One of the most common questions I am asked are the paint colors we used throughout our home. If you’ve taken a tour of our home, you have noticed that it’s completely neutral, accented with with hints of color & those I share it with. Going into this house, I wanted to blend tans & greys. I couldn’t choose just one color family, and why should I? I have found that they work well together & create a calming neutral color palette. Paint color palettes are best when limited to 5 colors. It creates a seamless transition from room to room without making a home feel “choppy”. Maintaining a tight color palette also makes touch ups easy – you can actually remember & find the paint colors you need. This is a must with all the sticky little fingers that run around our house!
Let’s review our neutral paint colors, shall we?
In our kitchen, living room, half bath, & mudroom we used Sherwin Williams Rhinestone. It’s soft, light & bright. It has a very slight blue undertone, which works for the clean, fresh feel I wanted for those spaces.
The dining room was recently painted Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige.
In the entryway/foyer & hallway & bedrooms, I selected Sherwin Williams Zurich White. It’s a warm, soft white that reflects natural light. Our painter has since used this color as his staple, & we’ll definitely be including it in our next home as well!
This photograph, taken by Alea Lovely, is the most indicative of the true color.
As you can see from Isla’s nursery, it’s so subtle. We used it in Aniston’s nursery & our master bedroom as well.
In all of the full bathrooms, we used Sherwin Williams Knitting Needles. Since then, we’ve had a few friends use it for their living rooms as well. It is truly the PERFECT GREY. I cannot tell a lie. It was used in the basement bathroom, girls’ bathroom & master bathroom.
A little recap on how to choose the right neutral paint colors:
1} Limit your palette
2} Decide whether you want to use tans, treys or blend them
3} Create a color board & see if you like one next to the other
Don’t forget to save this for future use with the easy to pin image!
I hope this helps you create warmth & comfort in your home! Click here to see the cream paint palette I used in our new home! You can find my complimentary paint color chart here to keep them all organized!
LET’S CONNECT!
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Hi Julie,
I love the colors you chose for your lovely home. I have a Sherwin Williams paint deck but I can only find Accessible Beige (SW 7036). Do you have the SW numbers for the others? I’m particularly interested in Rhinestone. Gorgeous!
Thanks!
Kristin
I did a search on their site & it says 7656. We love the color in the kitchen, living room, half bath & mudroom. It wasn’t warm enough for our dining room & hearth room – hope that helps!
Rhinestone (SW 7656) and Knitting Needles (SW 7672) are both in the Concepts in Color collection. It is a newer collection and does not appear in the main SW fan deck.
Great post! Been reading a lot about choosing colors for my home. Thanks for the info here!
Hi!!
So pretty! What is the trim color? Same for all of the rooms? Thanks!!
Thanks, Allison! I used the basic white – no tint at all.
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Do you use oil base paint for your trim? Our last painter used semi-gloss and it peeled off in places. And, which SW paint for walls? Satin? Are your ceilings the same paint color as your trim color, true white? Thanks so much for this post. We experience flood damage April 29th and are down to the studs so like building a house again. I used Lattice SW7654 for my walls before flood and liked it but liking your two gray variations in color.
So sorry to hear about the flood! It’s my understanding that peeling paint is due to the process & not the paint, while oil would adhere slightly better, you probably experienced that because it wasn’t sanded & primed prior to painting. In our current house, I used white straight from the can. In our new house, I’m using Lowe’s ceiling white. Please don’t hesitate if you need anything else! In addition, I have lots of design & decorating ideas, so explore & enjoy! Best wishes!
Oh, and eggshell for the walls. Satin is nice for kitchen & baths if you choose to vary it, but I used eggshell throughout.
I am using this paint pallet in our new home and it is magnificent! It makes the house feel so light. I am wondering about the area rug in the living room and the chandelier in the dining room. Where did you find them?! I am so particular I feel like I am bound by my pickiness!
I’m glad you love it as much as we did!
The rug is from Overstock – Hand-tufted Coliseum Gray Traditional Border Wool Rug & you can find the chandelier here! http://bit.ly/1qEGrbw
Thank you Julie! I appreciate you!
No problem!
I am redesigning my living room and want to use a neutrals. Did you paint the ceiling the same color as your walls or leave them white? I have very high vaulted ceilings in the living room.
I personally like to keep them white in most spaces. I like the contrast & it makes the space feel so light & bright.
I am building a new house….foundation up. I love your four neutrals. I am stuck on the kitchen. I want it to be bright. Cabinets are white, and I want to accent with yellow and blue. (think sunflower and royal blue). What color would you make the walls, much less counter tops.
I’d select white countertops to help balance the blue. I’d paint the walls blue, in a semi-gloss or eggshell to reflect a little light & accent with yellow.
Rethinking…you want to paint the walls neutral or a color? If neutral, I’d go white all the way with lots of pop of color! Brass accents would be amazing!
Our trim is dark brown. Would these colors work?
Absolutely! It creates a beautiful contrast, Lesa.
I love your colors and already have knitting needles and accessible beige in my home. I was searching for the perfect white. I think Zurich is it. Thank you so much for posting. What type of paint did you use? I think you said egg shell but was it Emerald, Harmony or something else? Sherwin-Williams doesn’t care the tuxedo we used last time.
I usually use Sherwin Williams Pro Classic or Cashmere or Valspar Signature from Lowe’s. I don’t care for the Emerald…it doesn’t apply as well as I had hoped.
Love your dining room table.. Where did you get it? We have a very similar one but the from a big box furniture store and the finish (after all these years we’ve had it) it horrible! I’m tempted to toss and get a new one but it might be worth painting or doing something different with it m
That’s how ours originated – try this first! http://julieblanner.com/diy-harvest-table/
Hi, Julie! I just needed to stop and thank you for this post. I found it one day after reading a “how to pick paint” ebook and one day before having to choose the colors for my new house. We went with zurich white in the bedrooms/closets and accessible beige in the entire common area, with white trim, ceilings and doors. I’ve gotten NOTHING but compliments. It turned out beyond great! Thank you so much for sharing your pictures and choices…it was a huge help to this painting/decorating novice!
Thank you SO much for taking the time to share! I’m so glad you found it helpful & love your new color palette!
Love the look of the kitchen! What color white did you use for the cabinets?
Thanks in advance
SW untinted – it doesn’t get easier than that, does it Carly!
These colors look so beautiful with all your white trim. I have to wonder how they would look with all the dark oak I have in my home.
I used Zurich White again in our new home, which has a lot of dark trim and love it! Soft Chamois is my new favorite.
Love this post, the neutral colors, the accessible beige and Zurich white, but most especially the dining room floor. It all would be lovely in my new house. Can you tell me about the floor please?
Of course! http://julieblanner.com/hand-scraped-wood-floors/
Love your post and the neutrals you’ve used! What do you think of Rhinestone or First Star for the main parts (kitchen, hallways, staircase, upstairs family room) of the house? It’s a toss up for me for both. The other choice of color I’d use for the bathrooms. Thinking Big Chill for the living room. What about bedrooms? For some background, the hardwoods floors are dark reddish brown and kitchen cabinets are dark brown. Thanks in advance!
Great post! Was wondering if you could give me some advice? I’m looking at creating a similar neutral palette using sherwin williams paint colors rhinestone, big chill and first star. I was thinking to have rhinestone in the entrance, hallways and kitchen and upstairs washrooms; big chill in the living and first star in the bedrooms and main floor half bath and laundry room. What are your thoughts? My concern is if big chill would look choppy again rhinestone? Any suggestions?
I don’t think it will look choppy at all, I love using varying shades to add depth and definition to spaces. However, I’d use the warmest of them in your bedrooms.
Love your post and colors used. I love your dining room chairs and wonder if they are still available. Are they a neutral linen?
They’re Restoration Hardware in Belgian Linen sand and are still available. I still adore them.
Hi! I am painting my entire 1st floor and its all an open floor plan. When you stand at the beginning of the kitchen you can see into the dining room (which is connected to kitchen-which I will probably paint the same as kitchen) you can also see into the living room. I am having trouble deciding where to put the colors used in your palette? I am afraid it will look choppy since you can see both rooms and then some hallway areas? can I send you a pic of my layout? I am also loving SW 7031 Mega Greige!!
I would pick a color you love and then go one above or below on the color palette for the other room. Painting one room a darker color will give your home depth while still making it feel cohesive.
What color did you use for all the trim work ?
Sherwin Williams Solo 200 untinted.
Hello, I love this paint palette and am planning on using similar colors for a home we recently bought…what color(s) did you use for your ceilings and trim?
Untinted SW Solo in semi-gloss for trim and flat for ceiling. Enjoy!
Your home is beautiful. I painted my boys’ bathroom knitting needles and love it. I would like to paint our master bath knitting needles as well. Is that too much having both bathrooms the same color? Also, what would be a good coordinating color for our master bedroom. I painted my son’s room silvermist and out hallways and living room/kitchen/foyer are all beige. Any ideas would really be helpful!
I would move down the color card 2 shades – I love something soft for the bedroom.
I want to paint my living room. The rooms that join it are light beige. I have a huge fireplace in th LR and it is painted white. I love grey but not sure that would look good with the other rooms beige. What would you do?
I’d consider Zurich White – it’s a mix of cream which would work with the beige, but has some grey tones to it. I have used it a lot in our new home – check out my fall tour post to see the living room and see what you think. I think it could be pretty!
Hi Julie! Thanks so much for your post!
Question…I am building a new home and because of my budget I can only pick one paint color for the whole first floor, walls and ceilings. It’s an open floor plan, lots of natural light with 9ft ceilings. I’ll have white semi-gloss crown molding and trim throughout. For my color I’m thinking Zurich White. Do you think if it’s on the ceiling it’ll darken the space or does it do well brightening a room? I’m having white cabinets and carrara marble in the kitchen and bathrooms so I feel like the gray tones would work well. Just stressing about the ceilings!
Thanks so much!
I think it would be gorgeous! Why the same color for the ceiling?
My contractor told me that it would simply be more expensive for the painter to do the ceiling in a different color (even if that means just white). He’s just going to spray throughout I think. I would be okay with spending a little more to have it white but if you think that the Zurich white will look nice on the ceiling I’d be happier using the extra money elsewhere.
If they are painting the trim a different color, I’m not sure how another color would effect the price.i just want you to be head over heels in love with it.
Hi Julie
Love your post
What do you think about City Loft color 7631
Did you ever use it ?
I haven’t, sorry!
Julie, I love your colors! I have a delima, I am painting the entire house. When you walk in my front door the kitchen, dining room & hall can be seen. If you take a few steps then the family room can be seen & it has a corner fireplace that is currently painted white w/a tv above. All trim & crown molding & ceilings are white. Kitchen cabinets are oak & floors are a dark oak. I do not have a lot of natural light. What should I use?
If it were me, I’d use Benjamin Moore Soft Chamois in eggshell (to slightly reflect). It works well with oak, feels warm, but not too yellow. See my post “cream paint colors” and “7 ways to add light” for examples and more ideas. Enjoy!
Julie will the Soft Chamois (I do not want yellow) be good for all rooms even bedrooms? I definitely need light. I can’t find your post on 7 ways to add light please direct me.
Absolutely! It’s beautiful in various light settings and has great undertones. It would definitely add light to your home.
Julie I’m sorry more questions. Would you go with paint colors from your 1st home or 2nd the cream paint colors. I did find your 7 tips for adding more light. It’s just I’m nervous we have painted this house a lot & can’t find what looks good. But we have done Sherwin Williams Coconut so I don’t want anything with yellow, sorry.
Thank you so much!!!
It’s personal preference, but given what you’ve described, that’s what I would do.
Is it considered alright to paint your entire house the same color? No varience at all? If I wanted to use a 2nd color what would be your suggestion? As you can see I am terrified to make a decisions here. Sorry!
Absolutely! If you’re really scared, do the second color one shade darker or lighter, it works like a charm!