannon says
Hi – I just found your blog and have really enjoyed peeking around! I figured you seem to have such a great eye for this stuff, that I’d ask you the question I’m agonizing over. We have just moved into our first house and knocked down a wall to open the living room to the once tomb like dining/kitchen area. Its a huge room with a somewhat divider beam on the ceiling. Should I paint it all the same color (right now its yellow in the living room and peanut butter in the kitchen/dining. We have dark brown leather furniture in the living room and recently painted cream cabinets in the kitchen. I appreciate any suggestions you have!
Shannon
YoungHouseLove says
We would definitely paint it all the same color. We’re huge fans of keeping things looking open and cohesive instead of broken up and it’s a great way to make that beam blend right in with the rest of the space for a seamless effect. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sylvie says
Hello – It’s amazing and impressive that you guys still read and answer comments 8+ months after the original post! I’m hoping I can also obtain some of your generous advice.
Like many of your fans, I found your blog as I searched for decorating ideas for our first house. Our painting dilemma is this: the basement walls are covered in ugly fake wood paneling with white trim. Painting it is #1 on our to-do list, but I am stumped on the color. The carpet is a warm beige color and the room doesn’t get much natural light. The room is used for music which means tons of (huge) black amplifiers and guitars. So perhaps something to go with all the musical equipment? I know that sounds strange, but my husband has some beautiful guitars that he’d like to display (a red strat and a maple epiphone casino). Any color recommendations to go with all the musical equipment?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Sylvie,
We would actually go with something light and neutral since that will allow a lot of instruments to be the focal point (whereas something that is dark like them might make them blend in too much). You also want your basement to feel light and you want the color to work with your carpet. We would suggest Water Chestnut by Glidden. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
audrey says
Hi. I just stumbled onto this site, after going crazy trying to pick paint colors for a small room. I wanted to do a rich ethnic feeling room with perhaps a maroon-ish wall and the rest lighter walls. It is a small room that will have a desk and a bed in it. I have tried Sherwin Williams Borscht, Stolen Kiss, Henna Shade, and my own mixes and they all look awful. They are too orange or too brown or too dark or too ugly. Do you have any ideas? I am so stuck!! Thanks so much.
YoungHouseLove says
Try Benjamin Moore’s Warm Sienna 1203 or Onondaga Clay 1204- they’re rich maroonish terra cotta colors that could look fantastic. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sylvie says
Hi Sherry – thanks for the quick response and the recommendation. Will definitely try it out.
erin says
hey! i have hard wood floors and natural wood cabinets. both with underlying tones of yellow. very yellow. i’m wanting to paint the kitchen, dining, and living room which is all one big open space. a painter friend recommended green to contrast the yellow tones, but that seems all wrong to me.
what do you suggest?
YoungHouseLove says
The key is to pick a neutral color that doesn’t contrast the yellow too much (like a cool gray or even a cool tan color) but not to overload the space with more yellow by picking something too tawny and golden. Try a neutral and just-warm-enough sand color like Glidden’s Water Chestnut to temper all the yellow and add some soothing and classic tan color. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Lisa says
I just discovered Home Depot is no longer carrying Ralph Lauren paints! Anyone know where I can find them now? I love the quality and subtle colors.
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, we wish we knew. Maybe you can google around for that answer? Or call a few paint shops in your local Yellow Pages to hunt some down?
xo,
s
sherry says
Hi,
I saw that you’re diggin’ the dash and albert cat’s paw rugs. I bought the sage one for my son’s room, and i was wondering what color i should paint the walls and trim. He has maple colored furniture. I wanted a light, ethereal look. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Just grab any of the tan swatches we recommend in this very post and hold them up to the rug to see what you like. Glidden’s Water Chestnut is a great warm tan that would look great with your rug for that light and airy feeling. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Ann says
I was looking for a light color to (re)paint both the ceiling and walls in my hall and stairway, eliminating the need for any cutting. The ceiling is sloped and the hall is rather dark. I went off your suggestion of SW Creamy, and it is absolutely lovely! Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
So glad it worked for you!
xo,
s
Gwendolyn Jerris says
After remodeling our kitchen and knocking down half of the wall between rooms, I have anguished over choosing the perfect paint color to complement the “French Cottage” transformation. With travertine floors and tons of white cabinets, wood furniture and garden themed accesories, I could not find something that was neither too light nor too dark. I stumbled upon your site and thank goodness! Your paint suggestion, Glidden Water Chestnut ties everything together beautifully. I just wanted to write a note of thanks!
Susan says
Hi – I just found your site and LOVE IT!! We’re remodeling and have chosen a new ribbon fireplace to be surrounded by Moca Cream Limestone. I’m looking for a tan paint to complement it. Any ideas? The Behr Traditional that you have in this post might work but I have vaulted ceilings so I’m a little worried about going too dark. Your thoughts?
YoungHouseLove says
Just grab all the tan paint swatches that we recommended in this post (they really are our faves) and see which one looks best in your space. Good luck!
xo,
s
Laurie Jackim says
We just decided to finish our basement. It will have three main rooms; a family room, bathroom and bedroom. The upstairs is painted in two tone white (done by the builders) and will eventually need to be repainted. With our basement we have the opportunity to add color upon completion. I want the baseboards a white but would like to try a little color in the other three rooms. Any ideas?
YoungHouseLove says
Sure, just bring home some of the paint swatches in this post that we’ve listed as our favorites (they really are the ones we love best) and see which ones work in your lighting situation. Good luck!
xo,
s
Elaine says
We have painted our breakfast room an orange color and need a color to flow into the living room (has alot of lighting)and another for our hallway (no lighting) but have no idea what color to go with. My husband and I feel so clueless!! PLEASE HELP!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Tones of brown, tan, beige, green, red and yellow look great with orange so just bring home some of the swatches we recommend in those categories and see what looks best in your space. Good luck!
xo,
s
Beth says
I am painting the front door of our 40 year old bungalow. It is tan/caramel brick with taupey angelstone on the bottom. The roof is brownish grey. Window trim and eaves are white. What would be a pretty colour for the front door?
YoungHouseLove says
You have such a neutral palette that you could really go with anything. Bright daffodil yellow would be sweet as would cheerful cherry red. Even a deep plum or a sage green would be amazing so just grab a bunch of the swatches that we recommend in this post and hold them up to see what tickles your fancy. Good luck!
xo,
s
Molly says
LOVE love your site. I’m learning so much from you both. Thank you. My fiance and I recently bought a home and are at the point where we can afford to do some redecorating. I’m having trouble picking out paint colors, especially our main house color (the kitchen into the living room, up the stairs and into the hallway) because we don’t have permanent pieces of furniture yet – we’re just kind of using what we have. I’m little by little collecting my mid century furniture and plan to decorate with retro modern themes – I guess what I’m asking is – how do you pick a paint color that can stay with the new things I’ll hopefully buy over the next year to redecorate….it will cover such a large area of the home it will be hard to repaint anytime soon.
Thanks!
Molly
YoungHouseLove says
Just go for a neutral like a soft gray, beige, greige, cream, or tan. They’re classics and they’ll work with anything else you bring home, even if your tastes change along the way. All you have to do is grab a bunch of the swatches that we recommend in those categories and tape them up on the wall to see which ones you like best. Good luck!
xo,
s
Jen says
All these paint ideas are so inspiring! However, i’ve always been hesitant in deciding on a color and i’m stuck with how to paint my bedroom. It’s always been white- walls and celling- with a beige carpet. It has two window seats, two other windows, and a skylight. The celling mimicks the slant of the roof, so it comes together at the top, resulting in some cool angles and spaces (window seats :)
I’m currently in the process of planning a redecoration of this room, and i love the KAJSA TRÄD duvet from IKEA in green. However, i’m afraid the white background of the comforter will blend in too much with the white walls. What colors do you suggest to corelate with this bedding? I’m afraid to use any dark or bold colors because i feel like it may take away what i love most about the room- the light, bright, airyness of it. Thanks in advance for all your help!
~Jen~
YoungHouseLove says
Just pull any of the tan, green and cream swatches that we have listed above and tape them all up on the walls to see which one works best with your lighting. And since you’ll be going with something light we’d suggest carrying it up onto the ceiling and all those slants in the space so it doesn’t feel all cut up and disjointed (and instead reads as one airy and open space). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Amy says
I have gotten a lot of inspiration from your site for the interior rooms in our house. Maybe you can help me with the exterior. We live in New Mexico and our house was built in 1975 out of Slump block with a shake shingle roof. The exterior is just plain UGLY but if we do it right I think it could look really good.
We are planning on adding a garage to the front and we won’t be using slump block. Do we paint the rest of the house the same color as the new Garage? Any ideas? Our plan is to use stucco on the garage but if we can avoid stuccoing the rest of the house it would save us a lot of money. I just haven’t seen ANY good examples of painted slump block houses.
Any Help would be really appreciated!
Thanks
Amy
YoungHouseLove says
Good question! How about painting the house one shade darker than the garage color? For example, grab a paint swatch of tan tones and pick a medium tan tone for the house and slide one shade lighter on the color swatch for the garage color (a lighter tan color that will automatically work with the darker tone on the same color card for the rest of the house). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Liza says
Really nice decoration! I totally loved the green living room! You said it’s Sherwin-Williams Lime Granita color, but what finishing did u use?
YoungHouseLove says
The photo of the room isn’t one of ours, but using a flat or satin finish would achieve that look. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Julia says
Hi Sherry!
I LOVE you’re site!!! (I think this week is an all time record, I’ve been on it every day!). One quick question, I am wondering (and my apologies if its been mentioned above and I missed it)if you can recommend a nice light and breezy blue grey colour for a ground floor suite that has lots of windows, but because I live in rainy Vancouver, light can be a bit of an issue. I’m trying to accomplish a beach theme with white furniture and light blue and green accessories (pillows, etc). Or is a light blue/grey the wrong way to go?!
Thanks so much in advance!
Julia
YoungHouseLove says
Benjamin Moore’s Quiet Moments would be lovely. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Ash says
My son is wanting an orange room, or at least one wall. If we only paint one wall orange what color would complement it well on the other walls?
I would like my bathroom to be a smoky blue/gray. I am contemplating the dining room being red or some type of mocha. Every other room some type of neutral. I’m concerned that I have picked too many colors. What would you recommend so that we could definitely use the blue/gray in the master bath and orange in his room while not looking chaotic? Also, what color then would look good in a little girl’s room that would flow? PLEASE HELP!
YoungHouseLove says
Try a tawny wheaty tan color to go with the orange (just grab a lot of orange and tan swatches and see which ones work in your space with your lighting). As for keeping your house cohesive with paint colors (and not picking too many) here’s a post all about that: https://www.younghouselove.com/2010/02/our-homes-recently-expanded-color-palette/
It really is personal preference so just bring home a lot of swatches and see what you like. Perhaps for your daughter’s room you could use the same tan/wheaty tone with a pink accent wall or a green one (so it subtly connects with the orange room since it has that color in common). It’s your home so you’re the one who should love it!
xo,
s
Pam Redington says
I would like to get/purchase paint decks from the Home Depot and others, but when I ask to purchase them, they tell me they don’t sell them. How did you get yours? Any assistance or advice would be welcomed! I love-love-love your web-site, I don’t miss a day!
YoungHouseLove says
You usually have to order them directly from the company (on glidden.com, behr.com, etc) or go to private paint dealers (like Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams) since they sell them there. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Belinda says
Hey guys! I love everything that you have done in your house so far so I have a painting question for you. Your bedspread is blue and white and yo have painted your walls blue. I have just bought this beautiful bedspread for our master bedroom which has two different pale grey tones in it (but a purpley pale grey!) and white. Any suggestions on wall colour that will keep our room light and airy and won’t turn it into a dungeon? Thanks in advance. You guys rock! x
YoungHouseLove says
If you’re interested in a semi monochromatic look like our bedroom, just bring home paint swatches that are similar to your bedding (but lighter, creamier, softer, etc) and tape them all up to see which one looks best. We’ve always loved Benjamin Moore’s Light Pewter so that’s a nice super subtle gray to try. Good luck!
xo,
s
Sarah says
Our new house has TEAL countertops! It’ll be a couple of years before we can afford to replace them, so I need advice on what color to paint the walls in the meantime. Right now they’re a very light pink… It’s bad. Help!
Keep in mind that the kitchen is open to a big family room. You can see a picture at schraw.blogspot.com.
YoungHouseLove says
Something in the tan or cream family would temper those colorful countertops (so just grab the swatches that we’ve listed above in those two categories and see what works). Good luck!
xo,
s
Sylvie says
Any color recommendations to temper a lot of brown? The large great room in our house is stuck in a beige/brown rut. It has walnut colored beams in the vaulted ceiling, oak trim, banisters, and laminate floors. The furniture is either espresso or cherry, and the couch is a cream/beige stripe. I’d like to paint the walls (but not the beams/ceilings) so that they cut through all the brown – I’ve thought of blue/greys, but would like to keep the living room warm and inviting, especially with the high ceilings. Any suggestions would be appreciated!
YoungHouseLove says
A nice tawny tan or straw color would look great (as long as it’s light enough to add warmth and almost an amber glow to all that beige and brown). Try Benjamin Moore’s Bridgewater Tan. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Isabelle Zapach says
I am looking for a gray for a living room. We want a neutral color; but one that looka alive. On suggestion was Youthful Gray by Sherwin Williams. I can’t find it anywhere.
Thank you for your help.
YoungHouseLove says
Try Stonington Gray or Light Pewter by Benjamin Moore. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Samantha says
Hi Sherry & John,
I’m looking to repaint our master bedroom and bathroom. The current color is a dark forest green in the bedroom (which I think is too dark) and a light baby pink in the bathroom. I’m not too sure what the previous owners were thinking. My husband likes the green in the bedroom, but because he knows I don’t like it, he’s willing to paint with me. I’d like to keep the room green, just a more soothing color that will really showcase the rest of the room. When I google “glidden fennel,” I’m not crazy about the swatch color in the first hit or two I get. But when I see people who have used it in their home, it looks like a beautiful color (as in the photo on this page: http://www.ikeafans.com/forums/project-blogs/1523-jenns-kitchen-renovation-11.html). In your opinion, which is more true to life in terms of how the color looks? Do you know of another color that’s similar, so I can show the swatch to my husband? Thanks for all the paint help! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Our recommendation is never ever to trust your computer. Run out and get a true color swatch from your local home improvement store and hold it up in your space. It’s the only way to tell how a color will read since the lighting sitch in your room could alter the color quite dramatically from what it looks like in other homes.
xo,
s
Julia says
Hi Sherry!
Two quick questions –
1. We were thinking of painting our living room a blue/gray(that looks good with lime green, tan and white accents) and need a paint color for our adjoining kitchen/office and den. We had been thinking a green or a gray for that space (we have light maple kitchen cabinets. Any suggestions for 2 paint colors that might work for the two spaces?
2. I saw that Benjamin Moore’s color of the year is Cedar Green. I thought it looked like a fun/pretty color in their brochures but would be nervous using it in real life (except in a kid’s room). Do you have any tips for using punchier/more vibrant colors? If you use a color like this in a room, do the adjoining rooms need to be similarly bright or could adjoining rooms be a gray/blue that is softer but complements the green? I’d love for you to do a post on bolder paint colors and how to use them effectively.
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
1. Try Benjamin Moore’s Quiet Moments as your blue-gray color that looks good with lime green, tan, and white. Then give BM’s Light Pewter a chance in the adjoining kitchen/office and den. Of course colors are super personal and read differently in every lighting sitch, so those are just ideas off the top of our heads. Feel free to grab lots more swatches and tape them all up to see which ones you love most.
2. Some people love mixing and matching bold colors throughout their house, others prefer a few bold rooms (a small bright powder room, a colorful office or playroom) and then keeping the rest of the house pretty neutral to sort of “temper” the more saturated hues. Again, color is a very personal thing, so just do what makes you smile and feels right to you. One tip would be to keep major furnishings and other large elements in a bold room a lot more subdued (think tons of white, neutral tans, charcoals, chocolates, mochas, etc) so the wall color is the star but it’s not competing with a bunch of vibrant pieces and accessories. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Betty H. says
Our living room is benj moore Summer Harvest, sofa is olive green, floor is chocolate ash hardwood and pine trim. What could we do to finish it? ie lamp fixture colour,accessories, pillows. Any suggestions would be terrific.
YoungHouseLove says
Just bring home a bunch of paint swatches in any and all colors of the rainbow that appeal to you. Although lamps and accessories aren’t painted, holding the chips in the room and playing around with combinations will help you find a color scheme that you love, and then you can use the paint chips that you settle on as a guide when you go lamp, pillow, and accessory shopping to keep you on track. The colors you mention look great with a variety of colors and materials (like oil-rubbed bronze lamps for example, and cream colored pillows and lamp shades) so just have fun and experiment. Remember you can always buy a few pillows and lamps and return the ones that you don’t like best! It’s all about finding what you love. Good luck!
xo,
s
Peggy Richardson says
Looking for a paint color for my Living Room/Dining Room combination (see url for photos).
Oak hardwood floors – medium finish. Red leather soft with 2 chairs that look neutral beige from a distance but have multi colors running through (beige, red, taupe, apple green). DR dark wood with off-white fabric chairs.
This is an open floor plan 3 level town home. The LR/DR combination are on the 2nd floor, the stairs run up and down one side wall and can be seen from all 3 floors and would need to be one color top to bottom.
The color now is a very light off-white and it looks too stark.
YoungHouseLove says
Well this is the post for you. Since we listed all of our favorite colors above, just grab a bunch of the swatches and bring them home and see which ones you like best. Because colors read differently in different lighting scenarios, it’s best to trust your eye over any ideas we could blindly toss out via the internet. But knowing that many of the colors listed above are our absolute favorites should give you a great starting point. Happy hunting!
xo,
s