35 Neutral Paint Colors Interior Designers Can't Get Enough Of
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Don’t let anyone fool you—there’s nothing boring about today’s neutral paint colors. While there are certainly designer-favorite whites, beiges, and grays, lately shades of blue, yellow, and even green have joined the ranks providing solid backdrops for the parade of patterns and sculptural furniture filling our homes. Their endless versatility and ability to work with countless styles cement these new neutral paint colors as invaluable decorating tools.
Though finding the perfect shade for your fashionable living room or soothing bedroom can seem a bit daunting, there are so many neutral paint colors to choose from with countless undertones. Choosing the wrong shade could disrupt the entire atmosphere and flow of a room. "The neutral needs to pick up on some of the underlying tones of the main colors in the room," says Connecticut-based designer Virginia Tupker. "For instance, if the room is largely yellow, blue, gray, or pink, the neutral color you select should reflect that."
Luckily, several designers from the country’s most revered design firms shared their go-to shades of white paint colors, serene blues, and other neutrals, along with a few secrets to finding the best neutral paint color for your home. These hues are sure to make your chosen space feel more inviting, comforting, and calming whether you choose to fill it with colorful pieces or other subtle tones.
Chantilly Lace, Benjamin Moore
“A clean, bright white—what you might think of in an art gallery. It’s a more modern feeling white. For clients who like bright colors, this is a perfect choice.” — Colleen Simonds, Colleen Simonds Interior Design
Natural Choice, Sherwin Williams
“Natural Choice is a neutral white with a welcoming warmth that is creamy and not at all too stark. It's a great way to add just a dash of color and warmth into a space.” — Brad Ramsey, Brad Ramsey Interiors
Gentleman’s Gray, Benjamin Moore
“The ultimate sophisticated dark blue—forget navy, and start using Gentleman's Gray. It has a kind of hot swagger—grandmillenial it is definitely not—that takes any clubby space like a library or lounge from fuddy-duddy to fabulous in a single coat.” — Bethany Adams, Bethany Adams Interiors
Sea Salt, Sherwin Williams
“This cool shade is one of my all-time faves. I especially love this as a front door color. It's subtle yet elegant, and provides a bit of color in place of your typical neutrals.” — Mimi Meacham, Marian Louise Design
Irish Mint, Benjamin Moore
“When your walls are facing south and bathed in sunlight, this aqua-hued white is a cool, neutral option. Combined with corals and deeper blues, Irish mint would be a refreshing backdrop.” — Kristina Phillips, Kristina Phillips Interior Design
Mascarpone, Benjamin Moore
“This is a creamy white with just the right amount of buttery yellow undertones. I find this to be a great color for kitchen cabinets or a bathroom when you want a white but not a stark or sterile white.” — Grey Joyner, Grey Joyner Interiors
Seapearl, Benjamin Moore
"A neutral that I have enjoyed most recently is Sea Pearl by Benjamin Moore. The color doesn’t read too creamy or gray, which is a designer’s perfect neutral. It’s crisp and fresh in daylight and keeps its clarity at night. I have been pleased with this color on a few current projects." — Gray Walker, Gray Walker Interiors
Repose Gray, Sherwin Williams
“Repose Gray by Sherwin Williams is a light gray with a soothing, warm undertone.” — Brad Ramsey, Brad Ramsey Interiors
Westhighland White, Sherwin Williams
“Westhighland White is a fresh, yet warm white. Perfect for a full house or just your trim, it stays crisp without being stark.” — Mimi Meacham, Marian Louise Design
Peau de Soie, Benjamin Moore
“This is a gorgeous neutral with the slightest hint of blush. It's warm and inviting, pillowy and soft—a beautiful, feminine color.” — Mimi Meacham, Marian Louise Design
Paisley Pink, Benjamin Moore
“This color has just a drop of pink to it, making it appear more like the lightest sweep of blush. I imagine a room in this shade would not only soften shadows, but be ever so complementary on your skin tone.” — Kristina Phillips, Kristina Phillips Interior Design
Nimbus, Benjamin Moore
“One of my favorite neutral paint colors is Benjamin Moore's Nimbus. A true ‘greige,’ Nimbus is a great alternative to white and appears warmer or cooler depending on the amount of light in the room. Much of my home is painted this color, and it makes the perfect creamy backdrop for our furnishings.” –Marie Flanigan, Marie Flanigan Interiors
Revere Pewter, Benjamin Moore
“This is the perfect ‘greige’ color. It's not too cool and not too warm, and is a great neutral for anywhere in the home. This color will elevate your space, yet won't take over.” — Mimi Meacham, Marian Louise Design
Rodeo, Benjamin Moore
“Benjamin Moore's Rodeo is a light, airy neutral with a subtle undertone of gray. It gives a crisp look to a space without feeling cold.” — Brad Ramsey, Brad Ramsey Interiors
Simply White, Benjamin Moore
“A truly neutral white without strong undertones. Clean and fresh but not bright white and not ivory.” — Colleen Simonds, Colleen Simonds Interior Design
Applesauce Cake, PPG
"Applesauce Cake by PPG can run the visual gamut of playing like warm honey on the walls to an understated tan depending on how the light hits it throughout the day. " —Corey Damen Jenkins, Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates
Slipper Satin, Farrow & Ball
“One of our favorite neutral paint colors is Farrow & Ball Slipper Satin. It has a great chalky white hue with warm taupe undertones that brings to mind peeling plaster walls and well-worn painted wood floors. We’ve used it in homes as the main wall color to bring warmth to the walls against modern cabinet silhouettes and wood finishes.” —Jean Liu, Jean Liu Design
Titanium, Benjamin Moore
“Titanium is a chameleon color that has been a go-to for me since 2006 when I was a design intern. It adds light to every space and can be blue, green, or gray depending on the surroundings and the amount of natural light in the room. It has a beautiful Gustavian quality that pairs wonderfully with oak, rattan, or whitewashed furnishing or flooring. It's absolute heaven in a sunroom.” — Bethany Adams, Bethany Adams Interiors
Dune White, Benjamin Moore
“Neutrals can really go in so many directions, but for me, it’s about how the color reflects and absorbs the light in a room and works with the things in it. My favorite go-to neutral is Benjamin Moore Dune White CC-70. It’s the perfect backdrop for any room as it can feel modern or traditional while letting the art and furnishings take center stage.” — Philip Mitchell, Philip Mitchell Design Inc.
Lake Placid, Benjamin Moore
"Benjamin Moore's Lake Placid is a great midtone blue that is cheery but unsaturated." —Joy Moyler, Joy Moyler Interiors
Agreeable Gray, Sherwin Williams
"This shade works nicely with cooler tones without making the room feel too violet, or too cold—something that can happen quite easily when working with cooler whites and grays." —Kathleen Walsh, Kathleen Walsh Interiors
Decorator's White, Benjamin Moore
"Truthfully, we don’t use many neutral paint colors, as we’re avid lovers of colors, but our go-to colors are Benjamin Moore Decorator's White and Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray. I use neutral paint when other elements of the room will be colorful and dominate. For example, if we have a yellow sectional in a family room, we likely will keep the walls relatively neutral. —Kelly Finley, Joy Street Design
Lennox Tan, Benjamin Moore
“I adore Lennox Tan by Benjamin Moore because of its warm gold color. When I’m in a room painted HC 44, I feel as though I’m wrapped in a vicuna coat. Every color looks luscious with it. I have my home office in Dallas painted Lennox Tan with a tobacco mohair sofa and beautiful aubergine suede pillows, an ivory mid-century Italian style chair from my furniture collection, and another vintage chair upholstered in a gold, white, and tobacco horizontal stripe. These all sit upon a custom Stark leather bound rug. I love the aubergine and pink accents in the room against Lennox Tan.” –Jan Showers, Jan Showers Interior Design
Pointing, Farrow & Ball
"My favorite neutral paint color is Farrow and Ball's Pointing No. 2003. It is the perfect warm white." —Clary Bosbyshell, Clary Bosbyshell Design
Downpipe, Farrow & Ball
"Down Pipe is a blue tone, real middle-of-the-road [shade] that isn't overpowering. It's a great 'supporting cast member' to other colors in a space." —Joy Moyler, Joy Moyler Interiors
Single Cream No. 9901, Farrow & Ball
"I have always been in awe of the historic limestone facades in Paris, and on one of my visits years ago, I took time to find paints that would give a similar translation in my interiors to this natural stone. Farrow and Ball's Single Cream was a favorite discovery due to its close match to historic stone and its wonderful warm glow while still keeping the walls light and bright. Single Cream has not only worked in my projects that are more transitional due to its clean and simple palette but also as a backdrop color for very traditional interiors where I pull strong colors in fabrics and other room elements to create a beautiful contrasted room." —Carolyn Kendall, Alcott Interiors
Wimborne White, Farrow & Ball
"Wimborne White by Farrow and Ball is one of my favorite off-whites. It adds a lot of depth and softness to a space for a white, which makes it a perfect color for all rooms of a home. Soft whites are more warm and welcoming and allow other design elements of the space, like the fabrics and decor, to pop. I especially love to use it in entryways and display a statement piece of art to offer guests a wow factor right when they walk through the door." — my Kartheiser, Amy Kartheiser Design
Grant Beige, Benjamin Moore
"Benjamin Moore's Grant Beige HC-83 is an incredibly versatile choice for contemporary, modern, and traditional interior applications. Both [Grant Beige and Applesauce Cake] are true winners, especially when paired with neutral polar opposites like Benjamin Moore's Decorator's White and Sherwin William's Onyx Black." —Corey Damen Jenkins, Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates
Super White, Benjamin Moore
"Super White by Benjamin Moore is a beautiful white that sets off both warm and cool room colors equally well." —Kathleen Walsh, Kathleen Walsh Interiors
Peignoir, Farrow & Ball
"We’re also crushing on Farrow & Ball’s Peignoir, which has the subtlest hint of Champagne, making it incredibly flattering. It softens a space without it feeling too feminine.” —Jean Liu, Jean Liu Design
White Dove, Benjamin Moore
"With so many approaches to making great interiors, ours has always been from an architectural perspective of creating emotion with form and shaping space with natural light. Much of our work relies on colors that allow the details and materials to be experienced in the simplest ways. To those ends, we rely heavily on neutral palettes of color; one of the many shades we love is White Dove, A.K.A. OC-17, by Benjamin Moore. It is always steady in most natural light of any space, it doesn’t go yellow or pink or peach. It's a white that is not too stark but has a purity about it that works for creating clean interiors." –Jeffrey Dungan, Jeffrey Dungan Architects
"Benjamin Moore White Dove is consistently the most perfect warm yet fresh, neutral paint. It is my starting point of reference for the trim color in most rooms I design. I recently chose White Dove in a satin finish for the trim and White Dove in eggshell for the walls in a Garden Room. It was the most beautiful all-white, orangerie-feeling room!" —Allison Caccoma, Allison Cacoma Interiors
Shadow White, Farrow & Ball
"I absolutely love Farrow and Ball's Shadow White and Shaded White for the perfect trim accent colors. They are not too gray or beige, making them super versatile. I love using neutrals on the trim. A great neutral will add warmth and depth to the space but not draw too much attention to itself." –Virginia Tupker, Virginia Tupker Interiors
Intense White, Benjamin Moore
“It’s a light neutral, which acts as a chameleon, taking its cues from other, more saturated colors that might be in a room. If there’s a blue, it leans blue. If there’s a green, it leans green.” —Ray Booth, McAlpine House
Edgecomb Gray, Benjamin Moore
"A gray that complements cool colors really well without feeling too yellow, it brings added warmth to a decidedly neutral wall tone." —Kathleen Walsh, Kathleen Walsh Interiors
Alfresco, Benjamin Moore
"Benjamin Moore's Alfresco is a calming, cool color that works great with touches of cognac leather and gold tone accessories." —Joy Moyler, Joy Moyler Interiors
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