Is white still in style as a paint color and interior finish? Are people still doing white cabinets, countertops, walls, and exteriors? Are people still covering their ENTIRE HOMES IN WHITE?

The short answer is YES, but you don’t read my blog for short answers as there’s a LOT more to it than one wee word.

With modern farmhouse trends, white paint colors became HUGELY popular in the previous five years. What started out as a penchant for shiplap feature walls and board & batten accents morphed into an ALL-ENCOMPASSING passion for everything WHITE!

And because white doesn’t relate to just paint colors and walls, we have countertops to consider as well. Let’s break it down into manageable bites…

Please note that this blog post isn’t about telling you NOT to do something based on TRENDS; not all of us are trend-followers (I’m somewhere in the middle, personally). This blog post is about offering ADVICE to those who are worried that a particular trend, style, or finish could limit the future potential of their home, either style-wise or as it relates to RESALE. Cool beans?

IS WHITE STILL A TRENDY PAINT COLOR FOR WALLS IN 2024?

Based on my Online Paint Color Consulting clients, white is still going reasonably strong. This doesn’t mean that every home can pull it off, but white walls are definitely popular, and while things will shift in 2024, we’ll still see them popping up.

Sherwin Williams Alabaster

However, cool white paint colors are NOT in. Unless a home needs a cool white based on existing finishes, nobody is doing them.

Instead, more are leaning into whites with a bit of warmth. The shift I’m seeing is that while warm whites are still popular, some are dipping their toes into the world of warm off-white paint colors. Again, if you don’t care about trends or resale, then pick your dip, tater chip.

The Ultimate Guide to White Paint Colors

SHOULD YOU PAINT YOUR WALLS, TRIMS, & ALL WHITE IN 2024?

I wouldn’t unless it’s a look you love and you don’t plan on selling. If you do commit to white on a larger scale, remember that trends are shifting. Down the road, you may need to add some variation by painting secondary rooms in different colors. This is why ANY white you choose needs to be FLEXIBLE.

However, if you do white cabinets, white countertops, white backsplash, and white walls, that’s a LOT of commitment to white, and you may want to break things up a bit before you even start.

SHOULD THE WALLS, CABINETS, TRIMS, & CEILINGS BE THE SAME SHADE?

Should you choose to go all-white, consistency is the EASIEST way to create a flexible home. While some homes/whites can handle a bit of variation, your walls, trim, cabinets, ceilings, and doors should be the SAME WHITE; you’ll just shift the SHEEN or FINISH for some subtle variation.

White Walls, Cabinets & Trim – Do They REALLY Need to Match? 

This next dining room has Benjamin Moore White Dove on the walls, trims, and ceiling, creating a more cohesive look…

WHICH WHITE PAINT COLORS ARE THE MOST POPULAR FOR CABINETS & WALLS?

As far as choosing a WHOLE HOME white, I have a few almost fool-proof ones that I refer to ALL the time in my E-Design. Here’s a quick list to get you started…

• Benjamin Moore White Dove
• Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace
• Sherwin Williams Pure White
• Sherwin Williams High Reflective White
• Sherwin Williams Alabaster
• Sherwin Williams White Snow

The 5 Types of White Paint Colors: Warm, Cool, Bright & More

See the FULL REMODEL HERE

WHICH WHITE PAINT COLORS SHOULD YOU AVOID?

While the following whites are BEAUTIFUL, using them on a large scale will limit your home’s feature potential to humor new colors and trends…

• Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White or anything with a comparable cool hue
• Sherwin Williams Dover White or anything with a comparable yellow hue
• I’m on the fence with Sherwin Williams Extra White

Remember, YOU CAN LOVE THESE COLORS AND USE THEM; this isn’t what this blog post is about. It’s about answering the question of, ‘which white paint colors will be trendy and flexible for as long as humanly possible‘; in other words, don’t kill the messenger (wink wink). These colors are often best for SINGULAR spaces or rooms, rather than whole-home commitments.

IS WHITE STILL A TRENDY PAINT COLOR FOR CABINETS?

HECK YES, white cabinets aren’t going anywhere!

Why?

Because whether YOU personally love them or not, white is THE most timeless paint color for kitchen cabinets (and trim). If you’re looking for the SAFEST bet for your cabinets, that has the best chance of holding value in the coming years, white cabinets are where it’s at. For all of the gray, beige, cream, and blue cabinets I’ve advised on, WHITE wins the race.

How to Create a Timeless, Trend-Proof Home – 4-Part Series

This next kitchen has a great life ahead of it. With Chantilly Lace cabinets, white quartz, and a marble backsplash, it has elements commonly found in a timeless home…

WHICH WHITE PAINT COLORS ARE THE MOST POPULAR FOR CABINETS?

As far as I’m concerned, it’s less about TRENDY and more about FLEXIBILITY. Any white you use on a surface that you DON’T want to repaint every five years should be FLEXIBLE. And while I have a full blog post on this topic, here’s a quick list…

• Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace
• Benjamin Moore White Dove
• Sherwin Williams Pure White
• Sherwin Williams White Snow
• Sherwin Williams Alabaster

Sherwin Williams Alabaster

ARE WHITE QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS STILL TRENDY?

Ahhh, see, this is where it gets tricky.

Which white quartz are you considering? What neutrals or colors are in its VEINS?

With trends leaning warmer, countertop companies have started TWEAKING their white quartz countertops to accommodate the warmer end. Whereas at the start, we were limited to quartz countertops with gray veining, newer quartz countertops pick up on greige and beige, giving them more FLEXIBILITY to adjust with the trends and suit incoming styles.

The 8 Best Warmer Quartz Countertops

Sherwin Williams Pure White & Roycroft Pewter

If you’re installing a white quartz countertop in your home, consider one that has FLEXIBLITY and isn’t just married to one hue (the most common one being a gray vein with a violet undertone). Without flexibility, you’re limiting your home to colors that belong to one trend, making updating a trickier and more EXPENSIVE venture.

But to answer the question, ‘Is white quartz countertop still a popular choice for 2024?‘ Yes, it is.

Where else are you using white? Walls, trim, cabinets, exterior?

It ALSO comes down to how much white you plan on using in your home and which TYPE of white you’re using.

Are you planning on white walls, trim, cabinets, exterior, AND countertop? We were definitely sitting in this trend in the previous few years, but in the coming years, things will shift to a more contrasting approach. In five years, I’m pretty sure we’ll be able to see which homes were built during ‘the white era’ of 2017-2023.

As it relates DIRECTLY to trends, not personal tastes (I’ve got other blog posts for that), I would hesitate to do an ENTIRE HOME in white in 2024 and onwards. Or, at the very least, I’d have some fun with feature walls.

This next kitchen is a great example of using the right white in moderation…

My client, Jenna Christian, is AWESOME to follow on Instagram! 

• the cabinets, walls, and trims are the SAME warm white – this white will have a FAR longer lifetime
• black granite countertops break things up
• beautiful wood floors add depth and interest

As trends change, she can swap out light fixtures, furniture, and hardware, but the BONES of this kitchen are timeless!

How to Create a Timeless Home – 4-PART SERIES

IS WHITE STILL A POPULAR COLOR FOR EXTERIORS?

This is where we’ll start seeing more of a shift in the coming year or two. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a good white home, and some homes will ALWAYS LOOK GOOD white. However, as it relates to TRENDS, I see this one shifting…which isn’t a bad thing.

A gorgeous home that suits white! 

Why?

Because some home’s exteriors are painted white and shouldn’t be – white doesn’t suit every roof, layout, stone, or brick. As for this next home, this one WILL stand the test of time…

So there you have it. If you’re not SURE whether to do white or not, I’ve got DOZENS upon dozens of blog posts to share with you, to help you make your big decision!

READ MORE

6 Questions to Ask Before You Paint Your Cabinets White?

The 5 Almost Fool-Proof White Paint Colors For Your Home

3 Steps to Choosing the BEST WHITE PAINT COLOR For Your Home

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing White Paint Colors

How to Choose the Right LIGHT BULBS/KELVINS For Your Paint Color

NEED HELP?

CHECK OUT MY ONLINE PAINT COLOR CONSULTING

Chat soon,

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2022, UPDATED YEARLY FOR YOU!

The post Are White Walls, Cabinets & Exteriors Still Trendy for 2024? appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

Choosing a white paint color for cabinets or trim can be a HARROWING experience. This is especially true if you aren’t starting from scratch and have to coordinate with existing, and possibly outdated, finishes. So, I’ve narrowed things down to a few of my fave, ‘go-to whites’ that should be white up your alley.

I ONLY use photos from my Online Paint Color Consulting clients to show you the most accurate versions of these colors.

1. BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE OC 17

White Dove is one of my TOP suggested shades of white paint color for cabinets, trims, doors, ceilings, AND walls!

Why?

Some whites are too stark or cold for the average home’s countertop and backsplash. Other whites are too warm. White Dove is the middle ground between too white and too warm with a passive approach. So, while it acts like white, it’s not stark nor overly creamy.

White Dove is also a great option if you want white walls, trims, and cabinets – all the same color. Its warmth and LRV suit various exposures and finishes, offering a softer approach than Pure White and Chantilly Lace.

These cabinets look a bit warmer than usual as the painter used a lacquer-based paint…

COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO WHITE DOVE

It’s important to COMPARE whites when looking for your best shade. A white can look pretty darn neutral UNTIL you compare it to another, at which point it’s easier to see the undertones and temperature. Just remember, there are no MATCHES between brands – each white will have its own undertones and uniqueness.

• Sherwin Williams Alabaster
• Sherwin Williams Greek Villa

White Dove uppers, Benjamin Moore Antique Pewter lowers 

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore White Dove

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF WHITE DOVE

2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS PURE WHITE 7005

Pure White is fantastic and one of my FAVES. This super popular white sits between White Dove’s warmth and Chantilly Lace’s simplicity. Pure White IS a warm white, but it’s one of the most subtle warm whites on the market.

Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Pure White

ARE THERE COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO PURE WHITE

Welllll, not really – like White Dove, Pure White is really a creature unto itself. This doesn’t mean there aren’t some great colors to COMPARE with, as some countertops need more warmth than Pure White offers, but no other white is really ‘the same.’

• Benjamin Moore White Dove (which is a bit warmer)
• Sherwin Williams White Snow (which is brighter)

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF PURE WHITE

3. BENJAMIN MOORE CHANTILLY LACE OC 65

Chantilly Lace is a classic, timeless shade of white. While it does have a touch of softness to it (which we know about thanks to its LRV of 90 – if it were a true white, it would be a higher number), Chantilly Lace acts like white without being stark or cold.

Many people find TRUE whites a bit too stark for their cabinets or trim – and they can be, depending on the surrounding finishes. Chantilly Lace is popular because it gives a cleaner contrast with finishes (compared to softer, warmer whites), without being edgy or harsh. This is because while Chantilly Lace ‘looks’ pretty darn white, it has a wink of softness to it!

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF CHANTILLY LACE

NEED HELP? Check out my ONLINE PAINT COLOR CONSULTING PACKAGES – let me tell you what to do! 

4. BENJAMIN MOORE CLOUD WHITE CC-40

While Cloud White isn’t one of my TOP 3, it’s a great option for kitchens that need a more obvious warmth. Cloud White can look like a real white UNTIL you place it next to a real white (like paper or my butt cheeks). If you didn’t know yet that it’s that type of blog – now you know (wink wink).

Cloud White has a subtle yellow/creamy undertone with a grounded neutral base, making it less stark than a traditional white. However, if you already have ‘white’ trim, appliances, or windows, you WILL notice the difference.

See more Cloud White here: A Maple Kitchen Makeover with Cloud White

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Cloud White

WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO CLOUD WHITE?

• Sherwin Williams Alabaster – just a wink softer and creamier
• Benjamin Moore Simply White. It has the warmth, but it’s cleaner and brighter, so the yellow can show up at the party a bit more

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF CLOUD WHITE

5. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ALABASTER 7008

As it relates to the BEST paint colors for cabinets, Alabaster is the softest, warmest white. This is one reason it’s a hit with my clients who have homes from the 1990s and early 2000s, as it tends to suit many finishes from these times.

See my client, Jenna Christian’s beautiful home and style HERE. 

Alabaster has an LRV of 82, so while it’s white, it’s a soft, dark white. Will it ‘act like white?’ Yes, as long as your idea of ‘white’ is, soft, gentle, and warm. However, if you put Alabaster with a whiter shade of white (i.e., GE Cafe white appliances/most white subway tiles), it will look softer and almost creamy in comparison.

Alabaster trim with Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray walls – notice how soft and subtle the trim looks.

COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO ALABASTER

• Sherwin Williams Greek Villa
• Benjamin Moore Cloud White
• Benjamin Moore White Dove

FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Alabaster

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF ALABASTER

LASTLY, there is one color that’s not on this list, but it should be, or maybe it WILL be, in the near future…

SHERWIN WILLIAMS WHITE SNOW 9541

White Snow is a new shade of white that’s only available in Sherwin Williams Emerald Designer’s Edition (along with eight other NEW shades of white). Because it’s new, and it’s not EASY to sample other than through Samplize, I haven’t had any clients use it (yet). It’s also the MOST expensive line of paint they carry – but damn, does it have a beautiful finish.

White Snow is awesome. It looks like white and acts like white, but it isn’t stark like true or cold whites or overly warm like some other shades. It could be GREAT in a variety of kitchens and I can’t wait to see it in action!

COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO WHITE SNOW

I highly recommend comparing White Snow to several other shades. Noticing the difference between whites is what helps you see which one your interior finishes gravitate towards.

• Benjamin Moore Simply White is similar, but a bit warmer
• Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace is similar in depth, but not as warm
• Sherwin Williams Extra White is BRIGHTER and whiter

FULL Paint Color Review of White Snow

WHY IS WHITE SNOW SO HARD TO SAMPLE?

You can’t get paper chip samples, sample pots, or quartz of White Snow made (Sherwin should REEEALLY remedy this). This means that aside from Samplize, the ONLY way to see White Snow in action is to purchase a full gallon. At $125 CDN, that’s a huge stretch for the average person. Sampling needs to be EASY.

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE of White Snow

READ MORE

SHOULD You Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets White? And Which White is Best?

The 3 Best Off-White Paint Colors for Trims, Walls, and More...

3 STEPS: Choose the Best White for Your Cabinets, Trims, or Walls

The ULTIMATE GUIDE to White Paint Colors

Not sure which white is best for your kitchen cabinets? 

Check out my affordable Online Color Consulting!

Chat soon,

Kylie M E-Design, Interiors and Decorating     Online, Virtual Paint Color Consultant     Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams specialist

Originally written in 2017, updated in 2019

The post The 5 Best White Paint Colors for Cabinets appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

When it comes to the gray paint colors, Sherwin Williams has ALL the bases covered – light, dark, warm, cool, and WAY more than 50 shades of it to boot.

However, MORE doesn’t necessarily make your job easier. It’s like going to the liquor store and seeing wines from EVERY FRIGGIN COUNTRY – how’s a girl to CHOOSE? Just give me the most POPULAR one and a straw, and I’ll be a happy lil Ginger. I’m just joking; I’ll take a funnel instead #savetheturtles.

So, to make YOUR life easier, I’m here to break down Sherwin William’s best gray paint colors based on my Online Paint Colour Consulting services – THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN!

And BTW, with home design and paint colour trends shifting WARMER, you might be surprised to see a blog post dedicated to gray – don’t be. While paint colour matters a lot for RESALE, when it comes to loving your home, it’s about choosing colors you LOVE to live in. And if these colors happen to be gray – REGARDLESS OF TRENDS, you need to fill your lil gray boots!

THE BEST LIGHT, WARM GRAY PAINT COLOURS

Because it’s the most popular depth in the gray world, we’re starting at the LIGHT end of things…

1. SHERWIN WILLIAMS REPOSE GRAY 7015

Repose Gray has an LRV of 58, so it’s a bit darker than my magical LRV number of 62, giving it a bit more visual weight than the average light-depth gray paint colour. And while it does have a VERY subtle violet undertone, it can also pick up a wink of green or EVEN blue.

While Repose Gray might be popular with all y’all, PERSONALLY, it’s not my fave.

Why?

Well, I find it a bit unpredictable with its undertones and a touch too heavy – but it’s not ALL about me (not all of the time, anyway), and obviously, MANY disagree!

Be sure to check out its FULL colour review to learn more (but finish this blog post first, there’s more to come!).

FULL Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Repose Gray

YOUTUBE COLOUR REVIEW of Sherwin Williams Repose Gray

2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS COLONNADE GRAY 7641

Close on the heels of Revere Pewter is Colonnade Gray, and that’s because they are QUITE similar to each other, both in LRV and undertones.

Colonnade Gray has an LRV of 53, so it has a touch more depth than Revere Pewter. Another difference, although it’s a subtle one, is that Colonnade Gray is a BIT grayer and flashes a touch less green.

Depending on your exposure and interior finishes, this more passive approach to a green undertone makes it slightly more likely to grab a wink of violet or blue.

FULL Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray

YOUTUBE COLOUR REVIEW of Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray

3. SHERWIN WILLIAMS CITY LOFT 7631

With its extra wink of warmth, City Loft is sitting on the edge of warm gray and taupe. And being a slight taupe means City Loft has a gentle violet (sliiightly violet-pink) undertone.

This soft shade is a gentler approach to gray than the previous options. With an LRV 70, City Loft hovers between the off-white and light-depth paint worlds.

Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams City Loft

4. SHERWIN WILLIAMS AGREEABLE GRAY 7029

I just HAD to sneak this one in – I couldn’t help myself! Agreeable Gray is REALLY more of a greige-taupe. However, it’s a greige that leans PRETTY HARD into gray, especially if you have north-facing light. And HOT DAMN, is it ever popular!

How to Update Wood Trims

Agreeable Gray has undertones that are more flexible than a 10-year-old gymnast, making it a BIT unpredictable (somewhat like myself and Repose Gray), but THESE undertones tend to be FAR more passive, making it an awesome option in my books.

FULL Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray

YOUTUBE COLOUR REVIEW of Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray

5. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ALPACA 7022

Alpaca isn’t one I use as often in my Online Color Consulting. This warm gray works for some spaces, but its increased violet undertones can be a bit much if you’re sensitive to these undertones. However, some finishes, including countertops and tiles, demand this extra hit of violet, so check it out carefully.

Paint Color Review: Sherwin Williams Alpaca

6. SHERWIN WILLIAMS GOSSAMER VEIL 9165

Gossamer Veil is a muted, foggy shade of warm gray. With its subtle warmth, could Gossamer Veil pass as a greige? In some rooms, yes.

As for undertones, Gossamer Veil has a warm, earthy green undertone. However, while it WILL show up to the party, it’s more like a whisper than a full-color commitment.

This next photo shows three of the colors listed in this blog post, including Colonnade Gray…

Keep in mind that how a color looks in DIRECT natural light like this differs from how it looks in indirect light…

Paint Color Review: Sherwin Williams Gossamer Veil

7. SHERWIN WILLIAMS DRIFT OF MIST 9166

Drift of Mist is like the lighter version of Gossamer Veil. With a similar earthy, warm green undertone, Drift of Mist is a warm gray that COULD pass as a greige in some lights but tends to stay as a subtle warm gray. These two differ because Drift of Mist is lighter, with an LRV of 69, whereas Gossamer Veil’s LRV is 62 (right on my magic number!).

NEED HELP? Check out my ONLINE PAINT COLOR CONSULTING

8. SHERWIN WILLIAMS DORIAN GRAY7017

With its LRV of 39, Dorian Gray sits on the HIGH side of the medium range. So, while it’s not as light as the previous options, it’s still a contender for well-lit rooms.

But, just like Repose Gray, Dorian Gray can shift its undertones. Sample it CAREFULLY to make sure it does what you want it to.

FULL Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray

9. SHERWIN WILLIAMS MINDFUL GRAY 7016

When I’m looking for a soft, moody, warm gray, the FIRST color that comes to mind is Mindful Gray. With an LRV of 48, Mindful Gray is in the light-medium depths, so it has a bit more visual weight than its lighter version, Repose Gray. However, it’s JUST as sneaky with its unpredictable undertones of green and violet, so sample carefully!

Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray FULL Paint Color Review

10. SHERWIN WILLIAMS EGRET WHITE 7570

Egret White is one of my FAVORITE hybrid colors, hovering between the warm gray and the taupe worlds (catering a bit more to taupe). With some of the most SUBTLE undertones, Egret White is becoming more popular as trends shift warmer.

Sherwin Williams Egret White Paint Color Review

But we’re not done yet! As a bonus, I’m including FOUR of Sherwin’s best DARK, warm shades of gray…

THE MOST POPULAR MEDIUM & DARK, WARM GRAY PAINT COLORS

Once we hit the darker end of warm gray, we start running low on options.

Why?

Well, as these colors get darker, many of them pick up an extra hit of violet, green, or brown, taking them away from their original purpose – warm gray.

However, I do have a few hues that could work for you!

1. SHERWIN WILLIAMS DOVETAIL 7018

Not ALL popular gray paint colors are light and soft! In fact, grays with more depth are SUPER popular regarding kitchen cabinets, front doors, exteriors, and feature walls, which is where Dovetail comes into play.

Dovetail is a SOLID medium-depth warm gray with VERY minimal undertones. While it can slightly nod at green or violet, even that’s an overstatement. You’ll also find that Dovetail’s LRV of 26 makes it hold up better in super bright rooms as well as on exteriors.

FULL Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Wiliams Dovetail

YOUTUBE COLOUR REVIEW of Sherwin Williams Dovetail 

SAMPLIZE peel and stick paint samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER, and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots.

• Samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1-3 business days, depending on the location.
• They’re more affordable than the sample pots/rollers/foam boards that are needed for traditional paint sampling.

Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE

2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS GAUNTLET GRAY 7019

When it comes to dark, warm gray paint colors, it’s hard to beat Gauntlet Gray. While others go a bit too warm and dabble in the greige-green range (Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze, which is TOTALLY badass, but anyways), and others flash green (Benjamin Moore Amherst Gray) – Gauntlet Gray hits it RIGHT on the mommy-daddy button.

FULL Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Gauntlet Gray

YOUTUBE COLOUR REVIEW of Sherwin Williams Gauntlet Gray

3. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ACIER 9170

Being a lighter version of Dovetail, Acier has similar tendencies. HOWEVER, whereas Dovetail holds its undertones closer to its chest, Acier is a warm gray that’s slightly likelier to flash a wink of green at you.

Sherwin Williams Acier trim

4. SHERWIN WILLIAMS MINK 6004

Mink is a BEAUTIFUL rich shade of warm gray – so rich that it could ALMOST pass as a taupe. This is because Mink has an extra bit of brown and an earthy violet undertone.

5 Steps to Picking Your Home’s Best Exterior Paint Color

And there are WAAAAY more grays out there – especially once we hit the COOL end of the gray world – but I have a WHOLE different blog post for those bad boys! In the meantime, check out these helpful articles…

READ MORE

The 12 Best Whole Home Gray & Greige Paint Colors

Benjamin Moore’s 8 Best WARM GRAY Paint Colors

The Best DARK Gray Paint Colors from Sherwin Williams

The Best DARK Greige & Taupe Paint Colors from Benjamin Moore

5 Ideas to Update Your 1990s Home

4 Ideas to Update Your Kitchen on a Budget

NEED HELP?

Check out my Online Virtual Paint Colour Consulting packages!

Chat soon,

The post The Top 10 Warm Gray Paint Colors: Sherwin Williams appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

If you’ve ever tried to pick paint colors for a north or east-facing room, you’ll know what it’s like to bang your head against a wall, chug a vat of wine like a Viking, and scream at the world, begging for friggin’ MERCY. However, creating a welcoming and well-balanced room will be much easier once you understand your room’s needs.

And guess what?

White paint colors aren’t that hard to pick when you have a lil Ginger in your back pocket (I pinch upon request). While you might see hundreds of whites on display, most of these can burn in a pit of disappointment, because that’s how you’ll feel if you use them in your home. Truth be told

Only a SMALL HANDFUL of white paint colors is worth looking at.

Okay, maybe two handfuls (which is what Tim calls me).

But before we understand which whites are best, let’s do a little refresher on east and north-facing light/exposures. Remember, I’m not just here to show you what you can do via pretty pictures; I’m here to TEACH you how to make the best choices for you and your home! And I know many of you have south, or west-facing rooms, or rooms with multiple exposures – don’t worry, we’ll discuss these in another blog post.

NORTH-FACING ROOMS…

• Rooms with northern exposures have a cool gray cast, and because EVERY GRAY HAS UNDERTONES, we aren’t surprised to see a subtle blue here and there.

• North-facing rooms are the COOLEST-looking rooms in a home. And I don’t mean cool like ME in Converse and skinny jeans; I’m talking COLD like Tim’s ex-girlfriend’s heart.

• These spaces don’t get any sun throughout the day. Even if a northern room gets a secondary hit of south/east/west, it’s the DOMINANT northern exposure calling the shots.

• They can look more flat and dull compared to rooms with hits of sunshine, especially if the amount of natural light is limited.

This is a great example of a northeast-facing room with a warm white paint color, and it should be great – it’s our old house!

EAST-FACING ROOMS…

If your east-facing room has a good shot of southern or western light, you might select its colors based on what best suits a south-facing room. This is because enough of these types of lights help offset eastern light’s flatness. However, if your room has dominant eastern exposure (or northeast), here are some points to consider…

• Like northern exposure, eastern light can be flat and drab, but only in the afternoon
• While east-facing rooms can be bright in the morning, it’s not a yellow-orange-pink warmth like southern or western sunshine (which leans that much warmer in the afternoon)

I love to show RELATEABLE & REAL homes, so I ONLY use photos from my Online Color Consulting clients. This means I don’t always have the quality/range of pics I need, but DEFINITELY have some SUPER helpful info to help you on your way!

THE MANY TYPES OF WHITE PAINT COLORS

What’s the difference between a good white and a bad white? (I prefer Pinot Gris myself.) How do you know which white is right and which white is wrong? And why does it matter – isn’t WHITE WHITE? HELLLLS no.

There are 5 MAIN TYPES OF WHITE. However, this blog post focuses on THREE in particular – cool, true, and warm. If you aren’t sure which type of white you hope to use, you may want to read the linked blog post before going any further. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!

Now, starting with COOL white paint colors…

COOL WHITE PAINT COLORS IN EAST OR NORTH-FACING ROOMS

In the wild world of whites, there are a few popular ones, including Sherwin Williams Extra White, Benjamin Moore Decorators White, Benjamin Moore Super White, and Sherwin Williams Ceiling Bright White.

If you paint a room with northern or eastern exposure a COOL white paint color…

1. The room will look even colder than it already does; you’re giving it a double-whammy (not to be confused with Tim’s favorite Friday night move, also called ‘the double-whammy’). While east-facing rooms will brighten up with a vague warmth in the morning hours, in the afternoon, you’ll be left with chalky-looking walls.

2. Cool northern light can glorify any cool undertones in your white paint color.

I mean, each to their own, but DAMN THAT’S GONNA LOOK COLD!

You might hope to see photos of my north-facing client’s homes painted in cool whites, but I don’t have many.

Why?

Because I RARELY advise it. And if I do, it’s for a pretty specific reason. For example, I have a client who wanted a ‘whole home’ white paint color, and because her home is primarily SOUTH-facing, we chose the cool white look of Benjamin Moore Super White. Luckily, the only space in her home that receives north-facing light is the entryway, in which Super White looks a little lackluster. Sure, it’s still a stunning space, but I’d be turning that light on for some passive warm light.

Now, look how different Super White looks in her south-facing dining room…

• FOYER: Super White looks NOT-so-super white as it picks up a gray cast, with a dull, flatness (chalky).

• DINING ROOM: Super White looks WARMER than its roots suggest via the warmth of the south-facing light. In fact, the cool approach of Super White is adding some balance to the warm southern rays. This has Super White looking more warm and welcoming.

This shows how the same paint color can look DRASTICALLY different via opposing light sources and why choosing your white carefully MATTERS!

Now, let’s chat about TRUE white paint colors…

TRUE & BRIGHT WHITE COLORS IN NORTH OR EAST-FACING ROOMS

True and bright white paint colors are among the most popular, second to warm whites. These whites include Sherwin Williams High Reflective White, Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace, and Behr Ultra Pure White.

Because true whites don’t have an allegiance to being warm or cool, they’ll pick up what their environment is throwing down. This means that in a north-facing room, a true white could look pretty darn cold and quite similar to a cool white.

In an east-facing room, true or bright whites could generally look ‘white’ in the morning with a bit of softness to them. However, your white walls could look flat and chalky in the afternoon.

This isn’t to say a color like High Reflective White can’t be GORGEOUS; it just needs the right exposure and surrounding finishes…

Again, you won’t see many photos of this application because it’s not usually advised. This doesn’t mean YOU can’t do it; it’s just not a common choice simply because it doesn’t add balance to an already cold-looking room; it weighs the scales heavily to one side.

As shown in this next room, while Sherwin Williams High Reflective White has a super high LRV and is quite a genuine white, it’s not for every room, and usually benefits from a wee bit of sunshine (don’t we all…).

The redeeming feature of true white paint colors in north-facing rooms is that once the sun goes down, you’ll be left with the original white you wanted, a simple one that will be affected by the Kelvins of your interior lighting, which is easier to control.

CAN YOU PAINT A NORTH OR EAST-FACING ROOM A TRUE WHITE?

Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace is the only white that’s CLOSE to true white that I would consider for a north or east-facing room. This is because Chantilly Lace has a touch of softness, while still ‘acting like a pretty legit shade of white.’ All other true whites are too cold for this cowgirl.

However, if you really want a cool, crisp look, you might like a clean white or one with a hint of gray or cool undertones. And, in fact, there is the odd duck who LOVES this look – that cool combination of northern exposure and stark or cold white paint gives an icy, edgy look (I hear Elsa is a big fan).

Sherwin Williams High Reflective White

However, I’ve found that when I have Color Consulting clients who’re (the apostrophe in that word is important) looking for a nice white for their north-facing room, they’re usually looking to lighten and brighten. They want to add life without adding color, coldness, OR overwhelming warmth.

And the BEST way to do this is with THE RIGHT WHITE!

Sherwin Williams Pure White

Are you confused yet? Have another glass.

THE BEST SHADES OF WHITE FOR NORTH OR EAST-FACING ROOMS

If you ask ME (which you kind of are), the best white paint colors for a north-facing room are WARM WHITES, as they help balance the cool light coming into the windows (we’ll check out the shortlist in a minute.)

Sherwin Williams Pure White  / Western Exposures Photography

Another important note is that cool northern light will STILL LEAN a warm white towards the cooler side. This means your warm white won’t look as warm as it would in another room with a warmer exposure.

I’m going to hit that baby one more time…

Cool northern light will still lean a warm white towards the cooler side. This means your warm white won’t look as warm as it would in a room with warmer exposure. 

However…

a) the warmth of the white can help balance the cooling effect of northern light, often creating a great happy medium, balancing the scales

b) you have flexibility based on how WARM the white is that you choose – the warmer the white, the more it will counteract the effect of cool northern light

In this next room, Pure White looks considerably warmer in a room with decent southern light…

However, notice how the warmth falls back in a room with cooler lighting…

1.  If you don’t like warm whites, choose a white that’s only slightly warm, knowing that the gray-blue of the northern light will cancel out a lot of the warmth, making the walls look cooler in the process, but not ICY cold like a true or cool white would. When natural light isn’t in play in the evening, you’ll choose the KELVINS you want to get the desired look.

2.  If you like warm whites, you might want to lean into a slightly warmer white than not, knowing that the northern light will try to pull it to the cool side. The warmer your white is, the better it will counteract the cool gray-blue light.

Now, the above information is really the meat n’ potatoes of this blog post – are you ready for the GRAVY?

1. SHERWIN WILLIAMS PURE WHITE 7005

I LOVE PURE WHITE – wait, was that my inside voice? Trust me, there are MANY things I say that should be kept inside my head, right, Mom? Anyway.

If you’re having a mental battle between WANTING a clean, crisp white and understanding that it could hold your room back visually, Pure White could be a PERFECT choice. Remember, you WILL lose a lot of its already passive warmth, but at least it won’t look ICY cold like a true or cool white will.

CHECK OUT THIS WHOLE HOME IN PURE WHITE!

In a north-facing room, Pure White WILL lose most, if not all, of its warmth. HOWEVER, what makes this an interesting option is that some of you don’t want an ‘overtly warm white’; you just don’t want a cold icy one. For this reason, Pure White could hit the spot.

Pure White will look gorgeous in a space with morning eastern light – not overly warm, just simple. In the afternoon, it will lose much of its warmth, just like in northern exposure. PERSONALLY, I’d choose a warmer white, but it’s NOT ALL ABOUT ME (not all the time, anyway). I’m just here to show you the options and what they might do.

Pure White has an LRV of 84, so while its name might suggest a BRIGHT white, it’s considerably soft. However, if, like me, you want to add some visible warmth to your east or north-facing room, Pure White MIGHT not be warm enough, in which case, keep on reading…

FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Pure White

YOU MIGHT ALSO CONSIDER

• Benjamin Moore Oxford White (personally, I think Pure White is WAY prettier)

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF PURE WHITE

2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ALABASTER 7008

Alabaster is a lovely, warm white paint color. However, if you’re HOPING for ‘legit’ white walls, it’s a bit farther away than the others. This is because Alabaster has an LRV of 82, so it has a bit more meat on its lovely lil bones. Along with this meat is a soft cream base (cream being a yellow color with neutral added to calm it down).

In a north-facing room, Alabaster has the warmth to offset that cool gray light. Could your walls look a TOUCH creamy? That’s open to perception. However, if you’re looking for a softer approach to white, Alabaster could hit the spot.

This next photo shows Alabaster with true white trim. If you want Alabaster to look warmer and creamier, partner it with a white like Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace. However, if you want it to look like a ‘soft, warm white,’ make sure you paint your trim the SAME as the walls, as this makes Alabaster’s undertones look more subtle.

In this next kitchen, the cabinets, trims, and walls are all Alabaster, creating a simpler, seamless, and less creamy look…

In an east-facing room, Alabaster will look smooth like butter (without as much yellow) in the morning light, and again, its warmth will take away some of the dullness of afternoon eastern light.

FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Alabaster

The reception of my client’s office – Eddins Counseling

Alabaster is on the built-ins, and fireplace surround

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF ALABASTER

YOU MIGHT ALSO CONSIDER

• Sherwin Williams Greek Villa
• Sherwin Williams Cotton

3. BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE OC-17

White Dove is a WICKED gorgeous, warm white. It’s a soft white, not a bright or true one, with a beautiful warmth that does a great job counteracting cool gray-blue northern light without going overly yellow as some more dominant warm whites can.

As for White Dove in east-facing rooms, its warmth helps offset the afternoon light’s flatness. It also happens to look GORGEOUS in the east-facing morning light.

White Dove doors and trims with Benjamin Moore Ballet White walls

White Dove has an LRV of 83.16, so it’s definitely in the white range, just on the lower end of it. This means that your walls won’t be crisp and clean, but will have a gentle warmth (I have it in my own home).

Not sure what LRV is? It could SAVE YOUR PAINT-LOVIN’ LIFE – check it out here.

In this next space, I worried we’d get a lot of green reflecting onto the walls from the exterior. Instead, White Dove is holding itself quite well on the walls, trims, and ceiling…

This next room gets an equal balance of north and south-facing light, and look at how AWESOME White Dove is at humoring both…

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF WHITE DOVE HERE! 

YOU MIGHT ALSO CONSIDER

• Sherwin Williams Cheviot
• Benjamin Moore Cloud White, which is a bit warmer, lighter, and creamier than White Dove
• Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee, which is VERY comparable to White Dove

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore White Dove

Now, let’s count what we’ve got here…

THREE GREAT shades of white to choose from, SIX alternatives (for backup)

As I mentioned earlier, only a HANDFUL of white paint colors are worth looking at (for ANY room or project). And from these nine white shades, I bet you can narrow it down further based on how much warmth you want to be left on your walls once the northern or eastern light has done its job.

WANT MORE WARMTH?

There’s a good chance that even with the soft, warm whites mentioned above, you’re still not getting the warmth you want to see on your walls. If so, you may want to explore the following warm white and cream paint colors…

SHERWIN WILLIAMS CREAMY 7012

Creamy is one of my true loves. But FULL DISCLOSURE…I also love Ryan Reynolds (or Gosling), white wine, Moana, Cornuts, AND…Creamy, which is actually an off-white, not a white.

That’s right, Creamy is an off-white paint color, which means it has more junk in its truck – junk in the form of a creamy base. BUT HOT DAMN, IT’S PRETTY!

If your room has south-facing or afternoon western sunshine, Creamy could be MORE than you’re looking for – not just in color, but in depth. However, its lovely creamy warmth is a great way to balance cool light coming in north-facing windows or that flat afternoon eastern sunshine.

FIND ME REVIEWING THESE WHITES ON YOUTUBE TOO! 

SHERWIN WILLIAMS DOVER WHITE 6385

Dover White offers a legitimate commitment to cream, meaning you’ll see more yellow. Remember that the more yellow you go, the harder it can be to transition your style down the road, should you do a color like Dover White on your walls AND your trims and doors (read more about this here).

In this next photo, at the very top, as well as the baseboard, you can see a strip of white trim that’s brighter than the Dover White walls – this helps you see how warm Dover White is. If I were to use Dover White on my walls, I would do this, rather than using it on my walls AND trims (just for versatility – I don’t want Dover White trim.)

WHITE PAINT COLORS & DARK ROOMS (REGARDLESS OF EXPOSURE)

While white will brighten up ANY space, even a dark one, don’t expect it to save the day…

If you have a dark east or north-facing room or dark hallway (shown above), white can be a great choice…as long as you have a great interior lighting plan. If you don’t, you MIGHT want to look at colors with more color or chroma. Adding COLOR to the walls of a dark room, regardless of its exposure, can be a great way to give it personality.

White paint colors in a dark room, without enough interior lighting, often look like cheap primer.

So, there you have it! Of course, there are MANY more awesome colors to check out, but hopefully, these whites get you pointed in the right direction.

READ MORE

The 5 Most Fool-Proof White Paint Colors

The ULTIMATE GUIDE to Choosing White Paint Colors

The 8 Best Benjamin Moore White Paint Colors

Color Review: Benjamin Moore Simply White

The 3 Best White Paint Colors for Cabinets

The Best Paint Colors for East-Facing Rooms

LET ME PICK YOUR PAINT COLORS!

Check out my Online Color Consulting packages! 

Chat soon,

Originally written in 2017, MASSIVELY updated in 2023

The post The 3 BEST WHITE Paint Colors for North or East-Facing Rooms appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

I get asked about off-whites ALL the time, the most common question being, ‘I was thinking of using this off-white paint colour. Are there any sneaky undertones I should know about?’ You bet there are!

Splashes of blue, touches of purple, hints of green, or even PINK – off-whites are DARN hard to choose. And whatever happened to the ease of builder beige anyway? I’m just joking; NOBODY wants builder beige to come back.

Before we get into the guts n’ the glory, let’s talk about off-whites and why they are such a bugger to choose. And if this is your first time to my blog – the Ginger likes to hear herself talk (or type). Consider yourself warned.

OFF-WHITE PAINT COLORS

Regarding LRV, it can be tricky to know where the cut-off is between white, off-white, and light. Are you not familiar with LRV? You should read this blog post; it will become your best friend (or I will, one or the other). And while 60-70 is the magic LRV range for almost any room, when it comes to off-white, its LRV range sits between 73-82 (approx). In this range, you’ll find off-whites that are light and bright but will still show some contrast with standard white trim.

Off-white colour = higher LRV = more light reflection. This means that if the light that’s shining on your wall happens to have a ‘colour’ to it, your walls can pick up on that. For example…

• if you have a TON of green outside your window (grass/trees), your off-white walls might pick up a hint of green

• if your porch floor is painted red, your off-white walls might look a tad pink as the red is reflected on your walls AND the high LRV of your walls reflects it back

And then there’s exposure (north/south/east/west facing), which ALL have their own colour quirks. Add all these things together, along with the needs of your furnishings and your personal tastes – let’s just say that off-whites are tricky.

See ALL of this beautiful bathroom here

And THAT’S why we’re having our lil chat today, as I’ve pulled together some of my fave off-whites and some comments on a few more of today’s most POPULAR off-whites. These colors are relatively neutral, but that doesn’t mean they’re fool-proof (as there are no fool-proof neutrals). It all depends on your home, exposure, furnishings, interior finishings, and, of COURSE, personal tastes, but they’ll at least get you started!

1. BENJAMIN MOORE CLASSIC GRAY OC-23

Classic Gray is a warm gray in the off-white range. It’s on the edge of the off-white range, winking at the light depths. This means you’ll see a good degree of contrast if you choose a reasonably white color for your trim.

Any gray (even warm ones) will have blue, purple, green, or a mix of those undertones, and Classic Gray is no exception (read more about that here). Classic Gray favors a very (very) mild purple undertone. This undertone doesn’t always show up to the party, but it’s quite passive when it does. It can also flash slightly warm violet (violet-pink) vs. cool violet (violet-blue), but I’ve never seen it lean totally pink (whereas the comparable Pale Oak can); it’s just a slightly warmer violet.

And, as usual, I’m being anal. You might look at this colour and think, ‘Good Lord, what IS she talking about – this color is NEUTRAL?’ – it’s that subtle. I just don’t want you to be surprised once it’s on your walls!

WHY IS CLASSIC GRAY SUCH A POPULAR WARM GRAY PAINT COLOUR?

• Classic Gray has an LRV of almost 75, so it’s in the off-white range, but really has a bit more body than most
• in some lights, Classic Gray can look quite taupe and can easily be considered one (taupe being warmer than gray)
• while Classic Gray FAVORS gray, it never looks icy cold like traditional gray paint colors
• with its subtle warmth, Classic Gray is MORE likely to last longer than some of the other gray paint colors

Sherwin Williams Pure White cabinets, Classic Gray walls

WHAT PAINT COLOURS ARE SIMILAR TO CLASSIC GRAY?

If Classic Gray doesn’t hit the spot, check out Benjamin Moore Gray Mist. It’s an off-white (heavy off-white) that’s a greige, so rather than having the subtle purple of Classic Gray, it has a wink more warmth with a touch of green, cream/yellow.

You might also like the approach of Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist, which is similar to Classic Gray but has a bit more depth and body to it.

FULL Paint Colour Review: Benjamin Moore Classic Gray

Benjamin Moore’s Best Gray Paint Colours

2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS WHITE DUCK SW 7010

I LOVE White Duck, as it’s the perfect blend of cream with a tan/gray base to calm it down. If you like cream walls but don’t like yellow, White Duck could be the hybrid you’re looking for.

Having used this colour in my brother’s house (not shown above, pictures are coming soon), I’ve seen firsthand how it shifts from a beige-greige blend (but never definitively gray or beige) into a really subdued, neutralized cream—mad love. I’ve also seen firsthand how lucky he is to have me in his life. True story.

WHY IS WHITE DUCK SUCH A POPULAR OFF-WHITE PAINT COLOUR?

• White Duck has an LRV of 74, so it really is on the border of off-white and light, offering CONTRAST with trim without visual WEIGHT
• it’s great if you’re looking for a warm, but not OBVIOUSLY beige, gray, or creamy neutral
• like Aesthetic White (coming shortly), it’s one of the few options with no obvious undertone to wrestle with
• in the above photo, White Duck is shown with Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray cabinets – a super wicked combo
• it’s a great choice for a north, east, west or south-facing room

FULL Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams White Duck

WHICH PAINT COLOURS ARE SIMILAR TO WHITE DUCK?

If White Duck is close but no cigar,  several other colors have a similar approach, but with a few tweaks…

• Sherwin Williams Shoji White
• the ever-gorgeous Benjamin Moore Ballet White
• Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White

Often, these subtle shifts make one color perfect over another.

3. BENJAMIN MOORE SILVER SATIN OC-26

Silver Satin is the grayest of the bunch, a soft, slightly warm gray. And while it’s not my PERSONAL fave, due to its non-committal warmth, it has a decent following. HOWEVER, it also has a sneaky undertone to consider…

Remember, every gray will have an undertone, and Silver Satin favors a very slight purple hue. If you like the general look of Silver Satin, but want your walls LIGHTER, Benjamin Moore Calm has a similar approach (and I get nervous about it for the same reason – not warm enough and a bit…too…purple.)

SILVER SATIN’S LRV & A LITTLE MORE

• Silver Satin has an LRV of 76, so it’s sitting pretty in the off-white range
• because it’s a warm gray, Silver Satin will come up a bit warmer in a south-facing room, but gray out more in northern light
• Silver Satin looks pretty with Sherwin Williams Pure White or Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace on trim work

FULL Paint Color Review of Silver Satin

Dunn Edward’s Faded Gray is very similar to Silver Satin

WHAT PAINT COLOURS ARE SIMILAR TO SILVER SATIN?

A good comparison/alternative would be Sherwin Williams Toque White, which is just a touch warmer. I also like Eider White, which you’ll learn about shortly. However, I prefer the subtle approach of Silver Satin to BOTH of those paint colors.

Click HERE or on the above image to see the available packages!

SAMPLIZE offers peel-and-stick paint samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER, and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots.

• samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1 DAY; depending on the location
• they’re more affordable than the sample pots/rollers/foam boards that are needed for traditional paint sampling

Save money on paint samples with SAMPLIZE HERE

4. SHERWIN WILLIAMS CREAMY SW 7012

Creamy is definitely one of my favorite warm off-white paint colors that’s NOT beige or gray! However, if you’re looking for a legit shade of cream, it’s not that either!

I’ve had many clients say they love cream, but don’t love yellow. So…(awkward moment) cream IS yellow; it’s just yellow with a neutral base added to it, and that’s JUST what you get when you choose Creamy. The neutral base calms it down, so it’s more of a neutral/cream and less of a colour/yellow.

WHY IS CREAMY ONE OF THE MORE POPULAR CREAM/OFF-WHITE PAINT COLOURS?

• Creamy has an LRV Of 81, which is an UBER fab off-white depth, on the lighter side of it, creating a lower contrast look with white trim
• it looks good with Sherwin Williams Pure White or Benjamin Moore Cloud White trim (more whites HERE)
• Creamy has enough warmth to be OBVIOUS without being obnoxiously yellow, especially compared to more standard cream paint colors
• it’s beautiful on walls, but don’t be tempted to put it on trim or cabinets unless your kitchen really calls for it!

WHICH PAINT COLOURS ARE SIMILAR TO CREAMY?

If you’d like something with a wee wink more colour, look at Benjamin Moore Timid White which is just slightly less neutral/more creamy yellow (also check out Benjamin Moore White Down). If you want a lighter shade, more in the WHITE range, check out Sherwin Williams Alabaster or Dover White.

FULL Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Creamy

The Best Cream Paint Colours: Benjamin Moore

5. SHERWIN WILLIAMS AESTHETIC WHITE 7035

Aesthetic White is a soft, light beige in the off-white range, but it’s not just any old beige…

Many popular beige paint colors have a slightly golden, yellow-orange undertone to them. Aesthetic White DOES have some warmth, but it’s nicely subdued by a wink o’ gray.

The above photo shows the Aesthetic at its warmest. The photo below shows it at its grayest…

WHY IS AESTHETIC WHITE A POPULAR BEIGE PAINT COLOUR?

• Aesthetic White has an LRV of 73, so it’s another on-the-border colour, but I still find that it gives a fab off-white look with no obvious green/purple/blue/colour in it
• it looks beautiful with Sherwin Williams Pure White on trim work
• It’s nice for a north-facing room for a neutral, but not particularly warm NOR cold look
• with the way trends are leaning, Aesthetic White is set to be a VERY popular paint colour

North, East, South, West: Which Paint Colour is the Best?

The Next IT Color in the Paint World (and it’s not white OR gray!)

Here’s a good shot showing Aesthetic White with a few other off-whites (and Sherwin Williams Pure White)…

Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White: Paint Color Review

6. SHERWIN WILLIAMS MODERATE WHITE 6140

With trends leaning warmer, expect more of this beautiful beige coming your way! Moderate White is an off-white beige with a gentle orange undertone, popular in homes with abundant beige finishes, including carpet, tiles, and countertops.

WHY WILL MODERATE WHITE BE POPULAR IN THE COMING DAYS?

• Trends are leaning warmer, away from gray, and closer to the beige end.
• Moderate White has muted undertones that suit a WIDE range of interior finishes.
• It’s a MODERN take on the heavy rich beiges from the early 2000s.
• Another beauty is Benjamin Moore Maritime White, found HERE.

Sherwin Williams Moderate White: Paint Colour Review

READ MORE

Sherwin Williams Origami White: Paint Color Review

The 12 Best WHOLE HOME Gray and Greige Paint Colours

Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Egret White

The 8 Best WHOLE HOME Warm Neutral Paint Colours

The 3 Best Warm White Paint Colours

LET ME PICK YOUR PAINT COLORS FOR YOU!

Check out my E-Design!

Chat soon,

First published in 2019, awesomely updated in 2023

The post The 6 Best Off-White Neutral Paint Colors: Undertones & More appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

Is Swiss Coffee the best white paint color for YOUR home? Let’s find out.

There’s no doubt that Swiss Coffee became popular thanks to Studio McGee. However, just because a color looks great in a professionally designed home, doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for YOUR home. Or maybe it is, but you won’t know until you COMPARE it to other options.

This is why we’re spending some one-on-one time (or maybe one-on-five) with Swiss Coffee and five other popular shades of white. We’ll learn how they’re similar and different, and why they MAY or may not be the best whites for your home!

BUT FIRST, let’s do a little refresher on Swiss Coffee…

SWISS COFFEE SUMMARY

Swiss Coffee is a soft, warm white paint color. It has an LRV of 81.91, which means it’s NOT a bright white…at all, and actually winks at the off-white world with a come-hither look.

As for undertones, Swiss Coffee has a subtle, muted, creamy undertone. Cream = yellow. However, tucked deep inside this yellow is a touch of green.

Are you going to notice this green on a large scale? Possibly not. However, if you partner it with anti-green finishes, you might be in for a surprise. This is also a risk if you already have a lot of green light coming through your windows via grass, nearby landscaping, or trees.

Now, without further ado (what IS ado anyway?), let’s see how Swiss Coffee compares to the other top shades to see if it’s JUST the right white for you…

SWISS COFFEE vs. SIMPLY WHITE

If you’re considering Swiss Coffee and Simply White for your walls, cabinets, or trim, you’re considering two different types of white. But is EITHER the best white for you? Let’s find out…

DIFFERENCES & SIMILARITIES

• WHICH WHITE IS WARMER? Simply White is warmer than Swiss Coffee as it has a less neutral base, calming it down. The warmth in both of these whites comes in the form of a yellow undertone; Simply White’s can be a bit more noticeable.
• WHICH WHITE IS BRIGHTER & WHITER? Simply White has an LRV of 89.52, making it a brighter white. Swiss Coffee is a soft white with a lower LRV of 81.91.
• Both whites are popular in ‘color-drenching,’ where the walls, cabinets, trims, and ceilings are all painted the same color.
• Both whites are reasonably versatile when partnering them up with other colors, although Simply White is MORE flexible.
• Neither white is a hit with marble or today’s most popular white quartz countertops – there are better whites for these finishes.
• Simply White can be a bit too yellow for some south-facing rooms or those with warm afternoon western sunshine. Swiss Coffee will look warm in these spaces, but because of its mild yellow undertone, it can be a bit softer looking than Simply White.

Benjamin Moore Simply White trim, Collingwood walls

MORE PHOTOS & INFO: FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Simply White

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLES OF SIMPLY WHITE! 

SWISS COFFEE vs. CLOUD WHITE

Cloud White has been kickin’ it a looooong time in the white world due to its flexibility with finishes from the 90s and early to mid-2000s. HOWEVER, it’s fallen in favor in recent years due to its more noticeable warmth. Let’s find out more…

DIFFERENCES & SIMILARITIES

• WHICH WHITE IS WARMER? Cloud White is warmer than Swiss Coffee with a slightly more noticeable creamy yellow undertone.
• WHITE WHITE IS BRIGHER & WHITER? Cloud White has an LRV of 85.05, parking it FIRMLY in the white range. This makes Cloud White look whiter than Swiss Coffee, whose LRV borders on the off-white range.
• Neither white is particularly popular with today’s trendy quartz countertops and are usually toooo yellow for the average marble surface.
• Both whites are options when coordinating a home with Tuscan-inspired finishes.
• Swiss Coffee can be a bit better for a south-facing room or room with warm afternoon western sunshine as it has less yellow in it. However, neither would be my first or second choice.

MORE PHOTOS & INFO: FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Cloud White

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLES OF CLOUD WHITE! 

SWISS COFFEE vs. CHANTILLY LACE

As far as the wild world of whites is concerned, Swiss Coffee and Chantilly Lace are living on different continents. Let’s find out how these two compare…

NEED HELP? Check out my ONLINE PAINT COLOR CONSULTING – let me make it easy for you! 

DIFFERENCES & SIMILARITIES

• WHITE WHITE IS WARMER? Swiss Coffee is warmer than Chantilly Lace. When you compare the two, Swiss Coffee looks a bit dirty and almost creamy up against Chantilly Lace’s cheerful approach. This doesn’t mean it’s not the best for your space, but it’s not a remotely bright or clean white.

DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE 5 TYPES OF WHITE?

• WHICH WHITE IS BRIGHTER & WHITER? By a LONG stretch, Chantilly Lace is brighter, whiter, and cleaner-looking than Swiss Coffee. This is because Chantilly Lace has a higher LRV of 90.4, putting it closer to the TRUE white world (and actually IS Benjamin Moore’s brightest white).
• Chantilly Lace is more popular and versatile regarding white quartz countertops and marble finishes, whereas Swiss Coffee can be a bit too warm/muddy.
• If you have a north-facing room, the warmth of Swiss Coffee offers a bit more balance compared to Chantilly Lace. This being said, neither is my first or second choice.
• Neither Swiss Coffee nor Chantilly Lace are the first whites I think of when considering a home with Tuscan-style finishes or most older-style granite countertops.

MORE PHOTOS & INFO: FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLES OF CHANTILLY LACE

SWISS COFFEE vs. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ALABASTER

We’re comparing apples to apples when looking at Swiss Coffee and Alabaster. Let’s see what sets these two whites apart…

DIFFERENCES & SIMILARITIES

• WHICH WHITE IS WARMER? Alabaster is warmer than Swiss Coffee with its notable creamy yellow backdrop. This isn’t to say that Alabaster is TOO creamy for what you might be looking for, but Swiss Coffee could be a better choice if your space is sensitive to yellow undertones.
• WHICH WHITE IS BRIGHTER & WHITER? Alabaster is a soft, warm white – Swiss Coffee is a soft, warm white. With only fractions of a point between them in LRV, neither white is noticeably whiter than the other.
• Because of its subtle, but sneaky yellow-green undertones, I suggest Alabaster 10x more than Swiss Coffee in my Online Paint Color Consulting.
• Alabaster is a popular choice in Tuscan-style homes and those with finishes from the ’90s and early 2000s; however, Swiss Coffee shows up too!

Sherwin Williams Alabaster with Evergreen Fog shiplap

MORE PHOTOS & INFO: FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Alabaster

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLES OF ALABASTER

SWISS COFFEE vs. WHITE DOVE

This is an easy one. If you want to know which white is the most popular between White Dove and Swiss Coffee – it’s White Dove.

Why?

I’m so passionate about this topic that I wrote an entire blog post about it. The long and short of it is that White Dove has more predictable undertones than Swiss Coffee.

DIFFERENCES & SIMILARITIES

• WHICH WHITE IS WARMER? Both whites are warm, but Swiss Coffee tends to look a bit warmer than White Dove, with its slightly more noticeable yellow undertone.
• WHICH WHITE IS BRIGHTER & WHITER? White Dove is whiter than Swiss Coffee, which is shown via their LRVs of 83.16 and 81.91 (respectively). With this lower LRV, Swiss Coffee is closer to being an OFF-WHITE than White Dove.
• Both whites are often considerations when updating granite countertops and finishes from the 90s and earlier 2000s.
• Neither white is especially popular with white quartz or marble-look countertops. This is because of their soft and subtle warmth.

MORE PHOTOS & INFO: FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore White Dove

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLES OF WHITE DOVE

READ MORE

Sherwin Williams Pure White vs. The 10 BEST Shades of White

The Ultimate Guide to White Paint Colors

Benjamin Moore White Dove vs. The Most Popular White Paint Colors

Is White Still Trendy on Walls, Exteriors, & Cabinets?

NEED HELP CHOOSING YOUR BEST WHITE?

Check out my ONLINE PAINT COLOR PACKAGES! 

Chat soon,

The post BENJAMIN MOORE SWISS COFFEE vs. THE TOP 5 SHADES OF WHITE appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

When choosing the best white paint color for your walls, cabinets, trims, or exterior, COMPARISON is the most important part of your color-picking journey!

Why?

Comparing similar colors helps you see…

• shifts in UNDERTONE
• changes in TEMPERATURE
• differences in DEPTH (did you know there are 5 types of white!)
• which white best suits your home’s finishes, including countertop, tile, existing colors, etc…

Comparing whites is where I lean into my obsession with Samplize Peel & Stick. Sampling paint colors with wee paper squares from the paint store is like sampling wine from a thimble. It barely wets your whistle, and you often purchase an expensive bottle of wine that you don’t even like (but will drink anyway). The same can happen with paint – you buy that expensive gallon and paint your little heart out, only to see it’s the wrong color.

COMPARE, COMPARE, COMPARE!

Sherwin Williams Pure White in a south-facing room

Undoubtedly, you’ve come across Sherwin Williams Pure White in your sampling adventures as it’s one of the best. However, you won’t know it’s the best shade for your project until you COMPARE it to the other top whites. In fact, you might even end up changing your mind and finding a better option!

But before we start, when finding your best white, you must understand the basics of LRV (I am a bossy lil thang). Here’s the meat n’ potatoes of it… (if you want gravy & butter, that’s HERE).

EVERY paint color has an LRV number on a scale of 0-100. 0 is black, and 100 is white. This number tells you how light or dark a paint color is. This matters a LOT with white, seeing as there are 5 types to choose between.

Never choose a white paint color without knowing and understanding its LRV – says me.

The LRV of white paint colors that are useable in your home ranges from approx. 81-94. Intrigued? You should be; it will rock your paint-pickin’ world – read about it HERE.

Sherwin Williams Pure White walls, trims, doors, & ceilings

This is an INFO-HEAVY blog post, giving you the deets you need with less muss n’ fuss. If you’re just here for the pretty pictures (I feel you), check out each color’s FULL COLOR REVIEW (links throughout). 

1. SHERWIN WILLIAMS PURE WHITE vs. BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE

Pure White and White Dove are two of the TOP whites I recommend in my Online Paint Color Consulting.

Why?

Many homes suit SOFT whites over bright whites. From there, it’s a matter of how much warmth is needed. Some homes need a SUBTLE warmth, which is what you find in Pure White and White Dove.

HOW ARE PURE WHITE & WHITE DOVE SIMILAR & DIFFERENT?

• Which is whiter? Pure White has an LRV of 84. White Dove’s LRV is 83.16. Pure White is WHITER and brighter than White Dove (only by a wee wink), making them both SOFT whites.
• Which white is WARMER? White Dove is WARMER than Pure White, giving it a slightly creamier look, although it’s still not the warmest white by any stretch of the imagination.
• White Dove is best for north-facing rooms as its warmth can add balance. Pure White can look good, but don’t expect it to add much balance or coziness.
• Pure White is more popular for south-facing rooms than White Dove. South-facing rooms have warm light, and some people find White Dove leans a bit TOO warm in this light.
• Tuscan-style homes (travertine, beige finishes, etc…) can look good with the subtle warmth of White Dove, whereas Pure White isn’t always warm enough.
• They’re both EQUALLY as flexible, but there are situations where one is a better choice. For example, Pure White is often a better choice with today’s popular white quartz countertops, whereas White Dove is sometimes a BIT too warm. On the other hand, White Dove is often better suited to softer, muted earth tones than Pure White.

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of White Dove

Benjamin Moore Ballet White walls, White Dove trim, and wainscoting

KYLIE M’S FAVE

My FAVE white has to be Pinot Gris. Oh, wait, different topic (we all have our vices – mine include wine, white paint, and white sneakers). I can’t even decide between these two as it depends on the use. I mean, that applies to ANY white, but I interchange these two so often. PERSONALLY, my fave is Benjamin Moore White Dove. For my average client? Proooobably Pure White.

PHOTOS & INFO: Full Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore White Dove

2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS PURE WHITE vs. ALABASTER

Pure White and Alabaster are rarely in contention for the same project. While they’re both soft whites, Alabaster has a much more noticeable warmth than Pure White’s passive approach.

Please remember, your computer screen can skew how these colors look; they look DIFFERENT in real life! 

HOW ARE PURE WHITE & ALABASTER SIMILAR & DIFFERENT?

• Which is the whitest? Pure White and Alabaster are both SOFT WHITES; however, with its LRV of 82, Alabaster is softer (darker) and borders on the off-white range. Pure White is definitely a white, not an off-white, because of its LRV of 84.
• Which is the warmest? Alabaster is WARMER than Pure White with its creamy backdrop.
• Alabaster is a popular shade of white for many of the older-style granite countertops, whereas Pure White CAN be a bit too white for some. Pure White is more often used for today’s trendy white quartz countertops.
• In south-facing rooms or those with western afternoon sun, Alabaster can look even warmer/creamier. And while Pure White will also pick up some warmth, it’s not as strong as Alabaster. Pure White is usually better for southern spaces (read about exposures HERE).
• As for northern light, Alabaster is one of the best whites as its softer, creamier approach adds some warmth to a space that can otherwise be a titbit nippy!
• If you have a Tuscan-style home (travertine tile and beige tones), Alabaster is often a good shade to try. Pure White isn’t always warm enough.
• Alabaster is LESS likely to suit finishes such as marble and many of today’s popular white quartz countertops.

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of Alabaster

Sherwin Williams Alabaster walls

KYLIE M’S FAVE

Between Pure White and Alabaster, it has to be Pure White. Sure, Alabaster has its place, but Pure White has WAY more flexibility for the average home due to its decreased warmth. DON’T SHOOT THE MESSENGER; if Alabaster is your white and it’s working, that’s all that matters!

PHOTOS & INFO: Full Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Alabaster

3. PURE WHITE vs. EXTRA WHITE

While Extra White is a bit brighter/whiter than Pure White, they both have very (very) subtle approaches to warmth (especially Extra White). Of the two, Pure White has a more noticeable warmth without being creamy.

IN WHAT WAYS ARE PURE WHITE & EXTRA WHITE SIMILAR & DIFFERENT?

• Which is whiter? Extra White’s LRV is 86, making it WHITER than Pure White’s 84.
• Which is warmer? Pure White is WARMER than Extra White, although neither is exceptionally warm (Extra White is only fractionally so).
• Extra White and Pure White often compete for the same spot regarding cabinets and trims. Pure White wins for walls and exteriors.
• Of the two, Extra White is MORE likely to act like a ‘true white’ but is less likely to suit warm interior finishes.
• In north-facing light, Extra White can look a bit ICY COLD (Elsa is a HUGE fan). Pure White won’t add much warmth, but it’s definitely a softer, less stark approach.
• Pure White is more likely to suit today’s popular white quartz countertops than Extra White.
• If you have south-facing light or a room with warm afternoon western sunshine, Extra White and Pure White are both nice choices. Both will look warmer/more yellow in south-facing or afternoon western sunshine. Both will fall flat in the morning western light.

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of Extra White

Sherwin Williams Extra White

KYLIE M’S FAVE WHITE

It’s not even a competition. Pure White – almost every time. I like its passive warmth and its flexibility. Sure, Extra White is flexible, too, but NOTHING like my Pure White.

PHOTOS & INFO: Full Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Extra White

4. PURE WHITE vs. CHEVIOT

Being the new kid on the block, there isn’t much info on Cheviot. And while I covered it in a mass-color review, it deserves a spot in the limelight (without the green undertone – get it?).

I love comparing Pure White and Cheviot, as previously, Sherwin Williams didn’t have a GREAT color in this particular LRV. That’s right; Cheviot comes in lighter and brighter than Pure White.

SIMILARITIES & DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PURE WHITE & CHEVIOT

• Which is the whitest white? While Simply White (coming next) and Cheviot are VERY comparable, Pure White and Cheviot vary in their LRVs,  84 and 89 (respectively). This makes Cheviot a BRIGHTER white.
• Which one is warmer? Cheviot is WARMER than Pure White, although, with its increased brightness, this isn’t always as noticeable as it would be in a softer white like Alabaster.
• Cheviot has a slightly more noticeable yellow undertone, but its approach is still VERY muted.
• If Pure White isn’t warm enough and Alabaster is too dark/creamy, Cheviot can be a nice shift into a brighter but still warm white.
• While Pure White is likely the better choice with today’s popular white quartz or marble-look countertops, Cheviot could suit a few.
• Cheviot could be pretty with a Tuscan-style home with warm-toned finishes. Pure White might not be warm enough.

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of Cheviot

KYLIE M’S FAVE SHADE

Oooo, this is a hard one (that’s what she said). Cheviot could be a big deal if it were available in Sherwin William’s more affordable lines AND if they had easy-to-get paint chips in the store. Right now, the only way to see this color is to get a gallon (yes, a FULL GALLON) or a Peel & Stick sample from Samplize.

The Top 9 White Paint Colors: Sherwin Williams Emerald Edition

5. PURE WHITE vs. SIMPLY WHITE

Pure White & Simply White are both popular shades but tend to suit slightly different projects. While both are WARM whites, Simply White has a noticeable yellow undertone and a higher LRV, meaning it’s whiter/brighter.

HOW ARE PURE WHITE & SIMPLY WHITE SIMILAR & DIFFERENT?

• Which is the whitest? While Simply White and Cheviot are quite comparable, Simply White and Pure White are different types of white. Simply White’s LRV is 89.52, to Pure White’s 84, making Simply White a BRIGHTER white.
• Which is the warmest of the two? Simply White is WARMER than Pure White, as it has a more noticeable yellow undertone compared to the passive nature of Pure White.
• These two colors often compete to be on trim work and cabinets.
• Pure White is slightly more flexible than Simply White due to its decreased warmth.
• Simply White is a popular shade for Tuscan-style homes with warm-toned finishes (but it can sometimes be a stitch yellow). Often, Pure White isn’t quite warm enough (but it never hurts to try).

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of Simply White

Sherwin Williams White Duck walls, Simply White fireplace surround & trim

KYLIE M’S FAVE WHITE

I love Simply White; it’s a classic. However, Pure White is often a safer and softer bet with its decreased yellow undertone and slightly softer approach. It really just comes down to what best suits your finishes.

PHOTOS & INFO: Benjamin Moore Simply White FULL Paint Color Review

NEED HELP? Check out my ONLINE COLOR CONSULTING PACKAGES – let me make it easy for you! 

6. PURE WHITE vs. CLOUD WHITE

If you compare Pure White and Cloud White, there should be a clear winner. Cloud White is a warmer, creamier white than Pure White. And while Pure White is warm, it’s fractional in comparison. Where they’re the MOST similar is in depth, which you’ll learn about next!

SIMILARITIES & DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THESE TWO SHADES

• Which is whiter? Pure White has an LRV of 84, and Cloud White’s LRV is 85.05, making them VERY similar in depth! This means both whites are SOFT whites.
• Which is warmer? Cloud White has a much more noticeable creamy warmth than Pure White, which can seem a bit dingy in comparison. (This doesn’t make it bad, though; it’s just less yellow!)
• Pure White is a FAR superior choice with most white quartz countertops. Cloud White is popular with some of the older-style granite and laminate countertops.
• Cloud White is best for north-facing rooms, where the light is cooler/grayer. Cloud White will look warmer and creamier in south or west-facing rooms, so make sure you love a yellow undertone (personally, it goes too creamy yellow for me). Pure White doesn’t have much warmth in north-facing rooms, but it depends on what you like (I personally like to see more warmth, i.e., White Dove). On the other hand, Pure White offers a nice balance to south-facing or western light without going as creamy as Cloud White.

North, East, South, West, Which Paint Colors is The Best?

• Cloud White is often the best white for a Tuscan-style home with warm-toned finishes (but it can sometimes be a stitch yellow). Pure White is often not warm enough.

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of Cloud White

Benjamin Moore Cloud White walls & trim

KYLIE M’S FAVE WHITE

Cloud White has been kickin’ it longer than Messi (for you soccer fans). However, I can’t say it’s been quite as successful, as it’s often a bit too yellow for the average interior finish. This is why, of these two popular shades, Pure White is ma boo.

PHOTOS & INFO: Benjamin Moore Cloud White Paint Color Review

7. SHERWIN WILLIAMS PURE WHITE vs. SNOWBOUND

Pure White and Snowbound are similar in depth, with only a point difference. Where they differ is in undertones and intentions.

HOW ARE PURE WHITE & SNOWBOUND SIMILAR & DIFFERENT?

When comparing Pure White and Snowbound, you’re comparing apples to oranges. Sure, they have a similar shape, but BOY, do they taste different!

• Which is whiter? Pure White’s LRV of 84 is darn close to Snowbound’s slightly lower LRV of 83. This makes Pure White BRIGHTER than Snowbound.
• Which is warmer? Pure White is warmer, with a passive undertone; Snowbound has a warm gray and violet touch. However, in some lights, I’ve seen it flash violet-pink and even a wink creamy (check it out in its Color Review).
• I often recommend Pure White as a whole home color (cabinets/walls/trims/ceilings/doors). I NEVER recommend Snowbound for this due to its unpredictable, but most often, violet (#violent) undertones. Snowbound can be GREAT for a single room but isn’t great for a whole home.
• Snowbound is finicky about its color partners, whereas Pure White is VERY flexible.

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of Snowbound

Sherwin Williams Snowbound walls

KYLIE’S FAVE SHADE

It’s not even a question – Pure White trumps Snowbound 99% of the time.

Snowbound isn’t predictable or versatile enough to be relied on for a ‘whole home’ application, even if it’s just all the trim work. Pure White is flexible and accommodates a wide range of colors.

PHOTOS & INFO: Full Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Snowbound

8. PURE WHITE vs. DECORATORS WHITE

Decorators White and Snowbound have a LOT in common. Pure White and Decorator’s White? Not so much, but comparing the two with Peel & Stick helps you see some important differences. Remember, comparing colors helps you see the undertones/temperature/depth in each color – things that are hard to see when you only look at one or two colors.

DIFFERENCES & SIMILARITIES BETWEEN PURE WHITE & DECORATORS WHITE

• Which is whiter? Pure White has an LRV of 84, and Decorators White’s LRV is 82.68, making it DARKER than Pure White (but it’s still a white).
• Which is warmer? Pure White is a subtle WARM white; Decorators White is a subtle COOL white.
• Compared to Pure White’s warmth, you’ll see a flash of violet and gray in Decorator’s White (cooler than Snowbound’s violet undertone).
• Decorator’s White isn’t a great choice for trim as it will limit your wall color options. Pure White is a wicked choice as it’s flexible.

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of Decorators White

Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White on the walls – stock white trim

KYLIE’S FAVE

Again, Pure White for the win. Decorator’s White has its place, but it’s usually on a single-use basis (i.e., the walls in one room). Its undertones don’t leave Decorator’s White a lot of room to accommodate other colors.

PHOTOS & INFO ON DECORATOR’S WHITE: Full Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White

9. PURE WHITE vs. CHANTILLY LACE

Pure White and Chantilly Lace often compete for the same spot on cabinets, walls, trims, and exteriors. Unfortunately, Chantilly Lace gets a bad rap for not getting as good coverage (although I have a tip to help). There are also a few other features that set these two shades apart.

Again, these color images can look different on your particular computer screen. They often look DIFFERENT in real life! 

HOW ARE PURE WHITE & CHANTILLY LACE SIMILAR & DIFFERENT?

• Which is whiter? Chantilly Lace has an LRV of 90.04, making it considerably WHITER than Pure White at 84. This makes Chantilly Lace a bright white and Pure White a soft white.
• Which is warmer? Pure White is WARMER than Chantilly Lace, but don’t get yer knickers in a knot as it’s one of the LEAST warm of the warm whites.
• Chantilly Lace and Pure White can look great with today’s popular quartz countertops and many marble or marble-look countertops. Neither is popular with granite countertops unless it’s black granite or one with cool colors.
• Chantilly Lace and Pure White are great ‘whole home’ white paint colors, often used for walls, trims, ceilings, doors, and exteriors.
• Neither color is used in Tuscan-style homes (with a lot of beige).
• Chantilly Lace will look WHITER and less warm than Pure White. However, it’s not quite as stark as High Reflective White. I would say that both whites are EQUALLY as flexible and I don’t have a clear fave between the two – it all comes down to the surrounding finishes and their specific needs.
• If your room has northern light, both colors have equal opportunity. HOWEVER, neither will offer a tangible warmth. If you’re looking for a bit more softness and warmth, you will need a warmer shade of white.
• South-facing light and western afternoon sunshine can be roasty-toasty! And while Pure White is a warm white, it has a PASSIVE warmth and doesn’t lean too warm in these exposures (this IS open to perception). Almost any white will pick up yellow in these warm exposures, but the COOLER your white is, the more balance it will add. As for Chantilly Lace, it can be gorgeous in these lights, again, picking up a warm hue without looking overly creamy.
• If you want more balance in a room with a warm exposure, you might consider a cooler white paint colour (make sure you love it at night too).
• Pure White is more likely to suit a white countertop than Chantilly Lace (but there are ALWAYS exceptions).

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE of Chantilly Lace

Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace cabinets

KYLIE’S FAVE SHADE OF WHITE

Now THIS is a tough one. I’ve used both colors a lot, but more so Pure White. It really depends on the home with this one, but my heart miiiiight just be with Chantilly Lace, and NOT just because she has a pretty face.

PHOTOS & INFO: Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace Paint Color Review

10. PURE WHITE vs. HIGH REFLECTIVE WHITE

I have such mad love for both these colors; however, like Chantilly Lace, High Reflective White also has a bad rap, but for a different reason – IT’S SO DANG HARD TO GET!

However, if you love it as much as I do, and read this blog post, things should turn out well.

As for how Pure White and High Reflective White compare, let’s take a peek…

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of High Reflective White

Sherwin Williams High Reflective White walls & trims

SIMILARITIES & DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HIGH REFLECTIVE WHITE & PURE WHITE

• Which is whiter? High Reflective’s LRV of 93 makes it one of the WHITEST whites on the market. It’s a true white compared to the soft white of Pure White’s 84.
• Which is warmer? While Pure White is WARMER than High Reflective White, don’t forget that Pure White’s warmth is still suuuuuper passive.
• Pure White is often a better choice with a white quartz countertop, although it depends on which one it is. Both colors are contenders with a wide range of marble finishes.
• High Reflective White has NO warmth but isn’t icy cold. Pure White has a passive warmth.
• If you have northern light, Pure White will add a touch more softness and warmth (but you might still want an even WARMER white)
• Both colors are interesting options in a space with southern light or afternoon western sun. However, HRW will be a bit cleaner in flat morning western light.
• Pure White is more likely to suit white quartz countertops. However, BOTH whites have been known to humor varying types of marble finishes.

WHICH WHITE IS THE WARMEST WHITE?

Of the above shades, Simply White, Cheviot, and Cloud White are the WARMEST white paint colors

Benjamin Moore Cloud White on all white surfaces

WHICH WHITE IS THE COOLEST?

Comparing the top 10 white paint colors shows us Benjamin Moore Decorators White is the coolest. However, you could also throw in Sherwin Williams Ceiling Bright White, which didn’t make the top 10 list.

Decorator’s White is at the bottom

WHICH WHITE IS THE MOST POPULAR?

Benjamin Moore White Dove leads the list for cabinets, walls, trims, and exteriors, followed closely by Sherwin Williams Alabaster and Pure White.

Sherwin Williams Alabaster

WHICH WHITE IS THE BRIGHTEST & WHITEST?

High Reflective White is the whitest of the above shades of white, followed by Cheviot and Benjamin Moore’s Simply White and Chantilly Lace. However, if you’re looking for more, there are a few other super white whites that we didn’t look at today.

Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace

READ MORE

Benjamin Moore White Dove vs. Swiss Coffee, Pure White, Alabaster, Greek Villa & More

Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee vs. The TOP 5 Shades of White

The Ultimate Guide to White Paint Colors

Full Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Pure White

The TOP 5 Almost Fool-Proof White Paint Colors

NEED HELP?

GET AN ONLINE PAINT COLOR CONSULTATION WITH KYLIE M, COLOR EXPERT! 

Chat soon,

The post PURE WHITE vs. THE 10 BEST SHADES OF WHITE (Alabaster, Extra White, & More) appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

In the words of the great Leonard Bernstein, ‘I feel PRETTY and WITTY and GRAAAAAY!’. Okay, so maybe it was gay, not gray, but either way, I’m feeling pretty AND witty. And since I’m feeling so darn good, it’s a good time to do some deep-diving into the world of gray.

Other than white, gray is hands-down, one of the HARDEST paint colors to choose (to which many of you might say that ANY paint colour is hard to choose), but seriously, gray is a bugger.

Why is gray such a pita (pain in the…)? Because it’s a chameleon, and no matter WHICH gray you choose, it will shift itself on a wall-to-wall basis. That’s right, JUST when you think you’ve landed on THE gray of your dreams, it goes and changes colour.

So, without further ado, let’s get this color party started…

4 TIPS FOR CHOOSING YOUR BEST SHADE OF GRAY

If you want to embark into the wild world of grays, these five tips should get you well on your way. If you’re stuck, I have a great Online Paint Color Consulting service (it’s also super fun).

1. KNOW YOUR ROOM’S BEST & WORST UNDERTONES

Gray will have undertones of either blue, green, or purple. You might not want ANY undertones. Or maybe you like one or two of them, but not the others.

Well, guess what, Buttercup? What your room needs is MORE IMPORTANT than what you need. Or, you can prioritize your own tastes and potentially have a clashing hot mess of a space – you do you, boo.

Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter with granite countertops

However, while SOME GRAYS commit pretty hard to one particular undertone, many grays will flex their color muscles depending on the following:

• Time of day (position of the sun).
• Your room’s exposure.
• The temperature of your light bulbs.
• Exterior factors, i.e., green grass/shrubs, a red brick wall close by, etc…
• Interior finishings such as a warm wood floor or a forest green sofa.
• The actual ‘recipe’ of the colour (what colors are blended together to create it).
• Your PERCEPTION. While the colour itself is NOT subjective (it is what it is), how it’s PERCEIVED can vary from person to person!

Benjamin Moore Shoreline is a great example of a gray that CAN’T decide which undertones it wants to flash – purple, blue, green; it’s happy to show you ALL of them. It’s a GREAT example of gray and it’s (ahem) ‘flexibility’ (said slowly and painfully using air quotes).

You might even think those walls are three different colors, but they’re ALL Shoreline!

Sherwin Williams Repose Gray is equally as unpredictable, as shown in this foyer…

However, MANY grays are similar to Shoreline and Repose Gray in that their surrounding environment easily influences them.

But here’s the trick…

The more COMMITTED a color is to its undertone, the LESS LIKELY it is to grab the others. So, if you purposefully want to avoid blue or green, find a gray that commits to violet.

A gray like Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist COMMITS to violet.

If you DESPISE violet undertones, choose a gray that heavily favors blue and green. Not that they won’t EVER flash the other undertone given the right circumstance, but they’re WAAAY less likely to, due to their particular undertone commitment.

Do your research and sample a range of grays. See which undertones coordinate with your bossiest finishes (i.e., countertop, tile, fireplace stone, etc…). And while you’ll want to consider your room’s exposure and your personal tastes as well, you should prioritize what your SPACE needs.

2. BE PATIENT WITH YOUR GRAY SAMPLES

You’ll be greatly disappointed if you expect your gray to look the same on every wall. IT WILL CHANGE AND IT WILL HAVE UNDERTONES. I promise. As shown in the previous examples, gray will flex itself more than a 10-year-old gymnast, not just from home to home, but from WALL TO WALL!

Once we accept a paint color’s limitations and tendencies, we can let go of things a bit and breathe a little easier.

Sample and compare a minimum of three shades of gray. Move them to different walls at different times of the day (always place your samples next to either trim, tile, stone, etc… never just floating in the middle of the wall). The key is to find a gray that you ‘generally like on every wall, at least 75% of the time’ while trying to avoid the specific undertones that you don’t like.

Benjamin Moore Coventry Gray

3. DECIDE HOW LIGHT OR DARK YOU WANT YOUR WALLS TO BE

Whether you love a light, fresh gray or a dark, moody one, your room will also have its preferences based on its existing finishes. The great thing is that unlike undertones, which need to cater HARD to your interior finishes, your personal tastes can also play a big part in your final choice.

Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray

But before you dive in, you might want to learn about LRV. LRV stands for Light Reflectance Value. Every paint color has an LRV number on a scale of 0-100, with 0 being black and 100 being white.

Once you know the LRV range you want, finding colors within that range will be much easier!

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Paint Colors With LRV

Aside from each paint color’s LRV number, here are some other considerations…

• Consider a darker shade of gray if you want your room to be cozy and intimate.
• Light grays are great for a bright, modern approach. They’re also the ideal depth for ‘multi-room’ gray applications (where multiple rooms are painted the same color).
• Cool, north-facing rooms usually suit a WARM GRAY over a cool gray.
• Warm, south-facing rooms or those with western afternoon light, often benefit from a cool gray, but can also handle warm ones.

Just keep in mind, based on current trends, gray is going OUT, and warm colors are IN. If you aren’t worried about trends, hit gray as hard as you want. However, if trends or RESALE are in your mind, you might want to paint gray in moderation or consider something warmer.

4. SAMPLE YOUR GRAY THE RIGHT WAY

Of the colors you’ve already explored, you might have already FOUND your room’s perfect shade of gray – you just discarded it because you didn’t sample it the RIGHT WAY!

• Your existing paint color WILL skew your perception of your new samples – you must separate old and new with white paper/posterboard between them.
• You need LARGE SAMPLES and should never rely on the small paper chips from the paint store.
• NEVER pick a sample based on how it looks at the paint store – look at it in your home.
• Don’t just hang your sample in the middle of the wall and expect it to look perfect. Place it next to trim, backsplash, stone, etc… to see how it relates to its surrounding finishes.

In fact, read this… How to Sample Paint Colors the RIGHT WAY

THE TOP 10 SHADE OF GRAY TO GET YOU STARTED…

Which gray paint color is the most popular can depend on which DEPTH you’re looking for and what you’re painting – walls, cabinets, or exteriors. However, these ten colors should get you started…

1. Sherwin Williams Repose Gray
2. Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter
3. Benjamin Moore Classic Gray
4. Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist
5. Benjamin Moore Gray Owl
6. Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray
7. Sherwin Williams Light French Gray
8. Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray
9. Benjamin Moore Silver Satin
10. Benjamin Moore Collingwood

READ MORE

The 12 Best WHOLE HOME Gray & Greige Paint Colors

The TOP 10 WARM Gray Paint Colors 

How to Update a Gray Room

The Best Warm Neutrals That AREN’T BEIGE! 

NEED HELP?

Check out my  E-design & Online Paint Color Consulting packages! 

Chat soon,

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2018, AWESOMELY UPDATED FOR YOU IN 2023

The post How to Choose Your Room’s Best Shade of Gray appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

Are you looking for THE perfect, dark, moody shade, or perhaps the finishing touch to your alfredo? Look no further, as Behr has knocked it out of the park (or out of the kitchen) with Cracked Pepper.

I always get nervous around this time of year as the top brands release their Colors of the Year. THANK GOODNESS Behr has started this color party off with a BANG with Cracked Pepper, followed by the NOT so bangable Sherwin Williams Persimmon (HGTV Home’s Color of the Year).

Colors of the Year should excite and inspire. They should be approachable and APPLICABLE to the average home on at least ONE paintable surface. Check, check, and…check.

So, let’s look closely at Cracked Pepper and see if it’s what color you’ve been looking for…

BEFORE WE GET STARTED…

To show you RELATEABLE & REAL homes, I ONLY use photos from my Online Color Consulting clients. This means I don’t always have the quality photos I need or the RIGHT photos, but DEFINITELY have some SUPER helpful info to help you on your way!

WHAT TYPE OF COLOR IS CRACKED PEPPER?

Cracked Pepper is a hybrid of sorts, sitting in between black and dark gray. You might even call Cracked Pepper a SOFT black paint color – not crisp, not sharp, but more muted and gentle while still giving an overall ‘blackish’ look.

If you have a room with a TON of natural light, sure, Cracked Pepper will grab a bit of that and look a bit softer and more like an uber-dark gray. However, toss this bad boy in a more moderate or lower light space, and you have a beautiful shade of soft black on your hands.

What’s the difference between Cracked Pepper and a REAL BLACK?

It all comes down to LRV…

WHAT IS CRACKED PEPPER’S LRV?

Cracked Pepper has an LRV of 8. LRV stands for ‘Light Reflectance Value,’ which helps you determine how light or dark a paint color is. And while an LRV of 8 puts Cracked Pepper DARN CLOSE  to the black range, it’s a few points shy. You might not notice this until you compare it to the other blacks like Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black (LRV 3) and Benjamin Moore Black 2132-10 (LRV 4.65). This difference in LRV separates the TRUE blacks from the SOFT black.

That’s right; Cracked Pepper is a soft black paint color as it’s not as dark or sharp as other popular shades of black.

Want to learn more about LRV? It could save your paint-lovin’ life – read all about it HERE.

North, East, South, West – Which Paint Color is the Best?

How to Make a Dark Room Look Brighter – and it ain’t with paint! 

WHAT UNDERTONES DOES CRACKED PEPPER HAVE?

To say that Cracked Pepper has violet-blue undertones would be a massive overstatement. In fact, in a world where colors with an LRV in this range tend to have noticeable undertones – Cracked Pepper is shockingly and impressively neutral (and it takes a lot to impress me).

I haven’t had any clients use Cracked Pepper, so I took one of their images and used BEHR’S visualizer to see how it looks – I LOVE IT. A little tweak to the toss cushions and this color will feel right at home.

Sure, toss Cracked Pepper on your home’s exterior with south-facing or afternoon western sunshine, and you might see a weee wink of violet pop up. However, on the average home, Cracked Pepper reads like a VERY (very) dark charcoal gray or a soft and subtle black.

The Ultimate Guide to Paint Colors & Undertones

WHAT WHITE TRIM COLOR GOES WITH CRACKED PEPPER?

Because of its striking depth and lack of obvious undertones, Cracked Pepper is reasonably flexible as to white paint colors.

• BEHR Ultra Pure White would be my first choice
• Sherwin Williams Pure White for a softer contrast
• BEHR Polar Bear, for some playful warmth

The ULTIMATE GUIDE to White Paint Colors

IS BLACK PEPPER A GOOD COLOR FOR THE EXTERIOR OF A HOME?

Black Pepper is as good on siding as it is on steak. Black Pepper’s depth makes it a gorgeous choice for exterior trim or a front door (as long as it suits the surrounding finishes). And if you’re a fan of the current ‘all-black exterior,’ Black Pepper should be in the running as it offers a slightly softer approach. In particular, notice how it contrasts with black windows (assuming you have them, if you’re going for the black-o-black look).

How Your Home’s Exposure Affects Its Paint Color

5 Tips for Choosing an Exterior Paint Color

IS CRACKED PEPPER A GOOD COLOR FOR KITCHEN CABINETS OR ISLANDS?

While not every kitchen can pull off black cabinets, MANY kitchens are itching for a black-inspired island. Make sure the flecks (usually granite) or veining (quartz) in your countertop suit Cracked Pepper’s subtle, stormy backdrop. Some countertops need a slightly green undertone, in which case, Sherwin Williams Iron Ore could be a better choice.

The Best Paint Colors for Kitchen Island & Bathroom Vanities

HOW TO DECORATE YOUR HOME WITH CRACKED PEPPER

Because Cracked Pepper is so dramatic, you can overdo it quickly. If your walls or an accent wall are painted in Cracked Pepper, it’s good to have a few accent pieces (decor/toss cushions/etc.) that also pick up on that soft black.

Another way to tie in a dark shade like Cracked Pepper is to do black door or cabinet hardware or light fixtures with a black metal finish.

WHICH PAINT COLORS GO WITH CRACKED PEPPER?

You know I’m a Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore kinda gal – Sherm and Ben have been my boy toys for a long time. And while I do dabble in Behr and Farrow & Ball, I always revert back to my boys when I’m looking for my tried and true hues. This is why I’m referring to these brands and BEHR with the suggestions below…

BLOBS are just basic representations of the colors listed

• soft, warm grays with violet undertones
• moody, medium-depth, or darker grays with violet undertones
• medium-depth MUTED cinnamon-inspired shades, such as Benjamin Moore’s Giant Sequoia’
• some shades of taupe that lean more into gray than beige
• a gentle terra cotta-style hue such as BEHR’S Terra Cotta Urn
• green-grays like Sherwin William’s Evergreen Fog or the gentle look of BEHR Green Balsam or Incognito (mad love)

WHAT OTHER COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO CRACKED PEPPER?

Comparing paint colors is the BEST way to choose the one that best suits your home’s finishes and OOOO boy, do I have some beauties to share with you!

And remember, more so than paint pots, SAMPLIZE Peel & Stick samples are the best way to compare colors. Sadly, Behr doesn’t work with Samplize, but these other brands do.

• Sherwin Williams Iron Ore (review HERE)
• Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron (review HERE)
• Sherwin Williams Peppercorn (review HERE)

WHAT’S THE HEX CODE & RGB FOR BEHR’S PEPPERCORN?

If you’re looking for the RGB values for Cracked Pepper PPU18-1, they’re 76,77,79. The HEX CODE IS #4C4D4F

READ MORE

The 6 Best Behr Light Gray Paint Colors

Sherwin Williams Evergreen Fog: Color of the Year 2022(and still my fave!)

The 8 Best Black Paint Colors: Benjamin Moore & Sherwin Williams

Not sure which paint color is best for YOUR home?

Check out my Online Paint Color Consulting – I’d love to help!

Chat soon,

The post BEHR’S CRACKED PEPPER: 2024 Color of the Year appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

If you’re looking for the PERFECT shade of warm gray, you’re not alone, and you’ve come to the right place (drink the Koolaid, it’s goooood). Trends are shifting away from cool grays and simple whites into something softer and warmer. And while some are leaning toward beige, many are still on the gray train – they just don’t know which station to get off at!

But aren’t all grays COLD? I mean, they are GRAY.

HECK NO! There are three main types of gray that I deal with in my Online Paint Color Consulting…

WARM GRAY PAINT COLORS

Warm grays are by FAR the most popular shades. With subtle violet or green undertones, these light grays are most often found on walls and cabinets.

Benjamin Moore Rodeo: Paint Color Review

STORMY GRAY PAINT COLORS

Stormy shades of gray are often classified (scientifically) as WARM GRAYS, but to most people, they look ANYTHING but warm. This includes shades like Benjamin Moore Gray Owl and Stonington Gray. Stormy grays can flash blue, green, or violet undertones, whereas warm grays won’t have blue undertones.

Stormy gray paint colors are popular on walls, exteriors, and cabinets. Darker stormy grays, in particular, are popular on kitchen islands.

Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray: Paint Color Review

COOL GRAY PAINT COLORS

As for legitimately COOL grays, they’re only popular in the dark end of things – the light, cool, and icy grays aren’t floatin’ many boats. As for undertones, the most popular cool grays cater to blue-violet, with the odd green popping up here and there. Of course, some grays show little to NO undertone, but this doesn’t mean your exposure, light bulbs, or interior finishes won’t encourage them otherwise.

Benjamin Moore Steel Wool, shown on the lower walls in this entryway, is an example of a popular cool shade of gray (violet-blue undertones)…

Benjamin Moore Steel Wool Paint Color Review

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF A GRAY IS WARM, STORMY, OR COOL?

1. Cool and stormy grays often have a blue undertone but can also have violet (violet-blue) or green-blue

2. Warm grays cater to a green or violet undertone – no blue. If you see dominant blue, this is more about the surrounding environment (exposure/bulbs/etc…) than the color itself.

3. The best way to SEE the above undertones is to COMPARE grays to each other – order 6-8 grays of a similar depth and butt them up to each other (vertical on the wall, with white paper surrounding them – NEVER on your existing wall color).

• Notice how the ‘color’ changes from one color to the next.
• Does one seem ‘more violet/blue/green’ compared to another? You’re looking at a stormy or cool gray if you see more blue.
• Does one seem warmer or cooler than another?
• Do any shades look muddier or earth-toned compared to others? These could be your warm grays.

4. Visit Kylie M Interiors, Online Paint Color Consultant

Now, if you’re ready, we’re focusing on warm shades of gray today because they’re the most popular of the three groups. As for depth, the top dogs sit in the off-white, light, and light-medium ranges (find the best DARK gray paint colors here).

BENJAMIN MOORE’S POPULAR WARM LIGHT GRAY PAINT COLORS

Remember, just because a color is POPULAR doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for your walls, cabinets, or exterior. Make sure the undertones of your chosen gray suits your interior finishes – every gray has undertones!

1. BENJAMIN MOORE COLLINGWOOD OC-28

Collingwood is a light warm gray with a soft violet undertone. Some grays can flex with their undertones – not this one. Collingwood commits to its undertones without being overbearing. In fact, these violet undertones suit more interior finishes than gray-green undertones.

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Collingwood

Regarding popular shades of gray, Collingwood has been a hit with my Online Color Consulting. Warm violet undertones are more likely to suit the average interior finish than blue or green. From there, it’s just about how WARM you want it and how obvious or subtle!

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF COLLINGWOOD

2. BENJAMIN MOORE CLASSIC GRAY OC-23

Classic Gray is another warm gray with a violet undertone, but it’s lighter than Collingwood and a bit more violet-pink.

Why violet-PINK?

Because Classic Gray has a little extra warmth, and with that warmth comes a wink o’ pink (fractional, at best)! And while Classic Gray can be tricky on cabinets due to its depth, it’s SUPER popular on walls.

Benjamin Moore Classic Gray FULL Paint Color Review

Classic Gray is also a hit in the home staging world. It offers a hint of color, without being overwhelming. And while many people SAY they don’t love violet undertones, I’m always surprised to see how many really do once they see them in the right color!

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF CLASSIC GRAY! 

3. BENJAMIN MOORE REVERE PEWTER HC-172

Revere Pewter is amazeballs. Despite considerably warmer trends, Revere Pewter (and Classic Gray) are still strong due to their soft warmth and subtle undertones. But unlike the previous three shades, Revere Pewter has an earthy green undertone. It also has a bit more depth than the others, bordering on the light-medium range, with an LRV of 55.

The above bathroom is about as warm as Revere Pewter looks (and is likely being helped out by lower KELVIN bulbs). This next photo is a more ‘typical’ shot of Revere Pewter in action…

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter

In recent years, Revere Pewter has been a top choice for exterior siding, interior walls, cabinets, and even trims! I used Revere Pewter on my interior doors and kitchen cabinets. While this color choice will limit me in the longterm, I’m sure lovin’ it for now.

This next photo shows my client’s home with Benjamin Moore White Dove and Revere Pewter on the door…

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF REVERE PEWTER

4. BENJAMIN MOORE CUMULUS CLOUD 1550

Cumulus Cloud isn’t as popular as the previous four shades.

Why?

There are two main reasons…

1.  Most people want a lighter, softer approach when choosing a warm gray with a violet undertone. With its LRV of 52.31, Cumulus Cloud is light-medium in depth and not as suited to darker rooms or hallways.

2. Cumulus Cloud has flexible underrtones. This means that while it can grab a subtle violet, the odd wink of green pops up (as shown on the left side of the above photo). The less committed a color is to ONE undertone, the more likely it is to pick up a range. This makes Cumulus Cloud not as popular because many finishes need more commitment to a particular undertone.

CHECK OUT MY ONLINE PAINT COLOUR CONSULTING, COURSES & E-BOOKS!

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF CUMULUS CLOUD

5. BENJAMIN MOORE BALBOA MIST OC-27

Balboa Mist is similar to Collingwood in its overall approach and popularity. As for depth, Balboa Mist is lighter than Collingwood, but darker than Classic Gray, making it a great happy medium between these two shades.

Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist FULL Paint Color Review

Balboa Mist ALSO has a violet undertone that can show up to the party a bit more, especially in north-facing rooms, but again, it’s an undertone that suits many interior finishes. As for temperature, Balboa Mist is definitely a warm gray, but you’ll be hard-pressed to have it lean very far into taupe, and definitely not beige.

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLES OF BALBOA MIST!

6. BENJAMIN MOORE LIGHT PEWTER 1464

Light Pewter is similar to Balboa Mist (#3), with the main difference being TEMPERATURE. While both are warm grays, Light Pewter isn’t quite as warm as Balboa Mist. And while you’d be hard-pressed to have it look super COLD, it can look a titbit nippy in a north-facing room.

But like Balboa Mist, Light Pewter has a violet undertone. In comparison, Balboa Mist can look sliiiiightly violet-pink (the pink being not dominant at ALL).

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF LIGHT PEWTER

Photos found online and/or taken by professionals sometimes distort the color from how it really looks and often aren’t EVEN the right color! I’m proud only to show photos provided by myself or my Online Paint Color Consulting clients. This way, I KNOW that what you’re looking at is the actual color – Thank you for sending your photos in; you make my colorful lil world go round! 

7. BENJAMIN MOORE NIMBUS 1465

Nimbus is like a slightly darker version of Light Pewter. With its LRV of 59.4, Nimbus parks itself in the slightly darker end of the light range.

And while Nimbus has its place, it seems more people fall for Collingwood’s similar but slightly warmer gray approach.

And like most of the others on this page, Nimbus also has a LOVELY violet undertone. While it’s not suuuuuuper subtle, you also won’t feel like Barney did a jig on your walls.

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Nimbus

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF NIMBUS! 

8. BENJAMIN MOORE SILVER SATIN OC-26

Silver Satin is an off-white warm gray – similar to Classic Gray but not quite as warm. It’s because of this reduced warmth that of the two shades, Classic Gray is the more popular choice.

As for undertones, Silver Satin can flash a wee willy wink more violet compared to the previous violet-inspired shades – sometimes a BIT too much, but it depends on the finishes you’re coordinating with and your tolerance level – you might find it JUST perfect!

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Silver Satin

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF SILVER SATIN

PEOPLE ALSO ASK…

WHAT COLORS GO WITH WARM GRAYS, IN PARTICULAR, WHITES?

While it depends on the warm gray you choose, they often like white paint colors with a more passive warmth, not too much yellow. Brighter, more classic shades like these TOP 5 whites offer a bit more contrast and a slightly cleaner approach.

As for actual COLORS, tons look great with warm gray. While it can depend on the exact depth and undertone of the shade you’re coordinating, start with muted shades of gray-blue, darker gray-greens like Benjamin Moore Amherst Gray, and classic navy blues like Hale Navy.

WHICH WARM GRAY PAINT COLOR IS ‘THE’ MOST POPULAR?

According to Samplize, Sherwin Williams Repose Gray is the most popular shade of gray. However, it’s not MY favorite as I don’t trust it to do what I need it to (read its review to learn more).

Sherwin Williams 10 Best WARM Gray Paint Colors

Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter cabinets – see the full project HERE

As for Benjamin Moore, Revere Pewter is the top warm gray shade, followed closely by Classic Gray. This is interesting as Revere Pewter’s green undertone is a bit less likely to humor the ‘average’ interior finish. Regardless, Revere Pewter’s popularity has been strong for years; I even have it on my kitchen cabinets!

HOW DO YOU MAKE GRAY PAINT LOOK WARMER?

The gray trend had us doing gray-on-gray…on gray. It can be tough to transition out. Here are a few tips…

• If you have warm trim, it could make your gray look cooler than it really is (opposites attract). Consider a more moderate shade of white. This won’t stop your walls from looking cool gray, but it won’t ENHANCE them like a warm, creamy white will.
• Try lowering the KELVINS of your light bulbs. This small change can shift the undertones of your gray but also offers more warmth than the brighter or cooler Kelvins.
• Add warm accent colors using toss cushions, decor, and area rugs. Even plants and wood tones can help a cold gray room look more inviting!

FOR MORE TIPS, READ THIS: How to Make Your Gray Walls Look Warmer

READ MORE

Are Gray Paint Colors Still Trendy?

Sherwin Williams 10 Best WARM Gray Paint Colors

Sherwin Williams City Loft: Paint Color Review

What Are the BEST TRUE Gray Paint Colors With NO Undertones?

The 12 Best Light Greige & Taupe Paint Colors

 STOP STRESSING; START PAINTING…

KYLIE M’S ONLINE PAINT COLOR CONSULTING PACKAGES

Chat soon,

The post The 8 Best Warm Grays from Benjamin Moore appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

If I had an extra twoonie (being Canadian) for every one of my clients who wanted to ‘de-beige’ their Tuscan-vibe home, I’d still be doing what I love – I’d just have some serious coin jingle-janglin’ in my pockets.

And while beige is starting to trend again, there are MANY of you still trying to DE-BEIGE your beige-on-beige home – and it isn’t always an easy transition.

So how do you update a beige home? How do you add gray, greige, or taupe when your home is top-to-bottom beige?

You keep reading…

First of all, DID YOU KNOW that beige is coming back? That’s right; beige is said to be the ‘gray of 2023’. In fact, I have blog posts talking about these new, modern beiges…but they’re not what you’re here for.

Second, because beige is coming back doesn’t mean you must love it. And as I alluded to above, I consult DAILY with clients desperate to add some balance to their beige-on-beige homes.

And like them, you might’ve lived with beige SO long that it’s actually coming back in style. 

So, if you’re ready for a fresh start with a cooler approach, I hear you and am here to help.

1. THE BEST GRAY, GREIGE, & TAUPE PAINT COLORS TO GO WITH BEIGE

If your home is beiged-out, there’s a moderate chance you can paint your walls a cooler color. However, it might not be the cool color of your dreams.

Why?

Beige finishes are fussy about their color partners. Often, my clients try to integrate the WRONG cool colors when the right ones are just a few tweaks away (that would be tweaks, not twerks, you crazy animal).

And while I’ve written a detailed blog post about this exact topic (read it, it’s awesome – and yes, I am a bossy lil thang), the gist is that…

Warm finishes don’t love being partnered with colors that are cooler and lighter than them.

Suppose you’ve been looking at colors like Benjamin Moore Collingwood, Gray Owl, Sherwin Williams Repose Gray, and Agreeable Gray. You like these colors, but the finishes in your home don’t agree with you. In this case, they probably aren’t working because they’re not dark enough for your finishes.

This might not be what you want to hear, my dear, but if your current beige finishes are staying-put, AND you want things to look good, you may want to adjust your expectations (said with love, kindness, and a splash of wine for liquid reinforcement).

This backsplash is orange-pink beige.

FUN FACT: Many of my clients refer to their ‘warm-toned finishes’ as being cream or tan. MOST of the time (i.e., 9o+%), these ‘warm-toned finishes’ are actually beige with orange-pink undertones.

When choosing your new paint color, the best place to start is with LRV. While it depends on your home and its particular finishes, a great LRV to start with is 55. If you don’t know what LRV is, it will ROCK your world more than Dwayne Johnson.

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Paint Colors Using LRV

And without getting into which UNDERTONES best suit your particular blend of finishes (as most people have more than one beige finish to accommodate), check out the following:

• Sherwin Williams Argos
• Sherwin Williams Requisite Gray
• Sherwin Williams Versatile Gray
• Benjamin Moore Silver Song (review coming soon)
• Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray
• Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter (definitely hit and miss)
• Sherwin Williams Perfect Greige
• Sherwin Williams Amazing Gray

Again, I can’t for sure tell you the above will work without seeing your room, but they’re a place to start. When comparing your samples, see how they relate to each beige finish in your home, your exposure, trim, and any other hard or soft finishes that need to be considered.

If you’re heading to the paint store to grab samples, stop there! Please check out SAMPLIZE Peel & Stick, an AFFORDABLE, EASIER, and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY choice.

Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE

2. CONSIDER GRAY, GREIGE, OR TAUPE FURNITURE & ACCENT PIECES

If the above colors aren’t jibing with your space, listen reaaallly closely, and you might hear your home whispering that it wants a modern beige paint color. However, even without cool-toned walls, there are still some great ways to add balance to your space.

FURNITURE PIECES

Depending on which best suits your space, consider furniture pieces that are DARKER THAN your beige finishes; they act as ‘accents’ rather than direct competition.

The warm gray chairs in this eating area below ground the space while letting the off-white cabinets and beige walls speak to the finishes in the room…

Sherwin Williams Balanced Beige

ACCENT PIECES

Rather than painting your walls the wrong color, get great visual value out of accent pieces in cool hues of gray, greige, taupe, blue, violet, and green.

As shown in this next room, you can also balance a beige room with other NEUTRALS, including warm white and black…

3. ADD SOME COOL CONTRAST WITH A COOL-TONED KITCHEN ISLAND

Painting your island (or bathroom vanity) is a GREAT way to add some cool balance to your space. In fact, you can make more of an impact with a well-chosen accent color than you will with a ‘half-decently’ chosen cool wall color.

This next kitchen was ‘next-level beige’ with its saturated golden tones…

Sure, in the ideal world, you’d replace one or more of the hard surfaces. But in the REAL world, money talks, and paint listens…

We went beige on the cabinets to coordinate with the room and its needs (Benjamin Moore Maritime White). This is what the kitchen wanted. HOWEVER, we did a beautiful dark green-gray on the island to add a cooler element. While a lighter version of this would fight with the warm finishes, this darker shade ‘accents’ the space.

With its beige/gold-inspired granite countertop, this next space looks much more modern with the painted island and new hardware (which I bet they catch their pockets on ALL THE TIME!)…

Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze is a beautiful contrast to this warm granite countertop

The Best Paint Colors for Kitchen Islands & Bathroom Vanities

4. EMBRACE THE WARMTH OF YOUR ROOM WITH UPDATED DECOR & FURNISHINGS

Don’t be afraid to lean into your home. Almost any beige-on-beige space can look updated with the right furnishings, decor, and texture!

In the above room, I would change the art above the sofa to something a bit lighter/fresher. As for furnishings, what’s there looks beautiful. Find pieces with fewer curves and slightly cleaner lines if you want a more modern look. Dark greige accents would also add a nice balance/dynamic to this space.

This next space has ALLLL the potential to be beautiful. In a space like this, it can be about shifting to a lighter, more modern beige. A lighter shade would shift the energy in this space while still suiting it and keeping things homey and inviting…

5. FIND A TRANSITIONAL COLOUR BETWEEN GRAY & BEIGE

Some rooms can humor a ‘happy medium’ colour that bridges the beige and gray worlds without committing 100% to either.

Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray (below) is a great transitional colour. As you can see, it works with the beige/polished travertine of the fireplace surround…

The 11 BEST Warm Neutral Paint Colours – THAT AREN’T BEIGE!

Realistically, the fireplace surround wants a WARMER color. However, in considering the sectional and area rug as well, Edgecomb Gray is the perfect happy medium.

The stone fireplace in this next living room has slightly cooler hues but a few warmer stones that gladly accommodate Edgecomb Gray…

FULL Paint Colour Review of Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray

6. PAINT AN ACCENT WALL OR INTERIOR DOOR A COOL COLOR

Painting a smaller area with a cool paint colour is one of my FAVOURITE WAYS to add balance to a beige-inspired room.

These small-scale ideas work because on your main walls, you can listen to your home and its specific (and probably warmer) needs. You can then have some FUN and explore cooler hues for an accent wall or the inside of a main door. For example…

• INSIDE OF THE FRONT DOOR (often suits navy blue-hues)
• ACCENT WALL (a wide range of options, depending on the surrounding finishes)
• Again, the KITCHEN ISLAND is a great place for an accent (dark green-gray often suits beige finishes)

While this next kitchen isn’t remotely overwhelmed by beige, the soft shade of green-gray on the back door is a gorgeous accent to this ‘mostly warm’ palette…

And check out how this blue kitchen island adds to the palette of this 1990s kitchen…

And don’t you worry about whether accent walls are trendy or not. A well-placed, well-chosen accent color can be great for almost ANY home…

The above bathroom is SUPER beige, as is the wall behind the headboard, making Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze a beautiful accent!

Where to Paint an Accent Wall & What Color Should It Be?

At the end of the day, the above colour tips are great for nodding toward your personal preferences without sacrificing the needs of your home.

READ MORE

The #1 SECRET to Coordinating Warm & Cool Colors

The Best MODERN Beige & Tan Paint Colors

6 Budget-Friendly Home Update Ideas

The Best Warm Neutral Paint Colors THAT AREN’T BEIGE! 

NEED HELP?

CHECK OUT MY ONLINE PAINT COLOR CONSULTING!

Chat soon,

The post 5 IDEAS: HOW TO DE-BEIGE YOUR HOME appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

While white is the most timeless (safest) choice for kitchen cabinets, many have fallen in love with the softer approach of off-white and light-depth cabinets. And while they come with their challenges, non-white cabinets have taken over our Instagram feeds as the ‘go-to’ colors for kitchen cabinets.

And of these more subtle warm neutrals, there’s one color that my Online Color Consulting clients have been craving – Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray.

While some see Agreeable Gray as a considerably warm gray, it’s more of a greige-taupe. This flexibility, combined with a MINIMAL undertone, means that Agreeeable Gray is THE hot color for kitchen cabinets.

WHY?

When coordinating wall colors with cabinet colors, it’s ideal if at least 20 LRV points (or more) are in between the two colors. With an LRV of 60, Agreeable Gray partners with a few off-whites, soft whites, bright whites, and colors in the softer end of the medium range (-40 LRV). But don’t get me wrong, while this versatility is good, you still have to pay close attention to depth and undertone – the world is NOT your colorful oyster.

But that’s an entire blog post unto itself…

The Pros & Cons of OFF-WHITE Painted Kitchen Cabinets

So, let’s jump in and see if Agreeable Gray is THE paint color you’ve been looking for…

AGREEABLE GRAY KITCHEN CABINETS: PALETTE #1

In this first home, you’ll see Agreeable Gray cabinets, partnered with Sherwin Williams Snowbound on the walls and Iron Ore on the island…

Why does this combo work?

Snowbound has an LRV of 83, making it a soft, warm white, and 23 points away from Agreeable Gray’s LRV of 60. But not only does the LRV difference make these two great coordinating colors, the undertones fit well together.

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Paint Colors Using LRV

AGREEABLE GRAY KITCHEN CABINETS: PALETTE #2

In this next kitchen, while the backsplash is TBA (I have the photos somewhere, I need to find them!), you can see how Agreeable Gray coordinates with Sherwin Williams Pure White…

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of Agreeable Gray

SAMPLIZE offers peel-and-stick paint samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER, and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots. Plus, samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1 DAY (most locations).

Pure White has an LRV of 84, making it one of the best shades of white with Agreeable Gray cabinets. Also, notice the EVER-lovely Urbane Bronze on the island. Being a warm greige with a green undertone, Urbane Bronze is a goooorgeous coordinating color with Agreeable Gray and the White Macaubus quartzite countertops.

The 5 Most Fool-Proof White Paint Colors for Your Home

AGREEABLE GRAY KITCHEN CABINETS: PALETTE #3

This next home is one of my faves, as not only is it gorgeous and homey, it was done on a BOX O’ WINE BUDGET (a girl after my own heart). As shown below, I’m sure this kitchen was designed in the early 2000s, with medium-toned wood cabinets and a beige laminate countertop (the oak floor is more mid-90s)…

My client and her hubs put blood, sweat, and beers into this kitchen, using Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray as their cabinet color…

And I would love to tell you all about the ‘painted tile backsplash, salvaged marble countertop, and price tag of $3500’, but I’ll let this blog post tell it all.

So, what do you think? Is Agreeable Gray the cabinet color for you? Or do you need to explore MORE off-white and light-depth options?

READ MORE

The Best Off-White & Light Depth Paint Colors for Cabinets

The Best Whole Home Gray & Greige Paint Colors

How to Create a Timeless Home with Personality

NEED HELP?

CHECK OUT MY ONLINE PAINT COLOR CONSULTING & COURSES! 

Chat soon, 

The post The BEST Light Greige Cabinet Color: SHERWIN WILLIAMS AGREEABLE GRAY appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

With design trends leaning warmer by the day, I’m getting more and more requests for warm paint colors, ESPECIALLY greige, and taupe.

Does this mean that beige and cream are becoming more popular too? YOU BET YOUR BOOTY THEY ARE, but I’ve got other blog posts for those bad boys. Today, we’re looking at the TOP greige and taupe paint colors for you and your home.

But first…

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GREIGE & TAUPE

MANY of my clients and readers ask if greige is the same as taupe, and the answer is NO. There are MANY ways of defining these two colors, and not everyone agrees (and that’s cool beans with me). In my crazy lil colour world, greige and taupe are separated by one main difference…

UNDERTONE

What is an undertone? Have you ever picked a ‘neutral’ paint colour, only to find your walls look blue, green, violet, or some other surprising hue? That’s an undertone. This is why so many grays look blue, beiges look orange, and creams look yellow – they ALL HAVE UNDERTONES. And so do greige and taupe.

GREIGE HAS A GREEN UNDERTONE (green-yellow)

TAUPE HAS A VIOLET UNDERTONE (violet-pink)

Some people lump them all together using ONE of the above terms – either greige OR taupe. Others switch them around as they think taupe has a green undertone and greige has a violet undertone. LONG STORY SHORT, you do you, boo. The main goal is to choose the UNDERTONE you want and worry about the name of the colour later (or never).

Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray (which you’ll read about below)

BTW, a few of the colors recommended below BORDER the warm gray worlds AS WELL AS the beige worlds.

Why?

Our perception of paint colors CHANGES based on the room they’re in. A warm gray that looks a bit too chilly for a north-facing room can warm up and look like the PERFECT TAUPE in a south-facing room. A beige that looks too warm for a south-facing room can look perfectly grayed out and TAUPE-ISH in a north-facing space.

LEFT: Benjamin Moore Classic Gray / RIGHT: Benjamin Moore Pale Oak

Perception also applies REGARDLESS of a room’s exposure. What I see as a taupe, you might see as a warm gray. A colour that seems AWFULLY TAUPE TO ME could look pretty darn greige to you.

ARE GREIGE & TAUPE STILL TRENDY?

When it comes to the most popular colors, greige, and taupe are DEFINITELY in style. Many are shifting out of gray and craving something warmer, but today’s modern beiges go too far. This is where greige and taupe come in handy.

This is also why covering a RANGE of colors is good, to see which one hits YOUR happy place.

1. SHERWIN WILLIAMS MODERN GRAY 7632

Modern Gray is a taupe paint colour that’s slowly growing in popularity – largely due to the shift in trends. And while its undertone is super passive, its soft taupe approach can be a great happy medium between finishes that lean into the gray-violet world and a homeowner who prefers the warmer end of things.

However, because of the subtlety of its undertone, don’t be surprised if Modern Gray picks up a vague flash of green in the right situation! The LESS committed a neutral is to its undertone, the more likely it is to respond to its environment and pick up others.

Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Modern Gray

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF MODERN GRAY 

2. BENJAMIN MOORE PALE OAK OC-20

Many of my clients mention Pale Oak as an option when they want a relatively neutral gray. Trust me, Pale Oak ain’t gray, and it SURE as heck ain’t neutral!

That’s right, while Pale Oak’s undertones can be quite passive, but in some rooms, they lean reasonably well into a warm pink hue (as shown below)…

Paint Colour Review of Benjamin Moore Pale Oak

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF PALE OAK!

3. SHERWIN WILLIAMS AGREEABLE GRAY 7029

While Agreeable Gray passes as a warm gray in some rooms, it’s really a greige at heart. But while some greiges lean HARDER into their warm base, Agreeable Gray is a more subtle nod to warmth with SUPER subtle and flexible undertones.

Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF AGREEABLE GRAY!

4. BENJAMIN MOORE EDGECOMB GRAY HC-173

Hands-down, Edgecomb Gray has the LEAST undertone as it relates to the most popular greige and taupe paint colors, to the point where it’s hard to really say whether it IS a greige or taupe.

PHOTO V1 PHOTOGRAPHY

Paint Colour Review of Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF EDGECOMB GRAY!

5. SHERWIN WILLIAMS WORLDLY GRAY 7043

While Worldly Gray is like the redheaded stepchild compared to the popularity of Agreeable Gray, it can be a beautiful choice for those wanting a wink more green in their greige. And I say this lightly, as the green is still SUPER subtle.

You’ll also see that Worldly Gray is a touch WARMER than Agreeable Gray. This means that if you have a north-facing room and find AG a touch nipply, Worldly Gray will give you a wink more passive warmth.

Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Worldly Gray

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF WORLDLY GRAY!

6. SHERWIN WILLIAMS POPULAR GRAY 6071

When it comes to taupe paint colors, Popular Gray is at the top of MY list. With its ‘slightly more noticeable than average’ violet undertone, Popular Gray is a great way to add warmth to your walls while still nodding at finishes that prefer the grayer end of things.

Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Popular Gray

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF POPULAR GRAY

NEED HELP? CHECK OUT MY ONLINE PAINT COLOUR CONSULTING!

7. SHERWIN WILLIAMS EGRET WHITE 7570

Admittedly, Egret White is DARN CLOSE to being a warm gray, not a taupe, but given the right environment, it acts like the PRETTIEST TAUPE on the market. With INCREDIBLY passive undertones and an almost off-white LRV of 70, Egret White is a beautiful choice for almost any room.

Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Egret White

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF EGRET WHITE!

8. BENJAMIN MOORE CLASSIC GRAY OC-23

Just like Egret White, Classic Gray is more warm gray than anything, but holy heck, can it look perfectly taupe in the right space.

Paint Colour Review of Benjamin Moore Classic Gray

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF CLASSIC GRAY!

9. BENJAMIN MOORE LONDON FOG 1541

London Fog is a great shade if you like a neutral with a bit more meat on its bones. With an LRV of 56, London Fog sits on the DARK SIDE of the light range. And along with this slightly lower LRV, it’s known to play a few Jedi mind tricks related to undertones.

Paint Colour Review of Benjamin Moore London Fog

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF LONDON FOG!

10. SHERWIN WILLIAMS INCREDIBLE WHITE 7028

While Incredible White is popular in some crowds, it’s not MY personal favorite.

Why?

While Incredible White has beautiful taupe undertones of violet and pink, it has a LOT of them. While some are looking for this commitment to colour, I find that most of my clients prefer a more subtle approach to these particular hues, honing on more on the likes of Benjamin Moore Classic Gray, Egret White, and City Loft.

Of course, this doesn’t mean it’s not the right colour for YOU; make sure you compare it with other colors and are okay with how its undertones sit in your space.

Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Incredible White

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF INCREDIBLE WHITE!

10. SHERWIN WILLIAMS VERSATILE GRAY 6072

With its LRV of 48, Versatile Gray is a popular but slightly darker taupe paint colour. With this LRV, Versatile Gray sits in the light-medium range – popular for BRIGHT rooms and those wanting to see a bit more contrast with their white trim.

Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Versatile Gray

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF VERSATILE GRAY!

11. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ANEW GRAY 7030

While Anew Gray is listed as a slightly darker version of Agreeable Gray, its undertones are even MORE passive and less committed. This means that while it CAN grab a touch of green or violet – it doesn’t really love to grab either unless encouraged to do so (based on surroundings, exposures, and light bulbs).

Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Anew Gray

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF ANEW GRAY

12. BENJAMIN MOORE CEDAR KEY OC-16

Cedar Key is a SUPER ninja. While it favors the beige end of things, put it in the right room (i.e., north-facing), and it can look surprisingly TAUPE. Cedar Key can be a great option if you have finishes that CATER to beige, but you want your walls to add a new layer while still COORDINATING with your finishes.

Paint Colour Review: Benjamin Moore Cedar Key

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF CEDAR KEY

Did these colors hit the spot? Are you looking for greige and taupe paint colors with more DEPTH? KEEP READING!

READ MORE

Sherwin Williams 10 Best WARM Gray Paint Colors

The 8 Best WARM Gray Paint Colors from Benjamin Moore

How to Pick Paint Colours When You’re An OVERTHINKER (OR HAVE ANXIETY)

The 6 Best DARKER Greige & Taupe Paint Colours – Sherwin Williams

Benjamin Moore’s 8 Best DARKER Greige & Taupe Paint Colours

NEED HELP?

CHECK OUT MY ONLINE COLOUR CONSULTING PACKAGES

Chat soon,

The post The 12 Best LIGHT Taupe & Greige Paint Colors (Benjamin/Sherwin) appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

Have you been looking for the perfect gray paint color for your cabinets and are currently looking at 50 shades of them? Are you leaning towards the slightly WARMER end without jumping on the cream or beige train? Revere Pewter HC-172, might be just the color you’ve been looking for!

However, it has some serious conditions, as not ALL grays are created equal – Revere Pewter is definitely a step outside the standard gray box.

WHAT TYPE OF GRAY IS REVERE PEWTER?

Revere Pewter is a WARM gray, meaning it has a bit of ‘dirt’ or beige. Will it ever look BEIGE on your cabinets? Heck no, it’s not THAT warm; it’s just not anywhere near the more traditional gray world.

Kylie M Interiors / Rick Pharaoh Photography / Lewis Remodelling / Revere Pewter 25% darker

WHAT ARE THE UNDERTONES OF REVERE PEWTER?

While it might look like a pretty true gray in some light, it has a green undertone, and THIS is where it gets tricky. Many popular white quartz countertops cater to a violet undertone, not a green one. Some still partner these quartz countertops with Revere Pewter and enjoy the play of differing undertones (myself included). However, others are fussy about these partnerships.

Let’s look at Revere Pewter in my client’s kitchen, with lightened Edgecomb Gray on the walls and a more modern-style quartz counter…

This next photo shows how warm and green Revere Pewter (darkened) is compared to Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray’s more stormy, cool look.

The 3 Undertones of Gray You NEED to Consider! 

The Best ALMOST TRUE Gray Paint Colours

THE DEPTH OF REVERE PEWTER ON CABINETS – SHOULD YOU DARKEN IT?

Revere Pewter has an LRV of 55.05, which means it’s a light-depth paint colour, but it’s darn close to being a light-medium depth as it has a bit more meat on its bones.

Revere Pewter is regular strength in the above kitchen; the countertop is unknown

However, you might find that the sheen of cabinet paint (the recommended SATIN finish) makes the Revere Pewter appear a bit lighter than you expect, especially if you’ve seen it on walls (in a matte or eggshell finish). For this reason, I OFTEN suggest darkening Revere Pewter by 25% or 50% – heck, get samples made up of both. Painting kitchen cabinets is a MASSIVE PROJECT; it’s well worth taking your time with sampling!

If you think Revere Pewter might be too dark for your kitchen, explore colors with a higher LRV, such as Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray, Egret White, and MORE HERE. Remember, the lighter your cabinet color is (other than white), the harder it can be to find a coordinating wall color.

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF REVERE PEWTER

In this next beautiful kitchen by Lewis Remodelling, the Revere Pewter cabinets are darkened by 25%…

See the FULL REMODEL HERE

IS REVERE PEWTER OUTDATED OR STILL TRENDY FOR 2024?

Regarding your walls, no, Revere Pewter isn’t outdated and still has a place in the average home – as long as the home has good natural light. This is because while cool grays aren’t trendy, warm grays work well, especially when they’re well-chosen based on the surrounding finishes. If your home is dark, Revere Pewter will look heavy and drab, which is not currently on trend for this type of color. Revere Pewter is also HOT on exteriors.

As for cabinets, Revere Pewter is still trendy, again, thanks to its earthy, warm undertones. This isn’t to say it will stick around forever, but you’ll get MUCH more out of it than a traditional cooler gray, especially if you darken it a bit.

Why? 

Darkening Revere Pewter makes it a bit more flexible to a range of wall colors that look good with it, such as a lightened version of Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray, White Dove, Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White, and several other subtle warm neutrals.

WHY I REGRET REVERE PEWTER ON MY CABINETS

I chose Revere Pewter for the cabinets in my kitchen and had it darkened by approximately 25% to give it more depth. I paired it with the off-white quartz Cambria Brittanica Warm, which is STUNNING with Revere Pewter…

Because our home has a pretty open floor plan, I also painted our secondary doors (bedroom, laundry room, bathroom) Revere Pewter (50% darker) to create a visual link, and I LOVE the look of them with white trim (Benjamin Moore White Dove)…

As you can see in these next two photos, I changed the layout of the cabinets, giving us WAY more upper cabinet space!

But truth be told, I regret choosing Revere Pewter for my cabinets and doors.

Why?

First of all, I regret MOST of my choices because I always ‘long for the color I didn’t choose‘ – the nature of the profession. But the actual REASON I regret Revere Pewter, is that it limits the paint colour options for my WALLS – that’s right, my walls.

Revere Pewter is a light to light-medium depth warm gray with a green undertone. To get any kind of contrast with the walls, my walls need to be white or off-white with undertones that suit Revere Pewter (limiting). I LOVE to change things up at least yearly, and even though I desperately want to paint my walls a light or light-medium depth paint colour – I can’t, as Revere Pewter already takes up that position.

If I paint the walls a light-depth colour that’s NOT Revere Pewter, they’ll fight each other.

Therefore, I’m stuck with a palette of Revere Pewter with white, off-white, OR a considerably darker color on the walls (which I don’t want for the entire open concept of my home).

In ALL of the above photos, the walls are Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray (lightened to provide contrast), but recently, I’ve changed the walls to Benjamin Moore White Dove (due to lack of choice, although I still love the look). 

SHOULD YOU PAINT YOUR CABINETS BM REVERE PEWTER?

If you’re the type of person who chooses a color and sticks with it MANY moons, then don’t let the above sway you. If you love something regardless of whether it’s trendy and will still love it when it’s NOT trendy, fill yer lil gray boots! And hey, if you’re happy with warm white/off-white walls OR a medium to medium-dark colour forever and ever, amen – PAINT AWAY, MY FRIEND! But if, like me, you love to change things up occasionally, Revere Pewter WILL severely limit your future options.

Now, let’s round this all up with some bullet points…

PROS TO BENJAMIN MOORE REVERE PEWTER CABINETS

• warm grays and are popular right now on cabinets, as are other off-white and light-depth colors
• if you’re looking for a greige paint color for your cabinets, depending on your perception, Revere Pewter covers that, as it’s quite a warm gray
• it gives a different look compared to the standard gray cabinets being installed by many builders
• it’s a unique colour

CONS TO BENJAMIN MOORE REVERE PEWTER CABINETS

• you’ll have a hard time finding coordinating countertops compared to cooler or stormier grays

• the depth of it will limit your wall colour choices

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF REVERE PEWTER from Samplize! 

IS REVERE PEWTER A GOOD TRIM COLOR?

Now THAT’S a very on-trend question! Right now, non-white trims and doors are having a moment. And while some homes (particularly OLD homes) will suit them forever and ever amen, this trend will pass in the average home.

As shown on my Revere Pewter doors, below (50% darkened), it’s a great partner to various white paint colors. If you want SOME gray but are nervous about painting all of your trim, this idea is a great happy medium…

Benjamin Moore White Dove trim, lightened Edgecomb Gray walls

Overall, Revere Pewter looks great on interior doors and trims (and exteriors…and walls), if you want a soft, warm gray, greige look. Just remember, this depth of color makes it tricky to paint your walls anything other than a white, subtle off-white, or a color that’s DARKER than Revere Pewter.

READ MORE

The Best Gray & Greige Paint Colours for Cabinets

6 Questions to Ask Before You Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets White

Should You Paint Your Cabinets or Leave Them STAINED? A QUESTIONNAIRE! 

The TOP 10 Timeless Interior Finishes

NEED HELP?

Check out my Online Paint Colour Consulting! 

The post Is Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter the Best Warm Gray Cabinet Color? appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

Are you not a big fan of white cabinets? Do you want to update your wood cabinets with paint but want a softer approach? Well, have I got some beautiful shades for you!

HOWEVER, before we start, you know I ALWAYS have an opinion. The difference between MY opinion and that of your sister, mother, and nosy neighbor is that mine is based on experience and knowledge (seriously, I’m NOT trying to toot my own horn; I’m just keeping it real). This means that it’s not personal. What I suggest, or mention has less to do with personal tastes and more with helping YOU find the best paint color for you and your home. Heck, you’re the one that has to live in it, and I want to make YOU happy!

The above is my lead-in to saying that while they’re TRENDY and undeniably beautiful, off-white cabinets come with some risks. And because this is a topic UNTO ITSELF, I’ll summarize it here, while giving you a link to the full blog post shortly.

Backsplash is TBA

WHY OFF-WHITE CABINETS ARE TRICKY

• they will GREATLY limit you in your paint color choice for your walls (you’ll learn why in the previously mentioned blog post)
• they’re trendy NOW, but so were cream cabinets in the early 2000s (that most of my current clients are cursing and trying to change)

That said, I totally understand if you’re not swayed and can’t wait to pick the PERFECT off-white paint color for your home. Keep in mind, I have light-depth cabinets in my OWN home, so I get it – I’m preachin’ to my own personal choir!

1. SHERWIN WILLIAMS AGREEABLE GRAY 7029

Agreeable Gray can be a gorgeous choice for kitchen cabinets. Being a light depth greige with MINOR undertones, it accommodates a wide range of countertops and backsplashes.

Agreeable Gray is also a great choice as it’s not overly warm OR cold, giving you more flexibility down the road.

Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray

Get your PEEL & STICK sample HERE

SIMILAR PAINT COLORS TO COMPARE WITH AGREEABLE GRAY

Because you should NEVER pick a paint color without comparing it to others.

• Benjamin Moore Collingwood
• Benjamin Moore Rodeo
• Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter
• Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray
• Sherwin Williams Repose Gray

Remember, even if colors have things in common, there will ALWAYS be shifts in LRV (depth), undertones, or temperature (or all three). It’s about COMPARING colors to see which key features best suit your interior finishes!

Why Agreeable Gray is The Best Light Depth Cabinet Color 

2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS MODERN GRAY 7632

If you want a slightly softer approach, Modern Gray is lighter and a bit WARMER than Agreeable Gray. However, it has a VERY similar look with passive warmth and subtle undertones.

While the natural light distorts the bottom left corner of this photo, you can expect Modern Gray to look more like the top cabinets and far right.

SIMILAR PAINT COLORS TO COMPARE WITH MODERN GRAY – COMPARISON IS KEY!

• Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray
• Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist
• Sherwin Williams Popular Gray

Paint Color Review: Sherwin Williams Modern Gray

Get your PEEL & STICK sample HERE

3. SHERWIN WILLIAMS WHITE DUCK 7010

White Duck is one of the FEW exceptions to my hesitation with off-white paint colors. Sometimes, a kitchen needs the subtle softness of off-white cabinets to suit the surrounding finishes. This is OFTEN the case with some of the warmer, popular granite countertops from the early 2000s.

White Duck is like a MODERN cream paint color. While it has a yellow hue, it’s grounded by a neutral base. This base has White Duck looking CONSIDERABLY calmer than the cream cabinets of the early to mid-2000s.

SIMILAR COLORS TO COMPARE WITH WHITE DUCK

• Sherwin Williams Shoji White
• Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White
• Benjamin Moore Ballet White
• Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray

Paint Color Review: Sherwin Williams White Duck

Get your PEEL & STICK sample HERE

4. BENJAMIN MOORE CLASSIC GRAY OC-23

I love Classic Gray, and it’s definitely one of the more popular off-white warm gray paint colors. Just keep in mind that it can look a bit warmer than expected on kitchen cabinets (there’s a reason for this, but I won’t nerd out on you…this time).

Paint Color Review: Benjamin Moore Classic Gray

Get your PEEL & STICK sample HERE

SIMILAR COLORS TO COMPARE WITH CLASSIC GRAY

• Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist
• Benjamin Moore Collingwood
• Sherwin Williams Egret White
• Sherwin Williams City Loft

BTW, there will ALWAYS be shifts in LRV (depth), undertones, or temperature (or all three). COMPARE COMPARE COMPARE!

5. BENJAMIN MOORE REVERE PEWTER HC-172

Ahhhh, here is where my weakness lays (well, here, and with Ryan Reynolds, who I’d lay with any time – just joking, Tim). Revere Pewter is a light depth warm gray paint color. With its subtle green undertone, it can be a pretty match OR complement to some of the popular white quartz countertops – INCLUDING MINE!

See our kitchen remodel HERE

That’s right; Revere Pewter is the color I chose for my cabinets. However, cabinets often look a bit lighter than you’d expect due to the finish of cabinet paint. To account for this, I darkened my cabinets approximately 25%, just to put a bit more meat on their bones. My kitchen is above, and my client’s kitchen is below; BOTH are approx. 25% darker.

See more of this gorgeous space HERE

Is Revere Pewter the BEST Choice For You & Your Cabinets?

Get your PEEL & STICK sample HERE

SIMILAR COLORS TO COMPARE WITH REVERE PEWTER

• Sherwin Williams Worldly Gray
• Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray
• Sherwin Williams Amazing Gray
• Benjamin Moore Rodeo

6. SHERWIN WILLIAMS AESTHETIC WHITE 7035

I LOVE Aesthetic White for walls and cabinets. Again, many granite countertops and tile backsplashes don’t suit white cabinets. In these cases, a soft neutral like Aesthetic White can come in DARN HANDY.

Aesthetic White is an off-white beige. However, rather than being a traditionally warm beige, it’s like it’s been gently dipped in GRAY.

You might not see this wink of gray; compared to most previous colors, it will look warmer. HOWEVER, as far as beige/tan paint colors go, it’s pretty darn muted.

Paint Color Review: Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White

Get your PEEL & STICK sample HERE

SIMILAR COLORS TO COMPARE WITH AESTHETIC WHITE

Because you should NEVER pick a paint color without comparing it to others.

• Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige
• Benjamin Moore Winds Breath

7. SHERWIN WILLIAMS MODERATE WHITE 6140

While Moderate White isn’t one of the TRENDY choices, it’s often on the hit list when a home calls for off-white cabinets.

Why isn’t Moderate White as popular?

The more popular off-white cabinet colors are in the warm gray, greige, taupe, and tan families. Moderate White is a beige, so it has an ORANGE undertone. But holy heck, does it suit a lot of interior finishes!

And because I rely 100% on photos from my E-design clients, I don’t have photos of this bad boy on cabinets. But seriously, check it out; it could work for YOU!

SIMILAR COLORS TO COMPARE WITH MODERATE WHITE

• Sherwin Williams Panda White
• Sherwin Williams Divine White
• Benjamin Moore Maritime White
• Benjamin Moore Feather Down
• Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White

If I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again…

Between colors, there will ALWAYS be shifts in LRV, undertones, or temperature (or all three). It’s about COMPARING colors to see which key features best suit your interior finishes!

Paint Color Review: Sherwin Williams Moderate White

Get your PEEL & STICK sample HERE

8. SHERWIN WILLIAMS EGRET WHITE 7570

With trends leaning warmer – not just on cabinets, but on walls, I see Egret White being a pretty big hit all around. And while it can be slightly warm for some of the popular quartz countertops, it could be PERFECT for yours!

Like Moderate White, I don’t have a sample of it in action on cabinets, but here it is as a sample (far right)…

This is a kitchen that DOESN’T want white cabinets! 

Egret White is a bit darker than Classic Gray, but has a similar approach: a warm gray/taupe that can lean warmer on cabinets than expected.

SIMILAR COLORS TO COMPARE WITH EGRET WHITE

There are some GORGEOUS options to compare with Egret White, all having their own take on depth, warmth, and undertones.

• Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist
• Sherwin Williams Classic Gray
• Sherwin Williams City Loft

Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Egret White

Get your PEEL & STICK sample HERE

And lastly, let’s talk about Benjamin Moore’s Creamy White.

BENJAMIN MOORE CREAMY WHITE AS A CABINET PAINT COLOR

I have nothing against Creamy White; she’s a lovely gal and is used with GREAT success in the kitchen of Studio McGee. But just as with ANY paint color, this doesn’t mean she’ll work in your home.

Creamy White is warmer than all of the above options with more saturation (chroma/color). It’s still neutral, but has more meat on its bones…very creamy bones (a slight flashback to the early 2000s in the wrong space). And it can look gorgeous, I get it, but here are only TWO situations where I would consider Creamy White…

1. You’re doing pretty much EXACTLY what Shea has done. Unless you CAREFULLY COORDINATE, as Shea did, you could get some seriously clashing undertones.
2. Your finishes specifically match Creamy White. MATCHING is different from coordinating. Shae coordinated warm/cool, which takes some serious skill. I’m talking about you having finishes that have Creamy White actually IN them to connect with.

Personally, I wouldn’t do Creamy White and have YET to consider it for my clients. But hey, you do you, boo. I’m just here to give you the best advice I’ve got to get you on the right path! If I were to choose a color that politely winks at cream, I’d look at Benjamin Moore Natural Cream for a SUPER muted approach.

Get your PEEL & STICK sample HERE

READ MORE

SHOULD You Paint Your Cabinets an Off-White Paint Color?

Sherwin Williams Origami White: Paint Color Review

The Best Greige Paint Color for Cabinets – Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray

The Best Wall Paint Colors with Cream Cabinets

How to Update Cream Cabinets or Trim: COMMON QUESTIONS

6 Questions to Ask BEFORE You Paint Your Cabinets White

NEED HELP?

CHECK OUT MY ONLINE COLOR CONSULTING PACKAGES

Chat soon,

The post The 8 Best Off-White & Light Neutral Paint Colors for Cabinets (PART 2) appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

A south-facing room can be one of the most satisfying rooms to choose paint colors for. Unlike a north-facing room, which relies heavily on paint color and lighting to feel lively, a south-facing room feels warm and inviting all on its own as it gets direct infusions of natural sunlight all day long.

The most important (and complicated) thing to remember about a south-facing room is that the quality of natural sunlight changes throughout the day. Overall, southern light is warm and yellow-toned, yet it can wash colors out when the sun is at its peak. So, a color that looks ‘just perfect’ in the morning and evening might appear washed out at noon. A color that looks perfect in the middle of the day might become too bright in the morning and over-the-top glowing in the late afternoon.

So what do you do?

It’s VITAL that you look at your paint color samples through a full day – or even several days! See which colors hold their own through the hours and which wash out. Which colors make the room feel more balanced, and which ones make you feel overheated and off-balance.

Decorating is about balance and it’s important to balance out your room’s warm and cool levels.

BTW: I rely 100% on photos from my E-Design clients (thank you all!). I do my best to include photos of south-facing rooms in the examples, but some photos are only for color viewing purposes.

Now, on to the fun stuff!

THE TWO TYPES OF SOUTH-FACING ROOMS

Not all rooms are created equal. Just because you have a room with southern exposure, doesn’t mean it will act like EVERY OTHER ROOM with the same exposure. There are two basic types of south-facing rooms…

1. A SOUTH-FACING ROOM WITH A LOT OF WINDOWS

This type of south-facing room has TONS of natural sunlight due to the amount of window space. On hot days, these rooms not only look warm, but they ARE warm. Adding a cool color to a room like this is a great way to lower the visual heat, making it appear more comfortable and balanced.

This room might not look warm right now, but wait until summer! 

LIGHT PAINT COLORS

A well-lit south-facing room can look great with a light paint color on the walls, but keep in mind, depending on HOW light the color is, it may appear washed out in the middle of the day when the sun is at its highest. 

MEDIUM-DEPTH PAINT COLORS

A medium-depth paint color can also work well in a well-lit room and tends to balance intense light quite nicely. 

DARK PAINT COLORS

A bright room can look awesome painted a dark color, especially in the cooler range, as it would help balance the warm rays coming in the window.

Learn About Light, Medium, & Dark Depth Paint Colors with LRV

2. A DARK SOUTH-FACING ROOM 

Without the ‘brightness’ you’d find in a well-lit south-facing room, these low-light rooms can feel more suffocating than the southern ones with a lot of natural light streaming in. This reduced natural light can be due to a few reasons:

• Small windows
• There are not enough windows for the size of the room
• A deck overhang blocking the light
• A lot of landscaping directly outside the window
• Trees block the majority of the sunlight from coming in

A south-facing room with reduced natural light can generally handle light, medium, and dark colors.

LIGHT PAINT COLORS

These work well to visually perk up a low-light room. I particularly like the ones in the softer, stormier cool range (as shown below) rather than the icy cold end of things. Light, cool colors add vitality and energy to a space that can sometimes feel a bit heavy with heat. Remember, if the room doesn’t have much light at all (exterior or interior), you might want to read this blog post on dark rooms.

MEDIUM-DEPTH PAINT COLORS

The medium-toned range can also work well in a south-facing room that doesn’t have a ton of light coming in. Like with well-lit rooms, I find that they balance the light quite nicely but will create a cozier, more intimate look.

DARK PAINT COLORS

Dark colors can add personality and interest to a darker south-facing room – grounding the room and adding an intense balance to the effects of the sun’s rays – however limited they are. But be careful not to go too dark. If you truly have one wee tiny little window, you may not have enough natural light to balance out the weight of a dark color, especially if you don’t have adequate lighting.

THE TOP PAINT COLORS FOR SOUTHERN EXPOSURE ROOMS

These colors aren’t guaranteed to work in EVERY south-facing room, but they’re a great place to start. Remember to consider your interior finishes as well, as they take precedence over your room’s exposure. 

1. BENJAMIN MOORE GRAY OWL OC 52

Gray Owl is a lovely soft shade of gray that leans to the cool side with its subtle green undertone. However, it’s a sneaky lil bugger and can easily pick up a blue undertone, either a committed one or blended with green. Gray Owl is softer and lighter than Stonington Gray (shown below) and has less of a cold blue undertone (because of the strong green in it).

The LRV of Gray Owl is 65.0, so it will reflect some decent light back into the room – not tons, but some. It also means that at the peak of a sunny day, it could lose a lot of its beautiful color and depth, but once the sun shifts, it will come right on back. It can also be lovely in a low-light south-facing room, but it is definitely more muted and stormier.

Paint Color Review: Benjamin Moore Gray Owl

Kylie M’s YOUTUBE Color Review of Gray Owl! 

2. BENJAMIN MOORE STONINGTON GRAY HC 170

Stonington Gray is a steady light (almost light-medium) gray with a slightly stormy blue undertone. Stonington is a light gray paint color, but it feels a bit heavier than many of the lighter grays on this page.

Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray and Gray Owl – What’s the Big Difference?

The LRV of Stonington Gray is 59.0, so it will add SOME, but not TONS, of light to your room. This also means that in a super bright room, it will hold its color a bit better than a color with a higher LRV. One thing to consider is because south-facing light is warm (yellowish) and Stonington Gray is cold (blue), sometimes, when they’re mixed together, you’ll get a vague hint of green, which is a color that is tucked WAAAAAAY back in Stonington Gray (and doesn’t usually show up to the party).

Paint Color Review of Stonington Gray

Kylie M’s YOUTUBE Paint Color Review of Stonington Gray

3. BENJAMIN MOORE GRANT BEIGE HC 83

Grant Beige is undoubtedly one of the more neutral/warm colors on this page. However, it’s not a traditionally warm color that flashes yellow, orange, or red. It has a nice grounded base, which cuts back any golden tendencies, and can even pick up a weee tiny wink o’ green. If you have a south-facing room and DON’T like cold paint colors, this could be a way to go warm without tipping the scales into the golden hues.

The LRV of Grant Beige is 56, meaning it won’t reflect much light into a room. So, in a low-light south-facing room, it won’t make the room feel OVERLY heavy, nor any lighter, but you might find it a bit murky looking. In a reasonably well-lit room, it will be at its peak of perfection and offer a nice neutral backdrop to your furnishings.

Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Grant Beige

NEED HELP?

Check out my ONLINE PAINT COLOR PACKAGES – let me make it easy for you! 

4. BENJAMIN MOORE BALLET WHITE OC 9

Ballet White is one of my FAVE neutrals (right up there with Edgecomb Gray, coming up next). It mixes tan and gray (so greige) with a strong creamy base. The cream and the tan are stronger than the gray, and this comes a bit more into play in a south-facing room, without making things overheat.

Ballet White is one of the lighter neutrals on this page and is great if you’re looking for a versatile, easy choice. However, it WILL wash out in a WELL-lit south-facing room.

If you want a color that’s similar to Ballet White, Sherwin Williams White Duck and Shoji White are similar as they’re also cream hybrids. The BIG differences are that they have a bit less yellow-cream than Ballet White and are a stitch lighter. 

Paint Color Review: Benjamin Moore Ballet White

5. BENJAMIN MOORE EDGECOMB GRAY OC 173

Edgecomb Gray is a light-depth greige-taupe that is balanced QUITE nicely between gray and beige. In a south-facing room, you could expect it to lean a BIT more into its warmer side, without going entirely beige.

Photo via V1 Real Estate Photography

Edgecomb Gray has an LRV of 63. This depth is almost BANG on my happy place for the average room. In fact, Edgecomb Gray is so popular that I included it in my blog post about the three most timeless neutral paint colors.

There aren’t many colors that compare to Edgecomb Gray; it’s pretty darn special! While Sherwin Williams Modern Gray looks similar at first glance, it’s GRAYER than Edgecomb Gray (so it’s cooler). The same goes for Sherwin Williams Natural Tan. This popular shade of tan looks similar on the small scale, but get those Samplize peel-and-stick up on your wall and you’ll see that Natural Tan is a muted tan paint color – not a greige-taupe.  This means that Natural Tan is warmer than Edgecomb Gray and has less gray in it. 

Paint Color Review: Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray

Kylie M’s YOUTUBE Review of Edgecomb Gray

6. BENJAMIN MOORE KNOXVILLE GRAY HC 160

If you want a bit more color and depth on your walls, Knoxville Gray is a beautiful blend of blue and green. Blue-greens are popular as they blend the two most calming colors – blue and green. With a soft gray backdrop to calm it down, Knoxville Gray adds a TON of cool balance to an overheated south-facing room.

In this next photo, notice how well Knoxville Gray plays with the warm wood on the trim and French doors…

7. BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE OC 17

If you’re looking for the perfect shade of white for your south-facing room, this could be it. White Dove is a soft, warm white that’s popular on walls, cabinets, trims, and even exteriors! White Dove is warm, but it’s not as cream-yellow as some, not as stark or cold as others. And while it will definitely pick up some of your southern sun’s warmth, it doesn’t go as creamy as many other whites.

Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore White Dove

Did you know that SAMPLIZE PEEL & STICK paint samples are more affordable than sample pots and EASIER to use?

Plus, they get delivered to your doorstep in 1 DAY! 

Visit the SAMPLIZE websiteHERE

8. BENJAMIN MOORE REVERE PEWTER HC 172

Revere Pewter is one of the most popular warm grays with a lovely, earthy green undertone. And while it does lean slightly to the warm side, it rarely overreacts in a south-facing room and holds itself pretty well as a ‘warm gray with interest.’ However, if your south-facing room has low light, Revere Pewter can look a bit murky and heavy, so sample carefully. 

Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter painted door with White Dove trims and walls

The LRV of Revere Pewter is 55 and is a great depth for almost any reasonably well-lit room. If your room is SUPER bright, this depth will show up better than a lighter shade, which will really wash out in intense light. However, Revere Pewter’s green undertone CAN be slightly unpredictable, so be sure to read its color review.

Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray is similar to Revere Pewter if you want a BIT less warmth and a touch more gray. If you want a LIGHTER look, check out Benjamin Moore Rodeo. 

Paint Color Review: Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter

Kylie M’s YOUTUBE REVIEW of Revere Pewter

9. BENJAMIN MOORE WOODLAWN BLUE HC 147

Whether it’s a living room, kitchen, or bedroom, Woodlawn Blue is one of those colors that seems to please everyone! Woodlawn Blue is a cool color blending blue and green (much more blue than green) with a slightly gray base to calm it down. This blend makes it flexible and slightly susceptible to change throughout the daylight hours.

If you’re not ready to commit to a color like Hale Navy on a large scale, it also makes a great accent wall and easily partners with most of the neutrals on this page.

Being a classic shade of navy blue, Hale Navy can be a bit strong for some. If you want a slightly muted take, Sherwin Williams Cyberspace is wicked pretty. It’s similar to Hale Navy’s approach, but its gray base calms it down, so it’s a bit more of a blue-gray blend (heavier on the blue). If you like a slightly lighter take on Hale Navy, check out Van Deusen Blue, which is popular on cabinets and accent walls. 

Benjamin Moore Hale Navy: Paint Color Review

The 12 Best Shades of Navy Blue

11. BENJAMIN MOORE CLASSIC GRAY OC 23

If you’re considering resale, it’s best to stay away from cool grays if you can (trends are leaning warmer). However, if you still want to add a touch of balance to your south-facing room, consider a warm gray like Classic Gray. 

Classic Gray is a subtle, off-white shade of gray with vague violet-pink undertones. In south-facing light, it can lean MUCH warmer, looking more like taupe than gray. This being said, it will still look more balanced than any shade of beige or cream. 

Classic Gray looks beautiful with most wood tones and suits various interior finishes, including popular tiles and countertops. Remember to be careful if you have overly warm trim/cabinets, as Classic Gray prefers a cleaner white in its trim partner.

If you like Classic Gray’s look but want slightly darker walls, Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist and Collingwood have similar intentions in their warmth and undertones. 

Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Classic Gray

11. BENJAMIN MOORE SPANISH OLIVE CC 606

If you’re looking for a subtle shade of green for your south-facing room, this could be your lucky day! Spanish Olive is a light, warm green, so it’s green with greige in it. This neutral foundation gives Spanish Olive a grounded, earth-toned look without it looking overly muddy or dingy (of course, this could be open to perception). 

Spanish Olive has an LRV of 52.54, putting it in the light-medium range. Colors of this depth stand up better to intense natural light than lighter colors (higher LRVs), as they don’t wash out as much (but will look lighter with a lot of light on them, as will ANY color). 

For a similar, slightly less warm approach, check out Benjamin Moore Mountain Air – a beautiful green shade muted with a warm gray base. If you prefer a green that isn’t quite so warm and you don’t mind a bit of depth, Benjamin Moore’s October Mist is SUPER popular. 

The 8 Best Benjamin Moore Green Paint Colors

PEOPLE ALSO ASK

WHAT’S THE BEST LRV FOR A SOUTH-FACING ROOM?

This is a big question as it depends on whether it’s a dark or bright room. For example, how big are the windows, and how many are there? How big is the ROOM? Is the light filtered by trees or landscaping? Is there a patio or second floor that blocks the direct light from coming in? 

And aside from this, what look and FEELING do you want?

• Light colors (LRV 65+) keep a room bright.
• Dark colors (LRV 30-) can ground a room, making it look a bit cozier.
• If this is a main living area, a higher LRV of approx 62+ looks good (it happens to be my magical number), knowing that a LOT of natural light will wash your color out a bit (especially in the HIGHER LRVs). The average person doesn’t love their main living area a dark color (I do, but that’s personal taste). 
• If this is a smaller or secondary room, you can have a higher LRV or add some personality with a cool color with a lower LRV.
• Dark rooms often suit dark colors with more color/chroma, meaning they aren’t too grayed out. In the lighter range, dark rooms love colors with LRVs of 65+, and again, grayed-out and neutral colors have trouble coming to life, whereas COLORS add energy to a dark space. 

As the previous color list mentioned, Knoxville Gray is beautiful for southern light! 

WHAT COLORS ARE BEST FOR SOUTH-FACING ROOMS?

GENERALLY SPEAKING, south-facing rooms look best in shades of blue and green, as well as neutrals with these undertones. These cool paint colors and their temperature can balance a room with southern exposure. 

Sherwin Williams Silver Strand

Do you have a southeast, southwest, or north-south-facing room? 

While it might seem confusing, having dual exposures isn’t bad when you’re armed with the right information! Check out this blog post on ‘how to pick paint colors when you have TWO exposures.’

READ MORE

The Best Gray and Greige Paint Colors

East-Facing Rooms: What Are the Best Colors?

The Best Paint Colors for a West-Facing Room

The Best Paint Colors for a Dark Room

Do you want to know YOUR 3 best paint colors? 

Check out my Online Color Consulting and E-Design packages!

KYLIE M INTERIORS E-DESIGN, E-DECOR, & VIRTUAL PAINT COLOR CONSULTING ADVICE     SPECIALIZING IN DIY HOME UPDATE  IDEAS AND BENJAMIN MOORE & SHERWIN WILLIAMS PAINT COLORS

Originally written in 2017, updated in 2023

The post The 11 Best Paint Colors for a South-Facing Room (Benjamin Moore) appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you’d think this would’ve been covered with Sherwin Williams’s 5 Best Beige Paint Colors. And while that blog post is similar, this one is geared towards TAN paint colors – not beige.

Ummm, pardon? What’s the difference between tan and beige? I thought they were the same thing.

They are DOING the same thing – looking like warm neutrals, but they’re doing it differently. Like greige vs. taupe or white wine vs. rose, beige and tan are kissin’ cousins as they ARE related, but they have key features that set them apart.

WHAT MAKES A COLOR BEIGE?

Beige paint colors tend to look warmer in a more ‘golden’ way. This means they often have more orange-yellow or orange-pink undertones in them.

FUN FACTS ABOUT BEIGE PAINT COLORS

• Beige paint colors are usually more suited to a Tuscan-style home than tans.
• They are likely to have an orange or orange-red (pink) undertone.
• They tend to look richer and warmer compared to tans.

WHAT MAKES A PAINT COLOR TAN?

Tan paint colors are often more subdued and neutral looking as those warm golden tones can fall back. You’re less likely to find orange or red undertones and more likely to find yellow or green undertones and sometimes even a slightly grayish cast.

FUN FACTS ABOUT TAN PAINT COLORS

• Tans are likelier to have a yellow or yellow-green undertone and less likely to have orange or red (pink).
• They’re often in the light range and won’t have an overly rich Tuscan look to them.
• Tans are MUCH closer to the greige world than beiges.

This is why some people HATE beige and LOVE tan! Even though they’re both warm colors, some people love the more grounded, neutral approach of tan paint colors compared to the more golden/early 2000s look of many beiges.

Are Beige & Tan The SAME THING? 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Paint companies have made it challenging for us to decipher between tan and beige, often using the words ‘tan and beige’ at whim, without the words relating closely enough to the colors they’re representing. Just because a color’s name includes the words tan, beige, white, gray, etc… doesn’t mean it actually IS that color!

So, today, I want to share some of the most popular tan paint colors with you – colors that are more muted and subtle looking than some of their roasty-toasty beige counterparts. Colors that can be a great way to TRANSITION out of the warmer, golden, Tuscan beiges of the early 2000s, without going into the gray, greige, or taupe worlds.

While tan pales in popularity compared to beige, many homes just beg for the perfect neutral shade of tan. Let’s see what Sherwin Williams has to offer us…

1. SHERWIN WILLIAMS CANVAS TAN 7531

Canvas Tan is soft, fresh, and bright, giving it a typical tan look, without being heavy like the beiges and tans from the early 2000s.

E-Design by Kylie M, Photo via Tim Hanson Photography

FUN FACTS ABOUT CANVAS TAN

• While Canvas Tan suits many wood tones, it doesn’t always love cherry/red tones.
• Canvas Tan has a good life to it, without being overly colorful (yellow-green). It’s not one of the more muted tans (which we’ll look at shortly).
• Canvas Tan has an LRV of 64. So, if you have a dark room, it can help it look a weeee bit brighter. In a bright room, it should hold itself quite well and won’t lose too much body when faced with direct light (keeping in mind that EVERY color will lighten/brighten when hit with direct light)
• As shown in the previous photo, partner Canvas Tan with a soft, warm white like Sherwin Williams Shell White for a more muted look. For a more crisp approach, try Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace.

The Ultimate Guideline to Choosing Paint Colors with LRV

2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS NEUTRAL GROUND 7568

Neutral Ground is a soft tan color, so it doesn’t have a golden Tuscan or a rich look. It’s like a lighter version of Canvas Tan; because it’s lighter, it comes across as slightly creamier.

FUN FACTS ABOUT NEUTRAL GROUND

• Neutral Ground is great if your room has lower light as it won’t look quite as heavy as Canvas Tan (even though neither is terribly heavy).
• Neutral Ground has an LRV of 70, so it’s lovely and light, without being off-white or washed-out.
• If you like Neutral Ground but wish it were a bit MORE neutral, check out a flexible off-white like Sherwin Williams Shoji White.

NEED HELP? Check out my ONLINE PAINT COLOR PACKAGES – let me make it easy for you! 

3. SHERWIN WILLIAMS WOOL SKEIN 6148

Wool Skein is a sneaky lil’ bugger with its undertone. At first glance, you might see a soft, simple tan, but it will be hard to miss the green hiding inside it on a larger scale. That’s right, green. If you don’t like green – don’t pick this color; it’s not subtle. And while that doesn’t mean it’s OVERWHELMING, it is noticeable.

As for depth, Wool Skein is light and fresh without becoming so light that it looks washed out. While at first glance it looks pretty darned ‘tan,’ compare it to Canvas Tan to see the shift from a relatively neutral tan (Canvas Tan) to a tan with green undertones (Wool Skein). Remember, comparison is a GREAT tool for finding the undertones in a paint color.

Paint Color Review, Sherwin Williams Wool Skein

WHERE DOES WOOL SKEIN LOOK BEST?

• It works well with many wood tones but not lighter reddish/pink ones.
• It’s flexible with various accent colors and can work well in a north or south-facing room.
• Pairing Wool Skein with blue or cool tones can bring out the warm tones a bit more. In particular, Wool Skein looks great with mid-tone gray-blue-green blends.
• If you have warm-toned woods that have strong yellow, orange, or red tones, this could bring out the green undertone in Wool Skein.
• The LRV of 64 keeps this color fresh and bright, without being punchy. It may subtly enhance a dark room and sit quite evenly in a bright room, without losing too much color in brighter spaces.

SAMPLIZE PEEL & STICK paint samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER, and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots.

• Samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1 DAY, depending on location.
• They’re more affordable than the sample pots/rollers/foam boards that are needed for traditional paint sampling.

Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE

4. SHERWIN WILLIAMS SANDBAR 7547

Sandbar is a light-medium depth tan paint color, with an LRV of 53. And while it does have tans subtle undertones, they’re SUPER muted, and most of the time, Sandbar reads as a pretty simple neutral. For this reason, Sandbar can act more like a hybrid between the beige and tan worlds.

With non-white painted cabinets being trendy, colors like Sherwin Williams Sandbar, Balanced Beige, and Pashmina are showing up in my Instagram feed MUCH more often!

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT SANDBAR

• Sandbar’s super subtle green undertones could show up more in a room with western afternoon sunshine.
• Sandbar could be a bit muddy and heavy for a dark room and is best suited to a room with average or more natural light.
• Natural Tan is kind of like a lighter version of Sandbar if you want a softer approach (coming up next!)
• Sandbar looks stunning with darker greige tones like Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze.

5. SHERWIN WILLIAMS NATURAL TAN 7567

To call Natural Tan a TRUE tan is an overstatement. In fact, its undertones are SO subtle; it can even pass as a beige (which can also grab a wee green undertone). Another thing that sets Natural Tan apart from the rest is the amount of gray it has in it. Natural Tan is a considerably grayed-out neutral, which cuts back on its warmth quite a bit.

Natural Tan is popular for those wanting a super muted tan look and is a great transition between the worlds of cool gray and overly warm beiges. With trends leaning warmer, this color could come in handy!

FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Natural Tan

Check out how incredibly muted Natural Tan looks in this next photo…

FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Natural Tan

However, remember that if you have a north-facing room or a space with low light, a color like Natural Tan can look a bit flat and dull (as shown above).

Paint colors need LIGHT to come to LIFE! 

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT NATURAL TAN

• If you need a neutral that doesn’t commit hard to yellow OR orange, Natural Tan could be a great choice.
• Natural Tan can work in a south-facing space if you love warm colors but don’t want TOO much gold.
• Natural Tan has an LRV of 63, putting it DARN CLOSE to my magical LRV number for any room! This depth makes Natural Tan a light shade.

6. SHERWIN WILLIAMS SHOJI WHITE 7042

There aren’t many ‘off-white, tan paint colors.’ Why? Because once tan gets THIS light, it can act more like cream. Such is the case with Shoji White. This particular shade nods at the tan world, but being SO LIGHT, it can act more like a super muted, dirty cream-tan-greige blend.

However, as shown in this photo, the green undertone tucked deep in Shoji White simply isn’t noticeable, which is another reason why Shoji White is barely tan, but it’s the best off-white one I’ve got!

FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Shoji White

Sherwin Williams isn’t limited to the above shades; however, due to their popularity with my Online Color Consulting clients, they’re the ones I have photos of. I’d love to share a few more tan paint colors with you…

7. SHERWIN WILLIAMS GRECIAN IVORY 7541

Grecian Ivory is another hybrid of sorts. While it harbors an obvious green undertone, it has a decent amount of gray in it, making it hover between tan and greige. In fact, your EXPOSURE could be the thing that has it leaning one way or another. For example, northern light might have Grecian Ivory favoring its greige side, whereas warmer southern sun could humor its tan base a bit more.

Grecian Ivory looks gorgeous partnered with soft off-whites like Shoji White and White Duck.

8. SHERWIN WILLIAMS RELAXED KHAKI 6149

While Relaxed Khaki might look neutral at first glance, don’t let it fool you. Relaxed Khaki is a strong tan paint color with its green-yellow undertones.

Relaxed Khaki is a slightly darker, more rustic approach to tan and is great for those who want more contrast with their white trim or a cozier look. Its depth is closer to those found in the beiges of the early 2000s. Add a bit more depth, and you hit Universal Khaki, which has its own following, although it’s darker than what today’s warmer trends call for.

If you’re looking for a pretty color partner for Relaxed Khaki, check out mid-tone greiges like Sherwin Williams Gray Area and Studio Clay.

9. SHERWIN WILLIAMS OYSTER BAR 7565

If stronger shades of tan come back in style (doubtful), I can see Oyster Bar being a HUGE hit. However, its increased yellow-green hues can be a bit much for the average space. Why mention it? Because it might be just perfect for YOU!

Oyster Bar has an LRV of 64, making it a light-depth paint color. If you want to see HOW much yellow-green it has in it, compare it to a color like Benjamin Moore’s Manchester Tan, which looks DARN NEUTRAL in comparison!

10. SHERWIN WILLIAMS NATUREL 7542

If you love a paint color with a bit more meat on its bones, Naturel could be the tan for you. With an LRV of 54, Naturel is in the light-medium depths. Naturel picks up where Relaxed Khaki left off, but is more subtle with its undertones, offering a more laidback approach to a light-medium depth tan.

Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze kitchen island

Natural goes well with the soft, subtle warmth of Sherwin Williams Alabaster or a wicked dark greige like Urbane Bronze.

WHAT COLORS GO WITH TAN PAINT COLORS?

If you want to create a palette with tan as your foundation, there’s a wide range of colors to choose from, including…

• warm white paint colors, like Sherwin Williams Alabaster – great for trims and cabinets
• medium and dark greiges with noticeable green undertones, similar to Sherwin Williams Porpoise & Urbane Bronze
• medium and darker grays with blue-green undertones
• some muted off-white paint colors

READ MORE

Sherwin Williams Best Beige Paint Colors

The 11 Best Warm Neutral Paint Colors That AREN’T BEIGE! 

The 5 Best Off-White Paint Colors

The 5 Best Cream Paint Colors – Benjamin Moore

4 Beautiful Benjamin Moore Warm Neutral Paint Colors

NEED HELP

Check out my E-Design and Online Paint Color Consulting!

Chat soon,

Originally written in 2020, updated and overhauled in 2023

The post Sherwin Williams 10 Best Tan (Neutral) Paint Colors appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

When it comes to the best DARK shades of gray, it’s ALL in the undertones. And not just that, it’s about MATCHING these undertones to your interior finishes – regardless of your personal tastes. This means that if your home loves a violet, blue or green undertone, and you don’t, you might need to take a deep cleansing breath (and a glass OR TEN of wine helps) and focus on what your home is asking for.

EVERY GRAY HAS UNDERTONES

For those of you hoping for the EVER-ELUSIVE perfectly neutral gray, I hate to tinkle on your toenails, but grays have undertones. And not just gray paint colors, but gray SURFACES too. That gray tile that looks pretty darn neutral? Yup. Your sectional sofa that’s the perfect dark charcoal? You bet your booty it does. Even your brand-new white quartz countertop with gray veining has undertones. Once you figure out the undertones of your interior finishes, it will be easier to pick the best paint color to go with them (if your room is a blank slate, then focus more on the exposure of your room).

As for the hues you can expect to see, warm gray paint colors will have either violet or green undertones, whereas cool gray paint colors lean into BLUE, violet, or green (often a blend).

While the gray areas in the above wood wall look ‘gray,’ they have a definite violet undertone, making Benjamin Moore Trout Gray a great choice!

But regardless of the undertone, compared to Sherwin William’s selection (more limited), Benjamin Moore kicks some serious badonkadonk, so let’s get started.

BTW, You’ll find that ALL of these colors have LRVs that are lower than 30. Not sure what LRV is? It could save your PAINT LOVIN’ LIFE – read all about it HERE.

1. BENJAMIN MOORE CHELSEA GRAY HC-168

WARM GRAY-GREEN UNDERTONE

Chelsea Gray has an LRV of 22, making it a popular choice for cabinets, exteriors, and even all the walls in a room! With that moderate LRV, it’s the right depth to add drama and style to a space without weighing it down too much.

In the above dining room, look at how sharp Chelsea Gray looks with the white trim work. You’ll get a similar look using Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace with Chelsea Gray.

And while sometimes you don’t see it at all, Chelsea Gray has a green undertone. It’s also classified as a WARM gray, but you won’t see it looking TRADITIONALLY warm like Metropolis (coming shortly).

In this kitchen (below), Chelsea Gray looks simple and low in contrast with the black laminate countertops, letting the white subway tile and cabinets do the contrasting…

FULL PAINT COLOR REVIEW: Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray

2. BENJAMIN MOORE STEEL WOOL 2121-20

Steel Wool goes in the OPPOSITE direction to Chelsea Gray (as it relates to undertones). Whereas Chelsea Gray has a green undertone and a tiny wink o’ warmth, Steel Wool is a COOL gray paint color with a violet-blue undertone.

The great thing about Steel Wool is its flexibility, nodding at the blue and the violet end of things without 100% commitment. And it does all of this while still looking more or less ‘gray’, as shown in this next entryway photo…

The trim color in the above photo is Benjamin Moore Cloud White, a white with a wink of warmth to offset the cool approach of Steel Wool.

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Steel Wool

3. BENJAMIN MOORE GRAYSTONE 1475

WARM GRAY – VERY SUBTLE GREEN UNDERTONE

Benjamin Moore Graystone has an LRV of almost 30, making it one of the LIGHTER options on this page. When it comes to this particular type of warm gray, I would love to show you something a bit darker, but if we bump down just ONE NOTCH to Squirrel Tail, we pick up a green that’s more distracting than a streaker at a football game (it wasn’t me, I swear).

Shown with Benjamin Moore White Dove & Cheating Heart

But compared to the slightly warmer greige end of things, Graystone holds itself AMAZINGLY well as it relates to undertones. While it nods at green, it’s more of a polite nod than a ‘come hither’ one. In the above photo, you’ll see Graystone with White Dove trim and a Cheating Heart door.

Look at how much more GREEN shows up to the party in this next foyer with warm white trim and a GORGEOUS wood front door. Remember, your room’s EXPOSURE, interior lighting, and surrounding finishes play a HUGE part in how a color is perceived.

The Best Paint Colors for the INSIDE of Your Front Door

Check out my ONLINE PAINT COLOR CONSULTING, E-BOOKS, & COURSES! 

4. BENJAMIN MOORE GRAY 2121-10

Seriously, I could go on and on about Gray…SO I WILL! Gray is not just GRAY; it’s a very dark charcoal with a reasonably strong violet-blue undertone. I can’t even TELL you how often I refer this color to my Online Color Consulting clients.

With an LRV of ALMOST 10, it’s one of the darkest options out there – at least before things start looking blackish, at which point it’s ALL in the sheen. In the above photo, notice how the semi-gloss sheen of the paint bounces the light, making Gray look LIGHTER than you might expect.

Gray was the perfect choice as a backdrop to my client’s art (below). While the art is a BIT big for the wall space, it’s still pretty badass…

BTW, if you go to the paint store, you HAVE to ask for Gray 2121-10, including its number. Why? Because if you just ask for GRAY, the employee will say, ‘which GRAY do you want?‘ and you’ll be on an endless Ferris wheel of misery trying to figure out WHICH gray you’re referring to. 

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Gray 2121-10

SAMPLIZE offers peel-and-stick paint samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER, and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots.

• samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1 DAY

• they’re more affordable than the samples pots/rollers/foam boards that are needed for traditional paint sampling

Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE

5. BENJAMIN MOORE METROPOLIS CC-546

WARM GRAY – VIOLET UNDERTONE

Metropolis is one of the BEST warm gray paint colors on the market. Some warm grays lean so far that they’re mistaken for taupe, and others are so subtle they don’t always have ENOUGH warmth. Metropolis sits right in the middle and is a great choice, especially for some granite countertops from the early 2000s.

Metropolis has a violet undertone, and while it’s not shy about it, it’s also not overwhelming by any stretch of the imagination.

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Metropolis

The 13 Best Gray Paint Colors With VIOLET Undertones

6. BENJAMIN MOORE AMHERST GRAY HC-167

Amherst Gray is a HUGELY popular dark gray paint color, coming in a hot second place to Chelsea Gray. With an LRV of 17, Amherst Gray has more meat on its bones without going as dark as Kendall Charcoal (also lovely).

But remember, there are ALWAYS sneaky undertones, and Amherst Gray comes in HOT with a green undertone that can come up considerably depending on its surroundings…

Really, when it comes to Chelsea Gray, Amherst Gray, and Kendall Charcoal, just ASSUME you’ll see green.

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Amherst Gray

7. BENJAMIN MOORE TROUT GRAY 2124-20

I have MAD love for Trout Gray as it’s a gray that’s colorful enough to be interesting without being overwhelming in its approach. As for undertones, Trout Gray leans nicely into blue, a blue that leans HARD into violet, as shown in this powder room with personality.

Blue Paint Colors: The 2 Types & Where They Work Best

Trout Gray has an LRV of almost 15, making it a WICKED gorgeous option for feature walls, built-ins, cabinets, or ENTIRE ROOMS!

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Trout Gray

Want a bit more COLOR? Check out Benjamin Moore Wolf Gray; she’s a beauty!

The MOST NEUTRAL Dark Gray Paint Colors

While the above options are the most POPULAR dark gray paint colors, this next section is about the most NEUTRAL dark grays. Why aren’t they included above? Well, they’re rarely used, and this is because the majority of interior finishes NEED gray paint colors with noticeable undertones! This doesn’t mean these options aren’t pretty; they’re just not POPULAR.

I also don’t have full reviews of these colors OR photos to show you simply because I don’t refer to them as often, meaning these are SUPER brief summaries…

8. BENJAMIN MOORE ASPHALT CC-548

Asphalt has an LRV 19.71 and a VERY slight violet undertone. This makes it an interesting option for exteriors with roofing, stonework or brickwork that need a more passive approach. It’s also an interesting cabinet color when little undertone is needed. 

9. BENJAMIN MOORE OVERCOAT CC-544

With an LRV 13.47, Overcoat has a similar approach to Asphalt with a slightly stronger violet undertone and a bit more MEAT on its bones. Overcoat would be a beautiful exterior option, as well as for front doors and dramatic feature walls.

10. BENJAMIN MOORE DOLPHIN AF-715

Dolphin has an LRV of 22.52, making it the lightest of these last three. It also has a negligible undertone, maybe a tiny wink green. The risk with this color is that if your finishes have a violet undertone, Dolphin could look flat or even slightly green just in comparison. Not sure this is possible? Take a sample of Benjamin Moore Metropolis and place it next to Dolphin and watch the magic unfold before your eyes! Okay, maybe that’s a bit dramatic as the shift is subtle, but it’s THERE, I swear! 

11. BENJAMIN MOORE IRON MOUNTAIN 2134-30

Iron Mountain is a popular choice for exteriors, both on siding and trim. However, it’s not like the other grays, as it has some interesting things going on – read all about it in Benjamin Moore Iron Mountain: Paint Color Review.

PEOPLE ALSO ASK…

WHAT’S BENJAMIN MOORE’S MOST POPULAR DARK GRAY PAINT COLOR?

Hands down, the most popular DARK gray from Benjamin Moore is Kendall Charcoal, followed by Chelsea Gray. Whether on cabinets, feature walls, doors, or exteriors, these two stormy (not cold) shades of gray satisfy various styles and tastes.

But do you want my HONEST OPINION? I know you do. If I choose a gray paint color like this for one of my Online Paint Color Consulting clients, I’m probably gunning for Sherwin Williams Classic French Gray instead. Why? It’s not as warm, AND it has less undertone.

IS DARK GRAY A GOOD COLOR FOR A HOME?

If you’re talking about the exterior, YES, dark grays are often well-suited to brick, stone, and various asphalt roofs. As for interiors, they’re more generally popular on accent walls and islands.

Personally, I LOVE the right room painted in a dark gray!

WHAT IS THE DARKEST SHADE OF GRAY PAINT?

If we’re looking at Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore, and BEHR, BEHR comes first with Cracked Pepper, a hybrid between dark gray and soft black.

As for Benjamin Moore, Iron Mountain is the darkest, but its warmth and undertones can have it flexing OUT of the gray range. For this reason, Kendall Charcoal is a more typical gray with a wicked depth. Some would say that Deep Space is the darkest gray, but with its strong blue hue, it’s too colorful to be a good gray (in my books).

WHAT COLOR IS REPLACING GRAY IN 2023 & 2024?

Light gray is definitely going out of style, with warmer shades of greige, taupe, and subtle beiges coming in hot. HOWEVER, dark gray, on the right surface, will always have a place in the home.

READ MORE

Are Gray Paint Colors Still Trendy on Walls, Cabinets & Exteriors?

BEHR’S 2024 Color of the Year: CRACKED PEPPER

Sherwin Williams Peppercorn: Paint Color Review

The Best DARK Greige & Taupe Paint Colors – Benjamin Moore

The 12 Best Whole Home Gray & Greige Paint Colors

The Best Front Door Paint Colors (Exterior)

The Best Darker Paint Colors for Cabinets & Vanities

NEED HELP?

CHECK OUT MY ONLINE PAINT COLOR CONSULTING, COURSES & E-BOOKS! 

Chat soon,

The post Benjamin Moore’s 10 Best DARK Gray (Charcoal) Paint Colors appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

In the underworld of dark greige paint colors, there’s only one leader: Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze. But just because it’s popular doesn’t mean it’s the BEST greige for your space.

So how do you KNOW?

You compare. Comparison is the best way to find the best shade for your walls, cabinets, front door, or exterior. So while we reviewed the ins and outs of Urbane Bronze in its color review, today, we’re looking at similar colors that are making a run at the title.

But first, let’s touch base with LRV and how it relates to dark paint colors.

Every paint color has an LRV number. This number (on a scale of 0-100) tells you how light or dark a paint color is – 0 is black, 100 is white.

In our USEABLE paint world, we only go down to the mid-2’s, Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black. The colors below fall between 6 -13, making them medium-dark to dark paint – but not quite black.

1. SHERWIN WILLIAMS URBANE BRONZE vs. IRON ORE

What’s the BIG difference between Urbane Bronze and Iron Ore? DEPTH. But depth isn’t the only thing; there’s a shift in temperature as well, so let’s check the deets.

• Urbane Bronze has an LRV of 8; Iron Ore has an LRV of 6. This lower LRV means that Iron Ore is DARKER than Urbane Bronze (Iron Ore is more of a soft black).
• While both are warm colors, Urbane Bronze has a more noticeable greige-green undertone/warmth. Iron Ore’s warm green undertone is FAR more passive and less warm.
• Both colors are popular for kitchen islands, front doors, and accent walls (they’re also great on stair railings!).
• On an exterior, Iron Ore acts as a soft black, whereas Urbane Bronze DOESN’T act like a black – it looks like a dark greige

The 8 Best Black Paint Colors

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of Iron Ore

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of Urbane Bronze

KYLIE M’S FAVE COLOR

Urbane Bronze has my heart (and a place on my kitchen island and stair railings). This isn’t to say I don’t love Iron Ore in the right place (when I need a soft black), but Urbane is usually my fave choice. If you want a bit more depth and less undertone, Iron Ore could be a contender!

Sherwin Williams Iron Ore Paint Color Review

2. URBANE BRONZE vs. PORPOISE

These two shades are pretty popular and pretty similar. This is because they live on the same color strip in the fan deck! However, there is one big difference -LRV.

• Porpoise’s LRV is 13, making it a medium-dark color, whereas Urbane Bronze’s LRV of 8 makes it a DARK color.
• Both colors have similar degrees of warmth and a green undertone.
• Urbane Bronze is generally more popular, whether it’s for a front door, exterior, kitchen island, or interior walls.

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of Porpoise

KYLIE M’S FAVE COLOR

Again, Urbane Bronze is the winner winner chicken dinner! The depth of Urbane Bronze puts it on the podium, whereas the slightly softer look of Porpoise doesn’t always give me a look I’m going for. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a slightly lighter approach to greige, Porpoise is a shade lighter than Urbane Bronze and could do the trick.

Sherwin Williams Porpoise Paint Color Review

3. URBANE BRONZE vs. BLACK FOX

While I love Black Fox, I don’t refer to it NEARLY as often as I do Urbane Bronze (in my Online Paint Color Consulting). Why? Let’s find out!

• Black Fox has an LRV of 7, so it’s a smidge darker than Urbane Bronze’s LRV of 8. This isn’t a deal-breaker by any means.
• Both colors are warm. However, Black Fox has more brown in it. While brown (and beige) is coming back, right now, greige is a more popular shade.
• Black Fox has a more saturated, richer look compared to Urbane Bronze.
• Both colors are used on exterior trim quite often. Black Fox is rarely used on a kitchen island because of the degree of brown in it.
• Urbane Bronze is a popular cabinet/island paint color for those with granite countertops from the early 2000s and homes with a Tuscan-style palette.

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of Black Fox

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of Urbane Bronze

KYLIE M’S FAVE COLOR

Insert awkward silence HERE…why? Because once again, Urbane Bronze is my fave option. Black Fox usually has a bit too much brown/saturation to suit the types of finishes I’m coordinating with. But this doesn’t mean it won’t work for YOUR home, so make sure you compare the two!

4. URBANE BRONZE vs. THUNDER GRAY

Urbane Bronze and Thunder Gray are kissin’ cousins! However, while Thunder Gray is a wink lighter than Urbane Bronze, there’s one BIG difference that separates the two…

• Thunder Gray’s LRV is 9, a touch lighter than Urbane Bronze’s 8.
• The big difference between these shades is the degree of color (CHROMA). Thunder Gray is a greige-green, just like Urbane Bronze, but Thunder Gray has a more noticeable green hue.
• Urbane Bronze is the more popular color, likely due to its passive undertone.

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of Thunder Gray

KYLIE M’S FAVE COLOR

Long story short, every single time, Urbane Bronze will be my favorite – that’s why he’s the boss. Thunder Gray is GORGEOUS, but I only use it when I want to see a bit more green coming through.

5. URBANE BRONZE vs. SEALSKIN

I rarely refer to Sealskin in my Online Color Consulting, in fact, I’ve only suggested it one time (in 8000+ consults, whereas I’ve suggested Urbane Bronze hundreds of times). Let’s find out why it may or MAY NOT be the color you’re looking for…

• Sealskin has an LRV of 6, making it more on par with Black Fox (for comparing), as it’s DARKER than Urbane Bronze, although it depends on what you want to use it for.
• Sealskin is WARMER looking than Urbane Bronze with a more saturated brown.
• These colors are similar as they harbor a green undertone.
• Urbane Bronze tends to suit more interior and exterior finishes than Sealskin, making it a more versatile color.

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of Sealskin

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of Urbane Bronze

KYLIE M’S FAVE COLOR

I’ll be honest; I don’t even like Sealskin. This doesn’t mean it can’t be the color for YOU, but I can always find an option I like better for myself or my clients.

6. URBANE BRONZE vs. DRAGON’S BREATH

Urbane Bronze and Dragon’s Breath are VERY similar, and I love comparing the two!

• The LRV of Dragon’s Breath is 9.18, to Urbane Bronze’s 8. This makes Dragon’s Breath a bit LIGHTER than Urbane, although, to eyeball the two, they look pretty darn similar.
• Dragon’s Breath is a bit warmer and richer than Urbane, with a slightly more noticeable green undertone.
• Urbane Bronze tends to be the more popular of the two, whether for cabinets, islands, front doors, walls, or exteriors. Why? They both do the same job; Urbane Bronze is just a bit more muted in its approach.

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of Dragon’s Breath

KYLIE M’S FAVE COLOR

You guessed it! Urbane Bronze for the win. Dragon’s Breath can be just a touch too muddy for some finishes; however, comparing the two will help you see which is best for you (in other words, you don’t need to humor the crazy lil Ginger ALL the time).

Find Dragon’s Breath quick review HERE

7. URBANE BRONZE vs. PEPPERCORN

If you’re wondering how similar Urbane Bronze and Peppercorn are, you’re REALLY looking at a wild range of colors. Let’s find out the key differences between these two bad boys…

• The LRV of Peppercorn is 10, so it’s a shift LIGHTER than Urbane Bronze’s LRV of 8.
• Urbane Bronze is WARMER than Peppercorn, and that’s because…
• Urbane Bronze lives in the GREIGE world; Peppercorn is based in the GRAY world.
• Peppercorn can have a mild green undertone and a touch of violet that can pop through sometimes. On the other hand, Urbane Bronze is committed to green and nothing else.
• Peppercorn can be an odd choice for a kitchen island due to its unpredictable undertones, whereas Urbane is more consistent. As for front doors, the same applies. In all, while these two shades are both dark neutrals, they’re going in opposite directions.

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of Peppercorn

KYLIE M’S FAVE COLOR

Comparing these two is like comparing apples to oranges. Sure, they have a similar shape (both being darker colors), but they don’t taste at ALL the same. Peppercorn is an interesting solution when I need a slightly more gray-based color with a vague, almost stormy warmth. Urbane Bronze is the choice when I need some definite warmth and a green undertone.

But I still like Urbane Bronze better.

Sherwin Williams Peppercorn: Paint Color Review

WHAT GREIGE IS DARKER THAN URBANE BRONZE?

It depends on what you consider greige. Sealskin is too brown to be greige. Iron Ore is too close to black and not warm enough. This means that Urbane Bronze is the darkest greige paint color.

If you want a bit more depth, ask your paint store to darken it by 25%. Just note that with some types of paint, they can’t, as the gallon will already be full of tint (being such a dark color already).

WHAT COLOR IS A SHADE LIGHTER THAN URBANE BRONZE?

Sherwin Williams Porpoise is lighter than Urbane Bronze, as is the ever-lovely Anonymous.

Sherwin Williams Anonymous: Paint Color Review

WHAT COLOR IS CLOSE TO URBANE BRONZE?

Benjamin Moore Dragon’s Breath and Sherwin Williams Thunder Gray are the most comparable to Urbane Bronze in undertone and intention (being greiges).

Benjamin Moore Dragon’s Breath exterior

See reviews on both of the above colors in the blog links below!

READ MORE

The 6 Best Dark Greige & Taupe Paint Colors: Sherwin Williams

The Top 8 Dark Greige & Taupe Paint Colors: Benjamin Moore

What’s the Difference Between Greige & Taupe

The Best Whole Home Gray & Greige Paint Colors

Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze FULL Color Review

NEED HELP?

CHECK OUT MY ONLINE PAINT COLOR CONSULTING PACKAGES FOR EXPERT HELP! 

Chat soon,

The post URBANE BRONZE vs. IRON ORE, PORPOISE, & 6 TOP GREIGE PAINT COLORS appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

Gone are the days of boring old beige! Beige has reached new heights in the last few years as homeowners have embraced the versatility of what was once considered a basic ‘builders’ color.

One of the front runners in the Battle of the Beige is Sherwin Williams, as they’ve created a range of dark neutral colors that will satisfy even the pickiest connoisseur (like me…). And while I’ve written several articles on the lighter end of the beige world (links posted throughout), this one focuses on beiges with just a WINK more depth.

1. SHERWIN WILLIAMS KILIM BEIGE 6106

Kilim Beige is warmer than many popular beige shades without fully committing to yellow, orange, or pink. However, of the undertones found in beige, Kilim Beige leans more to the orange end of things, not the yellow end, without becoming obnoxiously peach-toned. Compare it to Sherwin Williams Macadamia to see the difference.

TIPS FOR USING KILIM BEIGE

• Kilim Beige loves north-facing rooms as its warmth helps balance the cool light but can look OVERLY warm in southern or western afternoon sun.
• It DOES have a wink of red (pink) tucked inside, so make sure it jibes with the undertones of your interior finishes.
• Kilim Beige looks good with many wood tones, but avoid OVERLY yellow ones.
• The LRV of Kilim is 60, so while it will reflect some light into the room, don’t expect it to work ANY great wonders in a dark room.

Is Beige Back? You Might Be Surprised!

Sherwin Williams Kilim Beige Paint Color Review

2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS NOMADIC DESERT 6107

Nomadic Desert is a beige with a bit more meat on its bones. With an LRV of 50, Nomadic Desert adds decent visual weight to a room and a stronger contrast with white trim, especially compared to some of the popular lighter shades of beige. Really, Nomadic Desert is like a darker version of Kilim Beige, having similar features (and an orange undertone).

When thinking of ‘beige,’ Nomadic Desert is likely a little bit darker than the average person traditionally thinks of but isn’t so heavy that it will weigh down a well-lit room.

The Best Tan Paint Colours: Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams

TIPS FOR USING NOMADIC DESERT

• Nomadic Desert LOVES most wood tones but can fight a bit with OVERLY yellow or red ones.
• Nomadic suits both north or south-facing rooms, as long as they’re well-lit. With an LRV of 50, Nomadic Desert won’t add nor absorb light in a room, meaning it could feel a bit heavy in a low-light or dark room.

If you’re game for a BIT more depth, check out the delicious warmth of…

3. SHERWIN WILLIAMS LATTE 6108

Latte is a lovely, rich shade of beige with more depth than the average shade. While colors like this were popular in the early 2000s, many of my clients are still looking for these warmer shades when they want a color with a bit more personality than the average neutral.

Latte has an LRV of 38, making it a soft, medium-depth color. This depth means it can be used as an accent wall color when partnered with lighter beiges.

TIPS FOR USING LATTE

• It’s even better when it’s made with almond milk and you throw a little vanilla syrup in (wink wink)
• Latte suits many of the beige carpets and tiles from the early 2000s.
• Latte can be a beautiful exterior color, well-suited to various finishes.
• While some light beiges can be fussy with their trim colors, this depth can suit quite a few soft, warm whites and off-white beiges.

NEED HELP? 

Check out my ONLINE PAINT COLOR PACKAGES – let’s get painting! 

4. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ACCESSIBLE BEIGE 7036

Accessible Beige is gorgeous with its soft and subtle gray undertone, making it look the LEAST like a typical golden beige paint color. Accessible Beige is also the LIGHTEST and most popular shade on this page!

A lot of people are nervous that their beige is going to look reminiscent of the early 2000s. If you’re in this group, Accessible Beige is a great way to get the warmth of beige, without a heavy or dated look. However, if you’re a traditional beige lover and want some serious warmth, Accessible Beige could be too gray for you.

Paint Colour Review Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige

The Best Beige Paint Colours for Today’s MODERN Home

TIPS FOR USING ACCESSIBLE BEIGE 

• Accessible Beige can be a bit fussy with wood stains that have a lot of red/pink in them, but humors many others (it told me so)
• It’s a great color for a north or south-facing room; neither too warm nor too cold (check out its FULL-colour review here)
• Accessible Beige doesn’t have a super high LRV, sitting above 55, but not by much. So, while it’s a lighter color, it might feel a bit flat and drab if you have a dark room.
• Of the colors on this page, Accessible Beige and Balanced Beige are the most popular.

5. SHERWIN WILLIAMS BALANCED BEIGE 7037

Balanced Beige is like a slightly darker, light-medium version of Accessible Beige. And while Balanced Beige has a nice warmth to it, it’s subdued by a subtle gray base, making it one of the more MODERN beige paint colors in this range.

The 12 Most Popular LIGHT Beige & Tan Paint Colours

SAMPLIZE PEEL & STICK paint samples are more affordable and EASIER than traditional sample pots.

And you get them delivered to your doorstep in 1 DAY! 

Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE

6. SHERWIN WILLIAMS BUNGALOW BEIGE 7511 or PAVILION BEIGE 7512

If your home’s finishes suit a beige with a bit more commitment, Bungalow Beige or Pavilion Beige could be your colors! Like the MAJORITY of today’s beige finishes, these two beautiful shades nod just a bit more towards an orange-pink undertone – more so than the others on this page.

Similar to Sherwin Williams Bungalow Beige, Dhurrie Beige, or Pavilion Beige

Sherwin Williams Pavillion Beige

TIPS FOR USING BUNGALOW BEIGE OR PAVILION BEIGE

• Bungalow Beige has an LRV of 53, parking it nicely in the higher end of the light-medium range.
• Pavilion Beige, which is very similar, has a lower LRV of 48 but is still considered a light-medium depth.
• For a lighter approach, check out Sherwin Williams River’s Edge.
• More so than MANY other popular beige and tan paint colors, these two shades suit various interior finishes.

WHAT COLORS GO BEST WITH BEIGE?

While it can depend on the depth of the beige you choose, here are some color combos to consider…

1. BEIGE & GREIGE: Greige paint colors (green undertone) that are the same depth or darker than your beige.
2. BEIGE & GRAY: These gray paint colors should have green or blue-green undertones and be the same depth or darker than your shade of beige.
3. BEIGE & LIGHTER BEIGE: Choose a lighter version of your chosen beige for a tone-on-tone look.
4. BEIGE & BLACK: Black is a great way to update a beige home, especially as it relates to hardware and light fixtures.
5. BEIGE & BLUE: Beige can be fussy about its blue partner, but a darker shade of blue, including navy blue, can look classic.
6. BEIGE & GREEN:  When it comes to colors, beige is happiest with green, including warm and cool shades.

Get your SAMPLIZE PEEL & STICK samples of Kylie M’s recommended neutrals.

Check out my SUPER cool video on Accessible Beige…

READ MORE

The Best Benjamin Moore Beige & Tan Paint Colors

Is Beige Back? You Might Be Surprised!

The Top 11 Paint Colors that AREN’T Beige!

THE 8 Best WHOLE HOME Warm Neutral Paint Colors

Want a beige that’s custom-tailored to your personal tastes? 

Check out my E-Design / Color Consulting and Decorating Services!

Chat soon,

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2019, FULLY UPDATED FOR YOU IN 2023!

The post Sherwin Williams: 6 Best Neutral Beige Paint Colors (with a BIT more depth) appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

I’m back, and I’m back in black (ACDC reference for all you headbangers). Black is undoubtedly one of the most popular shades for front doors. However, today’s trends have us seeing black on feature walls, kitchen cabinets, and islands – even entire exteriors are painted black.

But not ALL blacks are created equal. Just like the 5 Types of White, there are also MANY types of black – 16, to be exact.

However, in the real world of useable paint colors, this doesn’t mean you must choose between 16 TYPES of blacks. Oh no, you get to choose between HUNDREDS of versions of these 16 types (insert wine HERE)

Which is why I’ve written this blog post for you. I’ve narrowed down the BEST black paint colors and their undertones. This way, you can focus on the best of the best and find the one that best suits you and your home.

BUT FIRST, let’s do a little learnin’…

THE 3 TYPES OF BLACK PAINT COLORS (TEMPERATURE)

Black can be made in several ways, the most common being the mix of red, blue, and yellow (primary colors).

Of course, it’s not you doing the mixing, and long story short, when you slightly alter the amounts of red, blue, and yellow, you shift between warm black, cool black, and true black.

Sherwin Williams Pure White & Tricorn Black

1. WARM BLACK

Warm blacks have a bit of brown in them. The more brown a black has in it, the less black it will look – eventually, it will just be dark brown. Some warm blacks pick up a touch of purple/violet.

2. COOL BLACK

Cool blacks can have blue, green, or violet undertones – the most popular being blue. You can also get a subtle blend depending on the TYPE of blue, green, or violet you have. For example, blue can be blue-green or blue-violet. Green can be green-blue (cool) or green-yellow (warm). Violet can be violet-blue (cool) or violet-pink (warm). However, while violet-blue makes for a cold black, violet-pink results in a black with a brown-violet undertone (warm).

Am I talking too much? Probably (lucky you – wink wink).

3. TRUE BLACK

True black is the real deal – just good old black. However, even the most steadfast black can vary slightly depending on the paint brand (as some brands’ black has a blue undertone right off the get-go).

Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black & High Reflective White

THE TWO TYPES OF BLACK (INTENSITY)

While there are THREE types of black paint related to temperature, there are only TWO types of black when it comes to intensity.

1. SOFT BLACK

2. BLACK

That’s right; I got REAL creative with that second one. Seriously though, it’s either BLACK and crazy dark, or it’s a soft black and isn’t QUITE as solid.

However, to even be CONSIDERED black in the first place, a color needs to have an LRV lower than seven. But even then, just because a color’s LRV is lower than seven doesn’t mean it’s BLACK.

To be considered ‘black,’ a color must have a low LRV and minimal color (chroma).

For example, Sherwin William’s Anchors Aweigh has an LRV of 3, but because it’s SO STUNNINGLY BLUE…it sure as heck ain’t black.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHICH TYPE OF BLACK SUITS YOUR HOME?

This is where you step back, and your home steps up to the plate. Most of the time, there should be a defining element on/in your home that tells you which type of black will be best. For example…

• Most exterior stonework suits a warm or true black
• Some exterior brickwork suits a cool black
• Most kitchen countertops suit a true black or warm black
• Warm-toned finishes often suit a warm black, but some can handle a cool black
• Cool-toned finishes always suit a cool black

The above is based on the colors already existing in the finishes, either warm or cool. If your home doesn’t HAVE any black, then you’ll take inspiration from the other colors/temperatures in your finishes.

NOW, are you ready to rumble in the WILD WORLD OF BLACK PAINT COLORS? Let’s get this color, errr, ‘lack of color party’ started.

Benjamin Moore Black 2132-10

PLEASE NOTE, 99% of my photos are from my Online Paint Color Consulting clients. I don’t always have the quality image I need, but I sure as heck have the INFO you’ve been looking for. 

1. BENJAMIN MOORE BLACK 2132-10

• LRV 4.56
• NO UNDERTONES
• TRUE BLACK

When it comes to tried-and-true blacks, it’s hard to go wrong with Benjamin Moore Black for general depth and lack of undertones. Black has an LRV of 4.56, making it wicked dark (but not the BLACKEST shade on the market). The important thing is that when you order it, you must say ‘Black 2123-20‘; otherwise, you’ll order ‘Black,’ and they’ll say, ‘WHICH black do you want?‘ It’s allll in the number.

In this next photo, Black 2132-10 looks gorgeous on the front door, accenting the rest of the palette…

Benjamin Moore Steel Wool / Sherwin Williams Creamy

Black 2132-10 has NO noticeable undertone, meaning you get what you get. HOWEVER…this doesn’t mean it’s the blackest black on the market – it’s just Benjamin Moore’s darkest black.

Get your Peel & Stick sample of BLACK HERE

If you’re looking for a BLACKER version, make room for this next shade…

2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS TRICORN BLACK 6258

• LRV 3
• BLUE BUT SO FRACTIONAL IT’S HARDLY WORTH MENTIONING
• TRUE BLACK

Between Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams, Tricorn Black is the BLACKEST black. Now this doesn’t mean Benjamin Moore Black 2132-10 doesn’t do the job equally, as it does – its LRV is just a bit higher than Tricorn Black’s LRV of 3.

If you’re looking for a black that’s pretty darn safe and predictable, Tricorn Black is the perfect shade (same goes for Benjamin Moore Black 2132-10) – it’s as black as a stack of black cats.

Here’s Tricorn Black in my old home office…

My Home Office – A Black & White Affair

Get your Peel & Stick sample of Tricorn Black HERE

Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black Paint Color Review

3. SHERWIN WILLIAMS BLACK MAGIC 6991

• LRV 3
• BROWN UNDERTONE
• WARM BLACK

Black Magic LOOKS pretty darn black. However, it has a nugget of WARMTH in it, making it a warm black, especially when compared to a more stark shade of black like Tricorn. Could Black Magic lean TOO warm (brown-violet) with its undertones? It’s doubtful, but in the right natural light (especially southern or afternoon western sun), it will pick up considerable warmth.

Get your Peel & Stick sample of Black Magic HERE

4. SHERWIN WILLIAMS CAVIAR 6990

• LRV 3
• VERY MINOR BROWN UNDERTONE
• WARM BLACK

To say that Caviar is a warm gray would be an overstatement. However, in the battle of Caviar vs. Tricorn Black, it is fractionally warmer.

And while both colors have similarly low LRVs, Tricorn Black is a tiny bit darker.

What’s interesting is to compare Black Magic and Caviar; you’d think that Caviar is the darker of the two. However, the numbers don’t lie (let’s be honest, sometimes they do). If you’re comparing Black Magic and Caviar, Black Magic’s warmth can be just a bit more noticeable – that’s the only REAL noticeable difference.

Get your Peel & Stick sample of Caviar HERE

5. SHERWIN WILLIAMS GREENBLACK 6994

• LRV 4
• GREEN UNDERTONE
• BLACK

Someone REALLY had their drinking thinking cap on when they named this one. I’m sure you can guess which undertone Greenblack has. You guessed it – purple. Just joking.

Greenblack is a green-black with an LRV of 4, making it strikingly dark. And while the undertone can show up at the party, especially where light hits, it’s muted at best.

Get your Peel & Stick sample of Greenblack HERE

Green can be warm (green-yellow) or cool (green-blue). Greenblack is a COOL green-black.

6. BENJAMIN MOORE TWILIGHT ZONE LRV 5.11

• LRV 5.11
• BLUE UNDERTONE
• BLACK

If you want a black with a blue undertone but find Wrought Iron a bit too light, Twilight Zone could be your shade. With an LRV of 5.11, Twilight Zone is strikingly dark with only a touch of softness.

Get your Peel & Stick sample of Twilight Zone HERE

7. SHERWIN WILLIAMS IRON ORE 7069

• LRV 6
• GREEN UNDERTONE
• SOFT BLACK

Iron Ore is a soft black (and one of my faves). Along with its LRV of 6, which is higher than most of the shades on this page, it also has a very subtle green undertone. This undertone doesn’t always show up, but when it does, it’s usually on an exterior or when it’s compared/partnered with a darker, more legit black paint color.

FULL Color Review of Sherwin Williams Iron Ore

Get your Peel & Stick sample of Iron Ore HERE

8. BENJAMIN MOORE WROUGHT IRON

• LRV 8.17
• BLUE UNDERTONE
• SOFT BLACK

Truth be told, Wrought Iron is definitely taking advantage of the word ‘black.’

Why?

Sherwin Williams Eider White walls, Wrought Iron doors

Because while Wrought Iron is darn dark, with its LRV of 8.17, it’s a toss-up whether it’s a soft black or just a SUPER DARK gray with blue undertones. Either way, Wrought Iron is one of my FAVORITE darker shades. In the absence of any other black around and in a space with no direct natural light, Wrought Iron can LOOK black..ish, but that softness is always there.

And even though it’s not a LEGIT black, if you think Wrought Iron could work for you, COMPARISON IS KEY – order a sample of Benjamin Moore’s Cheating Heart as well.

Wrought Iron shutters, Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray trim

Get your Peel & Stick sample of Wrought Iron HERE

COLORS THAT AREN’T ACTUALLY BLACK

According to many online sources, any color with an LRV lower than 10 with a somewhat neutral approach is ‘black.’ Don’t be fooled! To be black, the LRV should be approx. six or lower, and the degree of color (chroma) should be minimal.

Here’s a list of colors that AREN’T black, no matter how you look at them. However, if you’re looking for a SOFTER approach, they could be just the ticket…

• Benjamin Moore’s Cheating Heart
• Sherwin Williams Peppercorn
• Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron (as previously mentioned, it’s questionable)
• Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal
• Benjamin Moore Iron Mountain
• Farrow & Ball Railings

I’ll write a blog post on the above colors as the ‘next best things to black’ – stay tuned!

The 8 Best Front Door Paint Colors

BEST BLACK WITH MORE OBVIOUS BLUE, GREEN, OR PURPLE UNDERTONES

Sometimes you want more commitment to color while still getting an overall ‘blackish’ paint color. I’ve rounded up a few of my faves, some from the above list, as well as a few new ones to explore.

BEST BLACK WITH PURPLE UNDERTONE

Purple is one of the more popular undertones in black, especially for coordinating with exterior stonework (same with blue-black).

• Benjamin Moore Universal Black
• Sherwin Williams Domino

BEST BLACK WITH BLUE UNDERTONES

Other than straight-up black, black-blue is the most popular, asked for color in the black family (especially for kitchen islands).

• Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron
• Sherwin Williams Inkwell

BEST WARM BLACK

• Sherwin Williams Black Magic

BEST BLACK WITH GREEN UNDERTONES

Some green-blacks lean warm, others cool. Comparing these colors will help you see which is best for your home. Green-blacks are most commonly used on feature walls, same with blue-blacks.

• Sherwin Williams Iron Ore
• Sherwin Williams GreenBlack

PEOPLE ALSO ASK…

WHAT ARE BENJAMIN MOORE’S & SHERWIN WILLIAM’S MOST POPULAR BLACK PAINT COLORS?

Sherwin Williams Iron Ore and Tricorn Black are ahead of all shades of black from Benjamin Moore (according to Samplize Peel & Stick stats). As for Benjamin Moore’s most popular shade, Black Magic and Onyx come out on top. PERSONALLY, Tricorn Black and Benjamin Moore Black 2132-10 are my two most recommended shades.

WHAT’S THE BEST BLACK PAINT TO USE ON WALLS?

While it can depend on the needs of your room (re: undertones), generally speaking, Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black and Iron Ore are two of the most popular blacks for interior walls.

WHAT FINISH OR SHEEN SHOULD BLACK WALLS BE – FLAT, EGGSHELL, SATIN?

It depends on the look you’re going for. If your walls are in great shape, a glossy black creates a dynamic, glamorous look. However, for MOST walls, a washable matte finish (i.e., BM ScuffX) is the best for black so it doesn’t look garish.

The best finish for black cabinets is usually satin/pearl.

WILL BLACK WALLS MAKE MY ROOM LOOK SMALLER OR BIGGER?

While a LOT of it comes down to perception, black can give the illusion of more space as the corners tend to recede. This can make a room look bigger than expected, with more depth and drama. However, many find dark colors too enclosing or claustrophobic, so again, it comes down to personal perception.

WHAT’S THE BEST BLACK FOR THE EXTERIOR OF A HOME?

First off, SHOULD you paint your exterior black? Heck, yes, if it suits the style of your home and its existing finishes (windows/roof/stone), black can be striking. Just remember that it’s a TREND, and trends always cycle out. If you don’t care about trends, fill your lil black boots.

5 STEPS: How to Choose the Best Paint Color for Your Exterior

If you’re painting your trim, Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black and Iron Ore are awesome shades, depending on which best suits the siding color/stone/roof/etc…

If you’re painting your entire home black, both are still super popular, but I’d throw Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron and Black 2132-10 into the mix as well.

READ MORE

BEHR’S 2024 Color of the Year: CRACKED PEPPER

The 10 Best DARK Gray Paint Colors

The Best Paint Colors for Kitchen Islands & Bathroom Vanities

How to Choose an Accent Wall Color & Where to Put It

How to De-Beige Your Home

NEED HELP?

CHECK OUT MY ONLINE PAINT COLOR CONSULTING

CHAT SOON,

The post THE 8 BEST BLACK PAINT COLOURS: Benjamin Moore & Sherwin Williams appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

Gone are the days when you go to the paint store and grab any old gallon of white paint. Sure, you CAN, but I almost guarantee it’s not the RIGHT white for your walls, trims, or cabinets.

Why?

Because sneaky undertones like blue, pink, gray, and yellow hide inside even the most seemingly ‘white’ paint colors. These undertones can clash with surrounding finishes if they aren’t coordinated carefully (insert Kylie HERE). On the other hand, if a white DOESN’T have undertones, it can be too stark and clinical for the average home.

So how do you find the BEST white paint color for your walls, trims, cabinets, or exterior?

You COMPARE. Which is what we’re doing in this blog post with one of my FAVORITE white paint colors – Benjamin Moore White Dove.

Benjamin Moore White Dove and Revere Pewter

BTW, my blog posts usually include photos of my client’s homes. HOWEVER, this is an INFO-HEAVY blog post, giving you the deets you need with less muss n’ fuss. If you’re just here for the pretty pictures (I feel you), check out each color’s FULL COLOR REVIEW (links throughout). 

Now, before we get this color party started (or lack of color, seeing as they’re all whites), let’s touch briefly on LRV.

Not sure what LRV is?

The quick n’ dirty is that EVERY paint color has an LRV number on a scale of 0-100. 0 is black, and 100 is white. This number tells you how light or dark a paint color is!

When it comes to white paint colors, LRV matters…A LOT! 

The LRV of white paint colors goes from approx 81-94 (there aren’t any brighter whites in the paint world…yet). Intrigued? You should be; it will rock your paint-pickin’ world – read about it HERE.

Now without FURTHER ado…

BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE VS CLOUD WHITE

White Dove and Cloud White have been kickin’ it a long time. HOWEVER, when it comes to the most popular white used in the early 2000s, Cloud White is MILES ahead of White Dove, and for good reason.

Cloud White is WARMER than White Dove (cream-yellow undertone). This difference makes Cloud White a bit better suited to the Tuscan style of the early 2000s, as well as the accompanying earth tones, countertops, and beige finishes. White Dove has come on the scene more in the last decade as trends leaned cooler. However, with trends shifting (yes, again), I wouldn’t be surprised to see Cloud White rising in the ranks!

As for depth, while both White Dove and Cloud White are soft, warm whites, there’s a subtle difference in depth, with Cloud White being the brighter of the two shades.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHITE DOVE & CLOUD WHITE?

• White Dove LRV: 83.16 / Cloud White LRV: 85.05
• Cloud White is BRIGHTER & whiter than White Dove.
• Cloud White is WARMER than White Dove, although both are warm whites.
• Cloud White is often better suited to popular granite & laminate countertops from the early 2000s.
• As a trim or cabinet color, off-white and light-depth paint colors often suit White Dove over Cloud White due to White Dove’s more subtle warmth.
• White Dove and Cloud White are equally as pretty in cool north-facing and east-facing rooms with dull afternoon light.
• Expect both colors to look even warmer in south-facing and western light.

Ideas to Update Your Outdated Granite Countertops

KYLIE’S M’S FAVE COLOR

Unless a space NEEDS a more definitive creamy warmth, I prefer White Dove to Cloud White. I like that it offers warmth without quite as much yellow.

FULL Color Review of Benjamin Moore Cloud White

FULL Color Review of Benjamin Moore White Dove

BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE VS SWISS COFFEE

White Dove versus Swiss Coffee – which one do you choose? (Insert White Dove HERE.) Just joking…kind of.

White Dove and Swiss Coffee are similar in depth as both are soft whites, but Swiss Coffee is a bit darker than White Dove due to its lower LRV.

In the temperature department, expect to see a BIT more warmth in Swiss Coffee compared to White Dove. And while both are soft, warm whites (yellow undertones), of the two, Swiss Coffee is sliiiiightly more likely to pick up a wee flash of green.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHITE DOVE & SWISS COFFEE?

• White Dove LRV: 83.16 / Swiss Coffee LRV: 81.91
• White Dove is BRIGHTER than Swiss Coffee, but not by a LOT (approx 15%).
• Swiss Coffee can look a bit WARMER than White Dove.
• Both of these popular shades of white have a cream-yellow undertone, but Swiss Coffee is a touch more likely to pick up green (insert mild twitching HERE)
• White Dove and Swiss Coffee are both popular choices for cool north-facing rooms.

The 3 Best White Paint Colors for North-Facing Rooms

KYLIE M’S FAVE COLOR

White Dove and Swiss Coffee are often in the running for the same place on the podium. However, if it weren’t for Studio McGee using Swiss Coffee, it would be clear that White Dove is the better color due to its more predictable approach.

Long story short, I’ve suggested White Dove hundreds (possibly thousands) of times to my Online Paint Color Consulting clients. I’ve suggested Swiss Coffee twice. Nuff said.

FULL Color Review of Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee

BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE VS SIMPLY WHITE

White Dove and Simply White are two of Benjamin Moore’s more popular white paint colors, but there are a few BIG differences.

When you compare Simply White and White Dove, it’s clear that Simply White is a BRIGHTER, cleaner white. This means that Simply White is closer to being a true white compared to White Dove.

However, these two shades are similar as they’re both warm whites and have a yellow undertone. The main difference is that Simply White’s warmth is cleaner, meaning the yellow can sometimes show up at the party a bit more.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHITE DOVE & SIMPLY WHITE?

• White Dove LRV: 83.16 / Simply White LRV: 89.52
• Simply White is a BRIGHTER white; White Dove is a SOFT white.
• Simply White is CLEANER than White Dove and can flash a bit more yellow undertone.
• Both whites work in northern light to add balance; both will pick up more yellow/cream warmth in the southern or western afternoon sun.

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing White Paint Colors

KYLIE M’S FAVE COLOR

While both whites are often in the running, USUALLY a room needs a soft, warm white OR a brighter warm white. Between the two, I prefer White Dove for its more subtle approach.

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Simply White

BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE VS CHANTILLY LACE

While White Dove and Chantilly Lace are both white paint colors – that’s about all they have in common.

Chantilly Lace is pretty darn white. Sure, there are WHITER whites, but as far as BM goes – this is it. This means Chantilly Lace sits at the BRIGHT end of the white spectrum, and White Dove sits at the SOFT end. So, while they’re often competing as trim colors, they both offer different looks.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHITE DOVE & CHANTILLY LACE?

• White Dove LRV: 83.16 / Chantilly Lace LRV: 90.04
• Chantilly Lace is a BRIGHTER white, whereas White Dove is a considerably SOFT shade of white.
• Chantilly Lace is Benjamin Moore’s WHITEST white with fractional warmth. White Dove has a very noticeable warmth in comparison.
• White Dove offers a softer, more MUTED contrast with wall colors. Chantilly Lace is a more CLEAN, crisp partner to wall colors.
• Chantilly Lace can be a bit cool for northern light, but like White Dove, it picks up a pretty warmth in south-facing or afternoon western sunshine.
• Chantilly Lace is often better for gray or cool-toned countertops/tiles, whereas White Dove can humor SOME grays but some warmer finishes as well.

North, East, South, West – Which Paint Color is the Best?

KYLIE M’S FAVE COLOR

It’s a toss-up. While I love the softness of White Dove, I appreciate the clean but not cold/stark look of Chantilly Lace. Let’s just say they BOTH have their place; it all comes down to whether I want a softer look (White Dove) or something a bit brighter (Chantilly Lace).

Chantilly Lace PHOTOS & review: FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace

The 5 Types of White Paint Colors

BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE VS SHERWIN WILLIAMS PURE WHITE

White Dove is a soft white – Pure White is also a soft white. This is due to their respective LRVs of 83.16 and 84. The main difference is that White Dove is WARMER and creamier than Pure White.

Because of this difference, Pure White is often a better choice with the average white quartz countertops, whereas White Dove’s subtle warmth can be a bit TOO yellow at times for these finishes.

White Dove is often better suited to beige-infused homes (i.e., Tuscan style), whereas Pure White is usually too flat/not warm enough.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHITE DOVE & PURE WHITE?

• White Dove LRV: 83.16 / Pure White LRV 84
• Pure White is a touch BRIGHTER than White Dove.
• White Dove is WARMER and a bit creamier than Pure White.
• Pure White is often better suited for white quartz countertops.
• Pure White CAN fall a bit flat in northern light or east/west-facing rooms at their flat times of the day.
• White Dove has more warmth than Pure White, making it better suited to cool northern rooms.

Kylie M’s Top 3 White Paint Color COLLECTIONS: with Samplize

KYLIE M’S FAVE COLOR

Don’t do this to me…don’t make me pick. The thing is, these two are often vying for the same spot for a good reason; it’s more about the APPROACH you want. With Pure White being less warm, it can look a bit cleaner than White Dove (without being overly crisp). However, there can be just as much appeal in the subtle warmth of White Dove and its slightly more muted approach.

What breaks the tie is that while I would put White Dove in many north, east, south, and west-facing rooms. However, Pure White isn’t always warm enough for a north-facing space and can fall a bit flat in morning western/afternoon eastern light.

WHITE DOVE FOR THE WIN!

Pure White PHOTOS & review: FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Pure White

BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE VS SHERWIN WILLIAMS ALABASTER

While White Dove and Alabaster are warm white paint colors, the main difference is in the DEGREE of warmth. Alabaster is warmer and creamier than White Dove. This makes Alabaster a popular choice with many traditional granite countertops, although White Dove does work with a few.

Both Alabaster and White Dove suit north-facing rooms if you want to balance the cool light with some warmth. However, both will lean EVEN WARMER south or strong afternoon western sunshine.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHITE DOVE & ALABASTER?

• White Dove LRV: 83.16 / Alabaster LRV: 82
• Alabaster is NOT AS BRIGHT as White Dove and is closer to being an off-white (although both are soft whites).
• Alabaster is WARMER (more cream-yellow) than White Dove.
• Alabaster can be beautiful with some popular granite countertops; White Dove is hit-and-miss but can work.
• Both can be too warm for many of the popular white quartz countertops (marble-look).

A Gorgeous Home Makeover with Sherwin Williams Alabaster

KYLIE M’S FAVE COLOR

White Dove…all the way. Sure, Alabaster wins MOST of the time when it comes to granite and laminate countertops from the early 2000s, but OVERALL, the more subtle warmth of White Dove makes it an easy choice. Remember, this is my PERSONAL opinion – you and your home might feel otherwise!

Alabaster PHOTOS & review: FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Alabaster

BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE VS HIGH REFLECTIVE WHITE

If you’re choosing between White Dove and High Reflective White, there should be a VERY clear winner.

Why?

Because White Dove and High Reflective White are on OPPOSITE sides when it comes to the wild world of whites!

High Reflective White is a TRUE white (a stitch whiter than Chantilly Lace), whereas White Dove is a soft white. While they could maaaaybe be vying for the same spot on your trim, one is likely the FAR better choice based on the needs of your finishes.

High Reflective White is known as Ultra White in Sherwin William’s Emerald paint line. So, while regular High Reflective White doesn’t have good coverage, the Emerald version is MUCH better (pricier, but better).

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHITE DOVE & HIGH REFLECTIVE WHITE?

• White Dove LRV: 83.16 / High Reflective White LRV: 93
• High Reflective White is a TRUE white; White Dove is a soft, warm white.
• White Dove often suits a range of quartz, laminate, and granite countertops. High Reflective White suits fewer countertops, usually cooler or fractionally warm ones.

How to Get the REAL High Reflective White & Not the DUPE

KYLIE M’S FAVE COLOR

Personally, there’s no competition; it’s White Dove all the way. High Reflective White has its place, but it’s not USUALLY in a home with a blend of warm and cool finishes (or all warm finishes). High Reflective White tolerates moderately warm colors but LOVES the cooler end of things, making it less easy to please than White Dove.

High Reflective White PHOTOS & review: FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams High Reflective White

I BET you’re going to get paint samples in the near future! Please check out SAMPLIZE peel-and-stick for samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER, and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots.

Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE

BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE VS SNOWBOUND

When comparing White Dove and Snowbound, we’re comparing apples to oranges – sure, they have a similar SHAPE, but they sure as heck taste different.

Snowbound is like a soft white with gray in it. And because EVERY gray has undertones, expect Snowbound to have them too – violet-pink. I want to tell you these undertones are subtle, and while they caaaan be, it doesn’t take much for them to pop, especially when Snowbound’s used as a wall application.

Where Snowbound and White Dove are super similar is that their LRVs are just fractions of a point apart, making them both very comparable soft whites.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHITE DOVE & SNOWBOUND?

• White Dove LRV: 83.16 / Snowbound LRV: 83
• Snowbound and White Dove are both soft whites, but White Dove is considerably warmer/creamier.
• White Dove will pick up cream undertones; Snowbound can grab violet-pink and occasionally a touch of warmth.
• Snowbound can be fussy with its surroundings and should only be chosen when needed. White Dove is more versatile.

Sherwin William’s 3 Best Warm White Paint Colors

KYLIE M’S FAVE COLOR

Do I even need to say? Yes, Snowbound has its place, but for the average home, room, and surface, White Dove is WAY more versatile and predictable.

Snowbound PHOTOS & review: FULL Review of Sherwin Williams Snowbound

BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE VS GREEK VILLA

In the battle of White Dove versus Greek Villa, it’s a pretty close race.

White Dove and Greek Villa are kissin’ cousins, both having similar DNAs, I mean, LRVs (same thing, really). These two popular white shades are soft whites, as their LRVs are in the low 80s. This makes them a popular choice with various countertops, tiles, and interior finishes.

HOWEVER, whereas Greek Villa has slightly more noticeable yellow undertones, White Dove is more passive in its approach. And while every color has its place, it’s more often White Dove that’s suited to the job.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHITE DOVE & GREEK VILLA?

• White Dove LRV: 83.16 / Greek Villa LRV: 84
• Greek Villa and White Dove are very comparable warm whites.
• Greek Villa offers a bit more warmth/yellow than White Dove and can look a touch cleaner.
• With less yellow/warmth, White Dove is often a safer, more versatile choice.

White Walls, Cabinets, & Trim: Do They Need to be the SAME WHITE?

KYLIE M’S FAVE COLOR

White Dove…every time. I rarely need the increased yellow found in Greek Villa. And if I do, I usually turn to Cloud White or Simply White. Again, you do you, boo; if Greek Villa is your jam and it suits your home, fill yer lil white boots!

Greek Villa PHOTOS & review: FULL Color Review of Sherwin Williams Greek Villa

BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE VS CHEVIOT

While Cheviot and White Dove are both warm paint colors, upon close comparison, they’re heading in different directions.

Cheviot is a BRIGHTER white than White Dove due to their differences in LRV. With an LRV of 89, Cheviot is closer to being a bright white. However, the subtlety of its warmth is SIMILAR to White Dove; it’s just the shift in depth that sets them considerably apart.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHITE DOVE & CHEVIOT?

• White Dove LRV: 83.16 / Cheviot LRV: 89
• Cheviot is a brighter white compared to White Dove and comes across as cleaner/less muted.
• Cheviot is MORE comparable to Benjamin Moore’s Simply White but is slightly less yellow.

The Pros & Cons of Off-White or Light Depth Painted Cabinets

KYLIE M’S FAVE COLOR

With the higher price tag on Sherwin Williams Emerald paint, I haven’t had a chance to play with Cheviot enough. HOWEVER, if I were to, I feel like it would be in the running as my FAVE shade of white.

Why? 

With its passive warmth but increased brightness, Cheviot could fill a spot that neither Benjamin Moore nor Sherwin Williams has touched with any other whites!

Sherwin Williams Emerald Collection: 9 New White Paint Colors (INCLUDING CHEVIOT!)

PEOPLE ALSO ASK…

WHAT COLOR COMPARES TO WHITE DOVE? WHAT’S THE CLOSEST MATCH?

There is no perfect match to White Dove as there will ALWAYS be changes in undertone/temperature/depth. The closest color to White Dove is Sherwin Williams Greek Villa.

IS WHITE DOVE TOO WHITE?

If you’re worried that White Dove is too white, you’re PROBABLY looking for an off-white. If you want a color with a bit more depth and body, then yes, White Dove COULD be too white.

In the ‘world of white,’ White Dove is sometimes seen as ‘not white enough.’

DOES WHITE DOVE LOOK DINGY?

It depends on what you’re comparing it to.

• Compared to cream with a lot of yellow, White Dove can look dirty.
• In a low-light room, White Dove can look dingy.
• If you’re comparing/partnering it with a brighter, cleaner white, White Dove will look dirty.
• In the wild world of whites, White Dove is one of the warmer, dirtier whites, but it still has a good life to it in the right environment.

READ MORE

The Ultimate Guide to White Paint Colors

3 Steps to Choose the Best White Paint Color for Your Walls, Cabinets, & Trim

Is White Still Popular on Walls, Cabinets, & Exteriors?

NEED HELP?

CHECK OUT MY ONLINE PAINT COLOR CONSULTING

Chat soon, 

The post WHITE DOVE vs CLOUD WHITE WHITE, SWISS COFFEE & 10 OTHER POPULAR COLORS appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen beige, tan, and TRENDY or IN STYLE in the same sentence – about 15 years, to be exact. But they’re coming back, and before you know it, we’ll be fully immersed in the warm neutral world again, reveling in the GLORY of travertine, beige walls, and Saint Cecilia granite countertop.

Just joking.

None of this is coming back anytime soon, but this doesn’t mean YOU can’t love it for your home!

While some of the above is true, SOME finishes won’t be coming back any time soon. However, with the coming trends, it will be MUCH easier to update their look with PURPOSEFULLY chosen warm neutral paint colors.

Personally, I LOVE travertine tile and always will, whether it’s trendy or not!

WHERE IS BEIGE POPULAR IN 2023?

• a modern beige can be a great partner to some travertine tiles and early 2000s-style homes

• they can be great transitional colors for homes with a warmer Tuscan style when the owner doesn’t want a traditional RICH, golden beige

• they’re a great update to some of the more outdated granite countertops

• a modern beige or tan is a way of staying in the ‘warm’ family without overheating a south or west-facing room (which can look darn warm on the best of days)

• they’re a great way to add some softness to a NORTH-facing room without embracing the more golden end of things

And those are just a FEW ways you can use modern beige in your home. Just imagine what I can come up with once I’ve had my glass of wine…uno momento…NOW WE’RE PLAYIN’ WITH FIRE!

• a modern beige can be a great transitional colour between spouses/partners who each prefer the warmer/cooler end of things

• you can also use a modern beige to take the warm edge off of some stronger warm-toned woods

• a modern beige can be great for resale – warmer than gray, which is falling off the trend charts, without being obnoxiously warm and reminiscent of the early 2000s

• it’s also a great bra color when you want to wear a white T-shirt

Sherwin Williams Canvas Tan

Now, you’re probably wondering what these so-called modern beige and tan paint colors are.

Let’s take a lil boo…

1. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ACCESSIBLE BEIGE 7036

Accessible Beige is one of THE most popular beige paint colors and has been for several years – even during the gray trend. With an LRV of 58, Accessible Beige is a light beige, but rather than looking GOLDEN like the beiges of the early 2000s, it actually leans a wink into gray. And trust me, this wee willy wink makes a HUGE difference, particularly in a north-facing room!

These next two photos demonstrate how DRASTICALLY the look of Accessible Beige can change. HOWEVER, assume it will look more like the second photo…

 Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige

2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS MODERATE WHITE 6140

Moderate White is one BUTT-ugly beige if you judge it by its Pinterest profile. However, in real life, it’s one of my faves. I will say that Moderate White has a bit more orange undertone than most people are looking for, but it suits a HECK of many interior finishes without looking heavy or outdated.

Compared to this sofa’s fabric (below), Moderate White almost looks CREAMY, which shows how flexible it can be…

Remember, paint colors will change their appearance based on the room finishes, exposure, light bulbs, and the owner’s photography skills!

I only use photos from my Online Paint Color Consulting clients – thank you for sending them in! 

Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Moderate White

3. SHERWIN WILLIAMS NATURAL LINEN 9109

As beige gets increasingly popular, I see Natural Linen playing a BIG PART in the coming paint colour trends. Personally? I LOVE IT!

For those used to the muted approach of gray, greige, and taupe, Natural Linen will seem AWFULLY beige. However, compare it to the traditional beiges of yesteryear, and you’ll see how MASSIVELY subtle and freakin’ GORGEOUS it is.

Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Natural Linen

Check out my ONLINE PAINT COLOR CONSULTING! 

4. SHERWIN WILLIAMS AESTHETIC WHITE 7035

Regarding the best off-white warm beige paint colors, Aesthetic White and the previously mentioned Moderate White are near the top of my list.

All samples are sitting on Sherwin Williams Shell White.

The difference between Moderate White and Aesthetic White is that Aesthetic is more MUTED; it has a bit more gray to it, making it a great happy medium for those wanting a more PASSIVE nod toward warmth.

Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White

5. SHERWIN WILLIAMS BALANCED BEIGE 7037

Balanced Beige is a great warm neutral if you’re looking for a BIT more depth without hitting anything too rich or golden. While lighter beige and tan paint colors will be more popular, Balanced Beige will definitely hold its own.

With an LRV of 46, Balanced Beige has more meat on its bones than the lighter SIMILAR version, Accessible Beige…

 How to Choose YOUR Best Paint Color Using LRV

Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Balanced Beige

Samplize peel-and-stick paint samples are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER, and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots.

• samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1 DAY

• they’re more affordable than the samples pots/rollers/foam boards that are needed for traditional paint sampling

Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE

6. SHERWIN WILLIAMS CANVAS TAN 7531

Canvas Tan looks a bit different from the others. Why? It’s a tan. What’s the MAIN difference between beige and tan? Generally speaking, REGARDLESS of whether the color name has ‘beige or tan’ in it, beige caters to an orange undertone, and tan caters to a yellow undertone.

Tans are OFTEN a bit more grounded looking, and while I wouldn’t say they’re grayed-out, many are more muted and ‘neutral’ looking compared to their popular beige counterparts (which can be open to perception, of course).

Canvas Tan has an LRV of 64, so it sits in the light range with that lovely balanced neutral base.

Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Canvas Tan

7. SHERWIN WILLIAMS WOOL SKEIN 6148

Wool Skein might SEEM pretty tan with an almost greige backdrop to it, but surprise, it can lean a weee willly wink into green!

Wool Skein is on the lighter end of things without looking washed out. With an LRV of 63, it ALMOST hits my happy button! Which Tim has been trying to do for years…

Paint Colour Review of Wool Skein

What’s The Difference Between Beige & Tan?

8. SHERWIN WILLIAMS NATURAL TAN 7567

Do you like the approach of Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige but wish it were lighter? Take a look at Natural Tan. Natural Tan is similar to Accessible Beige, but with its LRV of 65, it’s a nice shift lighter and softer looking.

Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Natural Tan

And you MIGHT have noticed that these are all Sherwin Williams paint colors. Sure, I could add a few Benjamin Moore options to the list, colors like Muslin and Manchester Tan, but that’s for another day…and another blog post.

PEOPLE ALSO ASK…

IS BEIGE MODERN/TRENDY FOR 2023 & 204?

Yes, beige is becoming popular again. Be careful to focus on muted, lighter beiges so they don’t mimic the beiges from the early 2000s – which could date your home rather than UPdate it.

IS BEIGE OLD-FASHIONED?

While the heavy beiges from the early 2000s are seen as outdated, new, modern beiges are a great way to add subtle warmth to your home. Long story short, no, the RIGHT beige isn’t old-fashioned.

But even then, if you put the right furnishings and decor around an outdated beige, it can look ‘more modern’ than it normally would.

IS BEIGE REPLACING GRAY?

Beige is replacing gray. While we’re still seeing a lot of greige and taupe – transitional colors, beige is becoming increasingly popular in the paint color and home decor/furnishing worlds.

READ MORE

Is Beige Back? Is Beige Trendy?

The #1 Secret to Coordinating Warm & Cool Paint Colors

Are Beige & Tan The Same Thing?

Paint Color Review: Sherwin Williams Loggia & Shittake

Benjamin Moore’s Best Beige & Tan Paint Colours

The 8 Best WHOLE HOME Warm Neutral Paint Colors

The 12 Best WHOLE HOME Gray & Greige Paint Colors

Not sure which beige is best for you?

Check out my affordable and fun E-Design! 

Chat soon,

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2021. AWESOME UPDATED TO BE MODERN & TRENDY IN 2023

The post The 8 Best TRENDY Beige & Tan Paint Colors appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

Seriously, I can’t believe I haven’t done a review for this color! Not only is it one of MY favorite warm gray paint colors, but it’s also one of my READER’S faves! That’s it; two slaps with a wet noodl for me.

It can be hard to find a good neutral gray or greige in the off-white range, as they all love to flash creepy undertones of blue, purple, or green – and Classic Gray is NO exception. But, the key to picking a paint color you LOVE is to know what you’re dealing with BEFORE you slap it on the walls, which is why you have me (I’m not JUST good looks, you know…).

IS CLASSIC GRAY WARM OR COOL? GRAY, TAUPE, OR BEIGE?

Classic Gray is an off-white, warm gray with soft, muted, slightly feminine undertones. In some rooms, it leans into its warmth a bit more, but rarely looks legit beige. Between the three neutrals, Classic Gray favors warm gray, but can also pass as a shade of taupe.

WHAT’S THE LRV OF CLASSIC GRAY?

If you’re asking yourself, ‘what the heck is LRV?’ you need to read this, but here’s the gist: LRV refers to how light or dark a color is based on a scale of 0-100, and EVERY paint color has an LRV number. The closer the number is to 100, the lighter the color is. The closer it is to 0, the darker the color is. Done!

Classic Gray, darkened by 25%

Now that THAT’S out of the way, let’s return to Classic Gray. Classic Gray has an LRV of ALMOST 75, which in my crazy lil color world means it’s off-white. And while it might be CLOSE to my magic LRV number, it gives a soft, easy contrast with white trim while still lightening a room up.

However, Classic Grey could feel dingy and flat if you have a dark room. If you have a BRIGHT room, you can expect Classic Gray to wash out quite a bit, but it’s pretty darn gorgeous in a room with average light!

The Ultimate Guideline to Picking Paint Color with LRV

WHAT ARE CLASSIC GRAY’S UNDERTONES?

If you don’t like blue or green undertones, this could be right up your alley! Classic Gray has a very passive violet undertone (violet-pink).

Don’t be scared. While you might’ve focused on the one ‘v-word,’ you might’ve easily missed the other one – passive. Every gray and greige has undertones of blue, green, violet, or a mix. The key is to decide how much undertone you can live with and how sensitive you and your surroundings are to it. I don’t like a violet undertone at all, yet I find Classic Gray VERY liveable when it suits the products in a room (and I have it in our guest bedroom).

Take a look at this next photo. There’s a reason why I chose taupe/greige tiles for the vanity wall – they have the same undertone as Classic Gray, just on a darker level.

Classic Gray darkened by 25%. See more of this AMAZING before and after HERE

Now, once in a blue moon (or a pink one might be more the point), I’ve seen it pick up the TINIEST wink of pink. This has usually been in south-facing rooms, but even then, it’s vague and is more about me being anal.

WHAT WHITE TRIM COLOR GOES WITH CLASSIC GRAY?

• Benjamin Moore Oxford White or Chantilly Lace
• You can warm things up to Benjamin Moore White Dove, but that subtle warmth can play a bit more into the undertones that are hiding in Classic Gray

Shown above with Sherwin Williams Pure White cabinets

The 8 Best Benjamin Moore WHITE Paint Colors

I want you to check out SAMPLIZE. Samplize offers peel-and-stick paint samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER, and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots. Plus, samples arrive on your DOORSTEP IN 1 DAY!

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF CLASSIC GRAY

CLASSIC GRAY IN A NORTH-FACING ROOM

Classic Gray holds itself pretty well in northern light. You’ll see it looking like a simple, soft, warm gray as the northern light can slightly encourage the ‘gray’ in the color, not the subtle warmth of it.

The Best Paint Colors for a North-Facing Room

Regarding the photos above and below, an E-Design client hired me because while she LOVED Classic Gray in the evening light, she found it a bit too cold in the daylight and was looking for a warmer alternative. Here is Classic Gray in the evening with only interior lighting…

It’s fascinating how Classic Gray went from a soft, slightly warm gray to a warm greige, just with the lighting – I LOVE THIS STUFF! I’m also easily amused and a huge color nerd (true and true). Needless to say, I gave her some warmer greige options to consider so she’d love her room day AND nite!

Color Review of Benjamin Moore Collingwood

Click HERE or on the above image to see available packages

CLASSIC GRAY IN A SOUTH-FACING ROOM OR WESTERN AFTERNOON LIGHT

South-facing light is warm and can slightly enhance the soft warmth tucked in Classic Gray; the same goes for afternoon western sunshine (which can go CONSIDERABLY gold).

The Best Paint Colors for South-Facing Rooms

IS CLASSIC GRAY A GOOD EXTERIOR PAINT COLOR?

Ermmmm, probably not. You can give it a go, but don’t be surprised if those violet-pink undertones come up a wink more. At this depth (unless you live in a shaded area), you can expect it to REALLY wash out in the sunshine.

However, if its undertones are awesome with your stone, brick, and roof, the front of your home doesn’t get absolutely PUMMELLED with sunshine, and you partner it with bright white trim, it can be pretty!

5 Steps to Picking Exterior Paint Colors

WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO CLASSIC GRAY?

When it comes to getting a perfect match, you won’t find one as there will ALWAYS be undertones, depth, and temperature shifts. For a similar approach, you can check out…

• Sherwin Williams Incredible White
• Sherwin Williams Egret White
• Sherwin Williams City Loft
• Benjamin Moore Silver Satin

COMPARING CLASSIC GRAY TO OTHER POPULAR WARM GRAYS & TAUPES

When finding your best paint color, NOTHING matters more than comparison. These are just a few neutrals I regularly compare Classic Gray with regularly…

CLASSIC GRAY VS BALBOA MIST

Classic Gray and Balboa Mist are similar in that they both have soft violet (violet-pink) undertones. However, Balboa Mist is a bit darker and a bit grayer. Because of this, its violet undertone can sometimes show up at the party a bit more.

Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist

CLASSIC GRAY VS PALE OAK

Classic Gray and Pale Oak are ALWAYS being compared as they’re both gentle, subtle approaches to the gray and taupe worlds. Pale Oak is warmer than Classic Gray, which means its violet-pink undertone can shift into PINK-violet much easier (where pink is the more dominant undertone). Its undertones can also show up a bit more than those in Classic Gray.

Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Pale Oak

Stay tuned for a FULL blog post on Classic Gray’s best comparables!

IS CLASSIC GRAY A GOOD COLOR FOR KITCHEN CABINETS?

You must be careful with Classic Gray, as it often looks warmer than expected on cabinets (especially if alkyd or enamel are used). Also, because of its LRV/depth, it’s trickier to find a coordinating wall color. LONG STORY SHORT, it’s not a hard no; it’s a ‘be careful.’

PEOPLE ALSO ASK…

WILL CLASSIC GRAY LOOK DINGY?

This is open to perception. Compared to a cool or stormy gray, yes, Classic Gray can look a bit dingy, but this is because it has a nice warmth. In the case of Classic Gray, I don’t see ‘dingy’ as a bad thing at all.

IS CLASSIC GRAY TOO BEIGE?

If you’re worried about Classic Gray looking too beige, compare it to Benjamin Moore Maritime White, which IS a beige (a muted one). Yes, Classic Gray has warm tendencies, but the only times I’d expect to see beige are a) in the later afternoon golden sunshine (which can turn almost any color more golden) and b) if you partner it with finishes that NEED a cooler approach to gray.

WHAT CABINET COLOR GOES WITH CLASSIC GRAY WALLS?

I’m a big fan of the simplicity of Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace with Classic Gray. This bright white shows off the beauty of Classic Gray. If I go darker, Benjamin Moore Metropolis is the first place I look, although it can look STUNNING with shades of gray-blue too.

WHAT COLORS GO WITH CLASSIC GRAY?

If you’re making a color palette, explore…

• slightly darker shades of warm grays-violet
• mid-toned gray-blues and gray-greens
• the classic look of WHITE!

Not sure if Classic Gray is right for you? Then check these bad boys out…

READ MORE

Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Pale Oak

The 8 Best WARM Gray Paint Colors

Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Egret White

Color Review: Benjamin Moore Gray Owl

Are Gray Paint Colors & Finishes STILL TRENDY?

Not sure which paint color is best for you and YOUR home?

Check out my fun E-DESIGN – I’d love to help! 

Chat soon,

Written in 2019, updated in 2023

The post BENJAMIN MOORE CLASSIC GRAY 1548: Paint Color Review appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

It can be darn hard to keep up with trends (for those so inclined). This means that when choosing a paint color, you shouldn’t just think about what’s TRENDY; you should also consider what’s VERSATILE.

What does this mean?

Well, the more versatile a paint color is, the better it will flex into the next trend. It’s kind of like me at 44 – the more flexible I am NOW, the easier it will be to transition into my 50s. I figure my diet of white wine, Filet o Fish and Cornuts is also helping with that.

Anyway.

If there’s ONE COLOR that’s popping up more and more in my Instagram, Pinterest, and Youtube comment sections, it HAS to be Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White. You know I’m a sucker for flexible neutrals like Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray, Ballet White, and Sherwin Williams White Duck, which is why I’m MORE than happy to welcome another up-and-comer to the paint color world.

Now, if you’re like my hubby and are confused about the title of this blog post vs. the color name, I get it. I said in the title that this color ISN’T WHITE, yet the name is AESTHETIC WHITE.

Never judge a color by its name. If I judged a color by its name, my walls would be painted Nacho Cheese and Red Red Wine. Aesthetic is an off-white paint color – not white.

WHAT CAN AESTHETIC WHITE BE USED FOR?

• walls
• exteriors (siding and trim)
• cabinets
• interior trim (although I don’t personally recommend it)

WHAT MAKES AESTHETIC WHITE SO VERSATILE?

Any color that can nod at various neutrals without 100% commitment to a particular ‘color’ (i.e., gray/beige/cream) or undertone (i.e., blue/green/violet) is a winner in my books. Aesthetic White definitely satisfies this, along with a depth that’s versatile for a variety of spaces.

A few more warm off-whites 

DOES THIS MEAN AESTHETIC WHITE IS A FOOL-PROOF PAINT COLOR?

HELLLLS no – NO paint color is fool-proof; there will ALWAYS be situations where it won’t work. As it relates to Aesthetic White, here are its limitations…

• In a dark room, Aesthetic White can look a bit dingy and drab (improve your interior lighting!)
• In an OVERLY bright room, Aesthetic White will wash out, but so will ANY PAINT COLOR in and around this LRV range.
• Aesthetic White definitely doesn’t want to be partnered with off-white/cream trim; it needs a whiter approach.
• Aesthetic White isn’t always warm/beige enough for the beige/Tuscan tones from the early 2000s (this fab neutral is often better)

Left to right: Sherwin Williams Divine White, Aesthetic White, Egret White

DOES AESTHETIC WHITE WORK ON WALLS, CABINETS, & EXTERIORS?

It depends on which surface you want to paint it on, as well as the surrounding finishes, so let’s break it on down (no twerking, though – yes, Mom, I’m talking to you)…

AESTHETIC WHITE AS A WALL COLOR

• Aesthetic White is a soft subtle color that often humors a room with a variety of interior finishes containing different neutrals in them
• with its higher LRV; Aesthetic White is a great way to lighten and brighten a room, especially for those who want to do so without going all-white

In this next bathroom with muted natural light, look at how subtle Aesthetic White looks. While it has a passive warmth, it’s not NEARLY as warm as some of the other popular shades of off-white.

In this hallway with beige/taupe carpet and orange-hued wood trim, the warmth of Aesthetic White shows up to the party much more…

The 16 Best Paint Colors With Wood Trim

AESTHETIC WHITE ON KITCHEN CABINETS

• Aesthetic White can be a great choice for kitchens that don’t suit white cabinets (more common than you’d think – especially kitchens with granite countertops from the early 2000s)
• thanks to its higher LRV, combined with the extra sheen of cabinet paint (satin or pearl), Aesthetic White can lighten the look of a previously dark kitchen without going too white/bright
• if you want a bit more depth, check out Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige

The Best Off-White Paint Colors for Kitchen Cabinets

FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White

SAMPLING AESTHETIC WHITE WITH PEEL & STICK

Samplize offers peel-and-stick paint samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER, and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots. Here are just a few reasons why I recommend Samplize to my clients…

• samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1 DAY, depending on the location

• they’re more affordable than the samples pots/rollers/foam boards that are needed for traditional paint sampling

• if you keep the samples on their white paper, you can move them around the room

GET YOUR SAMPLIZE PEEL & STICK SAMPLE! 

AESTHETIC WHITE AS AN EXTERIOR COLOR

• on exterior trim, Aesthetic White is a bright but not WHITE look – not all homes suit white trim, yet going cream/yellow or gray can be risky
• as an exterior siding/main color, Aesthetic White offers a bright look without the same starkness of white
• the flexible neutrals in Aesthetic White often humor a wide range of stone, brick, and roof colors

Picking Your Home’s Best Exterior Color: Does Exposure REALLY Matter?

Aesthetic White 50% darker

What do YOU think? Are you excited to see warmer colors popping up, or are you still on the gray train?

READ MORE

FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White

The Top 11 Warm Neutral Paint Colors That AREN’T BEIGE! 

The 5 Best Off-White Paint Colors

6 Budget-Friendly Home Update Ideas

How to Update Granite Countertops

NEED HELP?

CHECK OUT MY ONLINE PAINT COLOR CONSULT / E-DESIGN! 

Chat soon,

The post THE NEXT ‘IT’ COLOR IN THE PAINT WORLD (btw, it’s not white OR gray!) appeared first on Kylie M Interiors.

Guess who’s back…back again. Well, it AIN’T Slim Shady (dating myself as a 90s child/Eminem lover). In fact, ‘SHADY’ is gone, with shades of gray being quickly replaced by paint colors with more warmth.

That’s right – beige is BACK, baby! But don’t put on your beige granny panties and nude nylons quite yet; it has a ways to go before it’s THE trendy thing to do (if you consider 12-18 months a ‘ways to go’).

But I will say, regardless of trends, you need to live in colors that both you AND your home are comfortable in. And if that happens to be gray, beige, cream, or smokin’ hot red, then I say you should fill yer lil boots with the color you love (while always keeping RESALE in mind)!

Sherwin Williams Wool Skein 

WHAT ARE THE PAINT COLOR TRENDS HEADING IN 2023?

How do I know the trends are shifting away from gray and into the warmer end of things? Heck, I’m no trendsetter unless you’re into Mom-bum jeans and boxed wine, but in keeping track of my thousands of Online Paint Color Consults, I’ve seen a big shift in the last few years. In fact, if I were to break my E-Design requests down, they would be as follows (approximately)…

• 10% of my clients ask for gray and ONLY gray (two years ago, this was closer to 75%)

• 10% ask for ONLY white or off-white

• 60% request greige or taupe (often dabbling in gray or beige as well)

• 20% request cream or beige/tan, sometimes greige or taupe, but they DON’T want gray

• few clients want ONLY ‘color’ – no neutrals, usually only for single rooms