When re-painting the entire house or picking paint colors for a new construction, selecting a whole house paint scheme can be a daunting task. How do you know that they will all go together? How many colors are too many? Should I just use one paint color throughout the house? Since we started renovating houses seven years ago, I've had my own trial and errors with wall paint. You know what I mean - when that subtle light gray-blue paint sample magically turns into baby sky blue on the walls? Ugh. We've learned from our mistakes over the years, and below I've gathered together our tried and true paint colors that transition seamlessly from room to room. We love these wall paints and home buyers seem to love them too.
SHERWIN WILLIAMS SILVER STRAND - SW 7057
If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, I'm sure this paint color has popped up a time or ten. ;) It has definitely been a go-to favorite of mine and we have used it in multiple houses now (Brooklyn Street, Myrtle, Avenue, and Denmead). It's a pale silvery blue green that injects an immediate airiness into any space. Silver Strand is a great paint color for kitchens, bathrooms, and bedrooms; it's incredibly soothing and relaxing. I've found that this paint color pairs well with white, gray, black, espresso, and cream.
SHERWIN WILLIAMS MAGNETIC GRAY - SW 7058
Just a shade darker than Silver Strand, I love using Magnetic Gray as a paint color for bedrooms, dining rooms, bathrooms, and cozy living rooms. It has a bit more depth to it and looks great with lots of white (especially subway tile). This paint color can be dark, so I would make sure you're using it in large rooms or rooms with a lot of natural light. Depending on the exposure and lighting, Magnetic Gray can appear more silvery blue or have green undertones. It's a very interesting neutral paint color that I keep going back to and a personal favorite for master bedrooms.
SHERWIN WILLIAMS AGREEABLE GRAY - SW 7029
If you're looking for one good paint color for the entire house, this would be my pick. Agreeable Gray is a greige paint with the perfect balance of gray and beige - not too cool and not too warm. EVERYONE seems to love this wall color. Both my sister and my parents have used this in their home now. It's a great paint color to use when selling your home, too, as it appeals to so many people. Agreeable Gray is not too dark and not too light - it's not going to make a small room feel dark but there is still just enough color to bring out a nice contrast with white trim. Have I convinced you yet? ;) You won't be sorry if you pick this paint. We used it in our office and guest bedroom and bath.
SHERWIN WILLIAMS REPOSE GRAY - SW 7015
Repose Gray is my go-to pure gray paint color. This is a great paint color to go with wood trim as you can see in the Avenue House below. Since Repose Gray is a more true gray, I would be careful putting it next to beige and cream tones such as cabinets and carpet. They can compete instead of complement. This grey paint color adds a nice amount of contrast to white trim without being too heavy or dark. I like using this in bedrooms, living rooms, and kitchens. Repose Gray can be a great whole house paint color, especially for new construction or a more modern home. I also love the look of it on cabinets when you have white walls. So light and airy.
BENJAMIN MOORE CLASSIC GRAY - 1548
If you're on the hunt for a barely there greige paint color, Benjamin Moore Classic Gray may be for you. In the kitchen at the Denmead House, we had very little natural light coming in because of the screened in porch. Since we were installing white cabinets, I wanted a paint color that would add the slightest contrast and a bit of warmth, but still have minimal visual weight like white paint. Classic Gray is a very interesting neutral paint color. Despite it's name, I would say it is a bit more beige than gray. In person, it looks like a very toned down eggshell, in my opinion. I love the look of it in this kitchen by Studio McGee.
SHERWIN WILLIAMS DORIAN GRAY - SW 7017
Selecting a gray paint color for cabinets is hard. You don't want something too light or something too dark. I spent a LOT of time researching gray cabinets, and in the end, I found that Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray was my favorite shade. It just dark enough to add contrast (it won't blend in with a light wall color) but it is bright enough to not make a kitchen feel heavy if you use it everywhere. Dorian Gray doesn't have any weird undertones either, which can be tricky to find in grey paint colors. This would be a great paint choice for gray trim and doors. We've used it now on kitchen islands, shiplap, bathroom vanities, and barn doors. I think it pairs pretty perfectly with brass/gold hardware. If you choose Dorian Gray for a room color, it will be rather dark on the walls. Unless you're going for a more moody look, I would use this gray paint color as more of an accent.
That sums up my take on a whole house color palette for 2018. Even though trends come and go, I think all of these paint colors for the inside of the house are neutral enough to stand the test of time. If you're interested in learning more about the right paint colors for your home, I did a deep dive by color category. You can check those posts out below. Be sure to leave a comment with your favorite paint colors!
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