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Top 10 paint colours


10 Best Interior Paint Colors

Designers reveal their personal favorite paint colors for every interior room

By

Deirdre Sullivan

Deirdre Sullivan

Deirdre Sullivan is an interior design expert and features writer who specializes in home improvement as well as design. She began her career as an assistant editor at Elle magazine and has more than a decade of experience. Deirdre contributes content for brands including The Spruce and Realtor.com, and has been a featured speaker at various conferences.

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Updated on 02/20/21

The Spruce

There's an insurmountable number of popular interior paint colors you can choose. Deciding which shade is one thing, and figuring out what room to cover it in is a whole other beast. That is why we narrowed down your choices to a handful of tried and true shades favored by color experts for various rooms to help make your decision a little easier. Looking to paint your home soon? Determine how much paint you need with The Spruce's Paint Calculator.

Overview

Here's our list of the 10 best designer-savvy interior paint colors for all rooms in your home.

Easy Tips for Choosing Interior Paint Colors

10 Best Interior Paint Colors 2022

by Andre Kazimierski | Apr 23, 2022

Finding the best interior paint colors for your house is hard. As a homeowner, you’re faced with an endless array of colors, shades, and sheens. To complicate things further, you’ll need to coordinate paint colors between rooms and surfaces. That’s why our color experts created this top 10 favorite interior paint colors to make it easy for you.

Regardless if you’re sprucing up your bedroom walls or painting the whole house, here are the top 10 most popular interior paint colors for any room.

Best Paint Color Criteria

First and foremost, our goal is to save you time and money with this list. You shouldn’t spend all weekend ordering test patch swatches and driving to paint stores.

To simplify the process, the paint colors listed are fairly neutral, easy to match, and can be used in most rooms. Remember, every home is different and the amount of light in a room affects how colors look.

Accordingly, we’ve combined past job data, modern search trends, and interior designer favorites to rank paint colors by popularity.

With this list of the best paint colors for your home, we’ll make the process as simple as possible. Let’s start with one of our favorite classic interior paint colors for any room of the house. 

  1. Sherwin Williams Pure White

Pure White (SW 7005) by Sherwin Williams is a versatile off-white paint color that is often used in the kitchen, bedroom, or living room. Likewise, it has a soft, warmer taupe tone that doesn’t feel terribly creamy and pairs well with gray color palettes.

Flexibility is key with this popular modern neutral interior color as it can be used on walls, cabinets, trim, or ceilings.

A quick announcement: Improovy just launched its newest location for Phoenix, AZ homeowners! If you live in the valley and are inspired by these colors, request a free estimate.

  1. Benjamin Moore Classic Gray

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Benjamin Moore Classic Gray (BM 1548) is a natural light warm gray color that registers as a sophisticated off-white on the walls of most rooms. A top paint color among designers, this can be used to paint the whole house, bedroom, living room, or kitchen. Not to mention, you can use this color instead of white in a darker room. Lastly, this top gray shade works in both south-facing and north-facing rooms.

Thinking about painting your main rooms? Find out which shades our experts picked in the best 9 living room paint colors this year. 

  1. Repose Gray Sherwin-Williams

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This warm neutral paint color looks gray without feeling too cold. It’s a great color for walls in living rooms, foyers, dining rooms, kitchens, and bedrooms. Repose Gray (SW 7015) has slight taupe or green undertones and pairs well with white trim colors like Extra White (SW 7006).

The combination of gray and beige blends perfectly, allowing this color to go with most existing home paint color palettes.

Stumped on which primers to use? Learn all you’ll need to know about priming in our homeowner primer paint guide so you are better equipped to tackle your next project.

  1. PPG Delicate White

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As PPG’s most popular white color, Delicate White (PPG1001-1) is a cooler-toned, pale color that can be used on your walls, trim, or both. Ultimately versatile, it pairs with most paint colors and allows for a fresh contrast in rooms with natural wood trim.

One thing to watch for with this off-white PPG Paint color is the yellow undertones that can come through depending on lighting and existing room decor. In any event, this is an inviting color option that can brighten up smaller rooms.

Narrowing down paint colors in a bedroom can be tough. With thousands of colors to choose from, where do you start? A good place to begin would be this list of popular bedroom wall hues curated by our expert design team.

  1. Sea Salt By Sherwin Williams

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Sherwin-Williams Sea Salt (SW 6204) is a popular coastal “neutral” interior paint color that is a mix of gray and green. Used often in bathrooms, dining rooms, kitchens, and mudrooms, this is a relaxing cooler-leaning color with slight blue undertones.

This color has been described as “chameleon-like” in that it looks different in a variety of rooms/lighting. It also happens to be one of the most researched painting colors in the US with nearly 50,000 online searches per month.

Inspired by the painted powder room above? Find out which interior shades made our 10 best bathroom paint colors list this year!

  1. Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace

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One of Benjamin Moore’s truest whites, Chantilly Lace (OC-65) is a crisp, clean interior color with slightly gray undertones used on trim, cabinets, and walls. In most rooms and lighting, it reads like a warm white and can be used on ceilings as well.

Now as one of the whitest whites, it may take a third or fourth coat when painting over most wall colors. Therefore, it’s no surprise that this popular interior shade has the same wall coverage issues as Sherwin’s Highly Reflective White and Behr’s Ultra Pure White. Nonetheless, it acts as a great contrasting trim color to other popular Benjamin Moore wall colors, Revere Pewter and Gray Owl.

  1. Behr Swiss Coffee

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Swiss Coffee 12 by Behr is another warm white that has a neutral base that may appear more creamy, yellow depending on room lighting or time of day. In any case, it’s Behr’s most popular interior paint shades, and test swatches can be found in most Home Depot stores.

Behr’s Swiss Coffee has a bit of a beige undertone and is a popular neutral hue for bedrooms, living rooms, basements, and family rooms.

  1. Farrow and Ball Hague Blue

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Hague Blue (No. 30) by Farrow Ball is a deep, darker blue-green that is a popular choice as an accent color or whole room color. Similar to SW Sea Salt, the color changes slightly in different interior lighting situations. It’s a rich and luxurious paint color that works well in a home office, dining room, or as a contrasting kitchen island cabinet color.

This popular Farrow & Ball color pairs beautifully with white trim or bright furniture pieces as a moody backdrop. It also works well with brass fixtures or a white tile bathroom as a classic shade of blue.

  1. Gray Owl By Benjamin-Moore

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One of the best-selling paints for Benjamin Moore in recent years, Gray Owl (2137-60) is a highly versatile warm-ish gray paint color. While blue, colder undertones may come out in certain lights, it’s still a very popular living room or kitchen paint color.

It can also be used in hallways and contrasts well with crisp white trim and flat white ceilings as a wall color. Certainly, it reflects light well in a room. On the other hand, it won’t make a small room look bigger like some of the white colors above.

  1. Origami White (Sherwin Williams)

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Sherwin Williams’ Origami White (SW 7636) is a balanced, modern wall color that is becoming more popular each year. It is white with a slight tan undertone that can be a neutral backdrop for most rooms in your house.

Origami White’s unique warm hue is why many interior decor experts swear by it as the perfect neutral paint color.

How much will your next painting project cost? Check out our interior painter pricing guide to learn all you’ll need to know when budgeting for your next paint job.

Interior Paint Colors By Brand

Oftentimes, you’ll be considering paint colors from specific brands as a homeowner.

In this case, your paint crew may have a preferred painting brand or a specific paint store may be located nearby. The most frequented stores include colors from specific paint brands. These include Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore, Home Depot, or Lowes stores.

To make things easy, we’re going to highlight our best picks for interior paint colors from brands carried by each store.

Best Interior Color At Sherwin Williams

The top-selling paint color by Sherwin Williams is Agreeable Gray (SW 7029). This popular pick from Sherwin is a softer warm gray paint color that coordinates with most other paint colors.

The color is a balanced softer shade that goes with any home style. It’s often used as a wall color in living rooms, hallways, or staircases. This greige tone is best used on walls. Similarly, it pairs well with a variety of shades including white trim, greens, blues, teals, and virtually any contrasting warm paint color.

Did you know that Sherwin also carries some of our favorite exterior paint products? If you are painting exterior stucco or wood siding, their SuperPaint and Duration lines are solid picks.

Top Benjamin Moore Paint Color

We mentioned Chantilly Lace earlier but another top Benjamin Moore paint color is White Dove (OC-17). This is a classic style short shade of white that has a hint of warmth to it.

White Dove is a neutral favorite for homeowners and contractors, often used on interior trim, moldings, baseboards, and doors.

Home Depot’s Best Painting Color

Home Depot carries a few different paint color brands including Behr, PPG, and Glidden. We recommend Behr in particular for budget DIY painting projects like painting a small bedroom. Please note, paint offerings from big box stores are cheaper but the paint is “entry-level” when it comes to quality. Specifically, the coverage and finish of the paint will leave a lot to be desired.

The best interior paint color at home Depot is Behr White 52. It’s a cooler-toned white color that has enough of a tint to be categorized as an “off-white”. Likewise, this is most apparent when you pair it as a wall color with trim painted in a true or base white.  

For exteriors, you can check our new trending house paint color list which includes Behr’s popular Polar Bear 75.

Lowes Interior Paint Colors

Lowes, as a whole, is a slightly nicer version of Home Depot but that comes with slightly higher prices and a limited selection. Nonetheless, Lowes carries known interior paint brands like Valspar and HGTV Home by Sherwin.

If you are confused about the difference between paint found at a Sherwin Williams paint store and the HGTV brand carried by Lowes, we are too. Likewise, it may worth a future blog post.

For now, we will highlight one nice aspect of this confusing corporate partnership. Most if not all Sherwin Williams paint color swatches can be picked up at Lowes. If you live closer to a Lowes versus a Sherwin Store like me, this is super useful.

As a general rule of thumb, you can always ask any paint store to mix colors for you from other brands. They all share the color mix codes with one another.

Thinking about updating your kitchen this season? Discover what it really costs to paint kitchen cabinets this year.

Valspar Paint Colors

A few recommended favorite paint colors from Valspar are as follows. Gilded Linen is a great warmer neutral, Summer Gray is a cooler off-white, and Oyster Pearl is another popular choice. We also like Granite Dust for kitchen cabinets or island accent pairings. Not to mention, Blissful Blue by Valspar is a homey bedroom color that contrasts well with white trim.

Are you looking to learn about the cost to paint a room in Chicago? Check out Improovy’s latest article about room painting costs in Chicago, Illinois. 

Interior Painting Color FAQs

Top 10 Best Colors for Small Rooms

Tips

When decorating a small apartment, every detail counts. Along with a good layout and the right selection of furniture, the choice of wall paint is of great importance. Some colors allow you to make the room visually more spacious than it is, while others are ideal for creating a cozy atmosphere. We asked interior designers and color experts what colors they choose to paint small rooms. We present a hit parade of useful coloring techniques and tips from professionals using the example of Benjamin Moore and Farrow & Ball palettes.

Olive #13, Farrow & Ball.

Benjamin Moore

Shade Blueberry

“It may sound counter-intuitive, but it definitely works: painting a small room in dark colors and then placing light furniture in it will make the brain think that the space is not only bigger. , but also much better lit, as if filled with natural light.

Caroline Grant and Dolores Suarez, Studio Dekar Design

Polo Blue

“I love using this shade in small spaces with minimal light. They seem to smooth out sharp corners and make lines softer. I love using dark colors combined with dark window drapes to create a layered, monochrome environment. This allows you to visually divide the room without creating color chaos and clutter.

Designer Becky Shea (Becky Shea)

Shade Oxy

“In small spaces, we often use deep, rich shades on the walls. The velvety, almost black color visually smooths out corners and hard lines, creating an organic, seamless atmosphere. This tricks the eye into thinking that the room is larger than it really is. Try painting the walls and wood furniture in Oxy by Benjamin Moore. When wood furnishings and walls in a small room are painted the same color, there are fewer horizontal lines, making the ceiling appear taller.”

Designer Amanda Reynal (Amanda Reynal)

Phoenix Sand

“Phoenix Sand has an amazing ‘enveloping’ effect in a small room. It creates a rich and warm glow that makes everything in the room look beautiful. Light reflects off of this color in an amazing way, making the room appear larger. A delicate shade creates a solid and very complimentary background, favorably shading both furniture and works of art in the interior.

Designer Danielle Rollins (Danielle Rollins)

Calm

“This color is just perfect for compact spaces with plenty of natural light. This warm shade pairs beautifully with layered textiles in neutral tones. When choosing paint for well-lit rooms, I lean towards lighter shades like this one. It adds depth to the space and a little bit of austerity.”

Designed by Becky Shea

Chantilly Lace

“Benjamin Moore's Chantilly Lace is one of my favorite whites for small rooms: it's white enough without being too harsh or sterile. It's crisp yet soft, with warm tones that make the space feel light and large."

Designer Anne Hepfer (Anne Hepfer)

Farrow & Ball

Shade Calamine

“Calamine is a great shade for small spaces. It looks especially impressive in the ultra-gloss version. The effect of the lacquered surface gives the room the look of a jewelry box, and the coating itself resembles the mother-of-pearl inside of a seashell!”

Designed by Danielle Rollins

Rectory Red

“When it comes to decorating small spaces, my motto is 'be bold or don't take it at all'. I recently used this rich, soothing red for a cozy home office. Paired with cornflower blue Les Indiennes curtains, a modern lacquered desk and an antique armchair in new Etro paisley velvet upholstery, the room is simply chic and full of energy. I do not think that such an effect could be achieved with a lighter, more neutral color. I prefer lighter, sheer hues in large open-plan spaces and keep the drama in smaller spaces."

Designer Carolyn Pressly (Carolyn Pressly)

Cornforth White

. This warm shade of gray is a sophisticated and subtle choice that will help create an elegant mood in a small space.”

Designer Alexander Doherty (Alexander Doherty)

W55 Duck Green

“Dark colors are incredibly powerful, especially in small spaces. And when used correctly, they can create not at all a gloomy, but, on the contrary, a very cozy and intimate atmosphere. Want to see how it works in practice? Start with secondary rooms - a closet, a dressing room, a cramped corridor. These rooms are perfect for testing charismatic dark shades like W55 Duck Green. And most importantly - do not be afraid, because this experiment is doomed to success in advance!

Alexey Eliseev , the company's coloring expert Manders

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90,000 10 best paints for light walls

Light colors have always been the favorite of the room painting. So much so, in fact, that in recent years they have become obsolete due to overuse, and many people choose to paint their rooms in darker colors for a more "modern" and "trendy" look.

However, light colors are so loved and popular for a reason, and they have many advantages.

Pros of painting rooms with light colors:

Color theory: color theory tells us that each color evokes certain emotions in us: red excites and awakens appetite, blue calms and enhances attention, purple is good for creativity. . and, although saturated, darker colors can evoke positive emotions, but most often with a long stay, irritation, apathy, anger and aggression appear; lighter colors give the impression of softness, calmness and hospitality, which will make your home especially cozy.

More light: darker saturated colors do not reflect light very well; however, lighter colors help the light bounce off the walls and look like it's getting more sunlight than it actually is (which is especially good if you live in a house with tiny windows).

They make your home look bigger : Neutral, lighter colors can make your rooms look bigger as they connect wall edges and make them less visible to the eye. They can also make ceilings appear higher.

We have prepared a list of the most timeless light shades that will always delight your eyes and enrich your positive emotions.

Top 10 shades for your rooms:

Light blue wall paint will give any room a real soothing effect. If you want the space to be calm and at the same time enliven you, then take a closer look at this shade. Blue is also a good color for a home office. It makes your home office more professional and elegant.

Light coffee or caramel wall paint is a great way to add warmth to your space. Thus, it is a great color for wall painting in autumn or winter. It will be cold outside, but with this beautiful paint you can feel cozy and warm inside. This color is perfect for the kitchen.

Light Peach Wall Paint can do a lot for different rooms in your home. It is also a good color to add to your bathroom and you will immediately notice how refreshing it is.

Light gray is an excellent neutral color. Light gray goes well with natural wood and most decor accent colors.

If your home seems tired and in need of a refresh, then light cream wall paint can bring the vitality you crave to your home. This is a great option if your walls have been dark for a long time and you are now looking for a more airy atmosphere for your home.

Green is the color of life, renewal and harmony. Light green color is great for the bedroom.

If your teen wants to give their room a makeover, light turquoise is the best choice.

Light purple wall paint is a good choice if you want a space to look new and upbeat. First of all, this is the shade to choose when you want to add drama to a space. Light purple paint is good in a teenage girl's bedroom.

A charming light pink color for your walls. First of all, it can make any space more fun. An excellent choice for the bathroom.

If you're looking for a way to add elegance to a space, consider light brown wall paint.

Learn more