"“We’re painting it all white!” I shouted manically upon moving into our newly rented home, which boasted yellow painted walls that looked like expired Dijon mustard. I drove to the hardware store as fast as my Prius would take me and sailed past all the shades of pinks, blues, greens, sunny yellows, and grays for several cans of the least expensive, standard white paint. It’s not to say that I regret this decision necessarily, but you have to understand that I was experiencing overwhelm at the sight of our current situation and needed to start with a clean slate. I had no time for fancy wall colors.
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Of course, after living here over the last 8 months or so, the dust has settled, and I’m feeling the undeniable urge to bring some color to this space again. But where to begin? It’s not often you see walls painted in saturated hues on Pinterest or Instagram these days, so I did some digging to find a handful of foolproof wall colors to try. Gird your paint rollers, folks! Color is back on the scene.
1. Downpipe by Farrow and Ball
As if we needed further convincing that Chris and Julia can do no wrong. This color feels moody and sophisticated when paired with a kilim lumbar pillow, and brass accents in the framed artwork add contrast against the deep gray backdrop.
2. Milk Toast by Valspar
Kim and Scott of Yellow Brick Home refreshed their entryway with this warm, taupe-y hue by Valspar that has undertones of rose and peach, and I couldn’t love it more. It’s neutral enough to grow with you over the years but still adds tons of warmth and depth.
3. Stonybrook by Benjamin Moore
The tone-on-tone look of this bedroom designed by Orlando Soria is so soothing I want to curl up like a cat on those fluffy pillows and never leave. A gray-blue in the bedroom is truly foolproof and sets a perfectly serene mood.
4. Lichen by Farrow and Ball
Sage green has made a major comeback in the last couple of years, and I’m all aboard. It brings classic character to any space, so I especially love this choice for a newly built home or condo that needs a sense of warmth, as seen here in our cofounder Alaina Kaczmarki’s former powder room.
5. Accessible Beige by Sherwin Williams
The soft beige on these cottage-style kitchen cabinets in the Poconos Mountain Cottage is just…*chefs kiss.* This color would also work beautifully on interior walls, but I really love it to freshen up some built-ins or woodwork since it feels classic without being sterile or boring.
6. Green Blue by Farrow and Ball
Something I love so much about colors like this is how much they change in the light. It’s like you get to redecorate by the hour. Jenny Komenda has a way of making color seem so approachable and easy, and I love how she brought in warmer tones with the rug and throw pillows to balance out the cooler paint color.
7. Yours Truly by Benjamin Moore
And just like that, we’re back in Orlando Soria’s bedroom. This blush tone is perfect. It’s saturated enough to feel confident and bold, but subdued enough to work for a room that’s primarily meant for sleeping. I love how elevated it feels when paired with warm woods and cozy linens. OK bye, I’m off to paint my entire house pink.