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51 NEUTRAL PAINT COLORS
INTERIOR DESIGNERS
SWEAR BY
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BY KELSEY MULVEY PUBLISHED: MAY 30, 2023
SAVE ARTICLE
Noe DeWitt
In the wonderful world of interior design,
where colors compete for attention and trends
change as swiftly as the seasons, there are quiet
heroes that maintain their timeless appeals:
Neutrals. A far cry from being bland or boring,
neutrals are the unsung champions of the
design world, providing a serene backdrop for
bold accents or bestowing a minimalist, elegant
aesthetic all on their own. But while it may
seem like you can never go wrong with a
neutral—after all, the palette is known for its
endless versatility—selecting the wrong
undertone can throw off your room’s vibe.
So, where to begin? First, you’ll want to think
about the room itself. Are you looking for
warm or cool tones? Will you be incorporating
any accent colors? Does the room have ample
natural sunlight? Once you’ve set these
parameters, it’s time to pick your ideal shade.
Fortunately, dozens of interior designers have
revealed to us the neutral paint colors they use
in bedrooms, bathrooms, and beyond. With an
expansive assortment of taupes, grays, and off-
whites to choose from, the colors featured
below can happily take center stage or fade
into the background. Because, at the end of the
day, isn’t the best neutral the one that can
adapt to your evolving needs?
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COTTON BALLS BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
Benjamin Moore
“When a room calls for a versatile backdrop, I
turn to the timeless elegance of white. Cotton
Balls, with its subtle infusion of yellow, adds a
warm glow that effortlessly embraces any decor
style.” —Rayman Boozer, Apartment48
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SLIPPER SATIN BY FARROW &
BALL
Farrow & Ball
“Slipper Satin by Farrow & Ball has become one
of our most beloved colors in recent years—we
Pnd it to have just enough pigment to give
rooms the right amount of depth without being
too overpowering. We’d call this color ‘neutral
adjacent.’ ” —Jean Liu
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ABALONE BY BENJAMIN MOORE
Benjamin Moore
“While I typically steer clear of beige, there is
one exception that I’ve grown fond of: Abalone.
With its hints of gray complemented by a subtle
blush of pink, this color surprises and delights,
proving that neutrals don’t have to be boring.”
—Rayman Boozer, Apartment48
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MT. RAINIER GRAY BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
Benjamin Moore
“I love Mt. Rainier Gray in Benjamin Moore’s
Matte Regal Select collection. The icy blue tone
with touches of gray resembles the sky,
imbuing any space with a sense of calm. Mt.
Rainier Gray is an ideal backdrop for any style
that sparks joy in one’s life.” —Courtney
McLeod, Right Meets Left Design
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PLAYA ARENOSA BY SHERWIN-
WILLIAMS
Sherwin-Williams
“This color is a café latte–colored hue—a beige
with the slightest pink tones in it. It’s a warm
hug! Super soothing but never dull.” —
Ghislaine Viñas
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METROPOLITAN BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
Benjamin Moore
“Metropolitan by Benjamin Moore is always a
go-to warm gray for me. I wanted to create a
moody environment, especially in the
bedroom. The color conveys a sense of calm
modernity.” —Courtney McLeod, Right Meets
Left Design
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ICED MOCHA BY SHERWIN-
WILLIAMS
Sherwin-Williams
“Iced Mocha is an aptly named color, since
that’s exactly what it looks like. There’s a tint of
pink in this color, making [it] both soft and
inviting. I’m not known for working in beige or
brown color palettes, but [this neutral] feels
fresh and modern to me.” —Ghislaine Viñas
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HAVANA TAN BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
Benjamin Moore
“This tan is just so rich and pretty. It has some
pink undertones so it feels warm and
enveloping while still serving as a great
backdrop for art and furnishings.” —Jessica
Davis, Atelier Davis
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)
TURBINADO BY CLARE
Clare Paint
“Beige is back, baby! I’m dreaming up projects
using earthy, plaster-inspired walls, and Clare
paint in Turbinado is giving me all the neutral
vibes. Bonus points for being earth-friendly and
a Black female–owned company!” —Lori
Paranjape, Mrs. Paranjape
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PAEAN BLACK BY FARROW &
BALL
Farrow & Ball
“I’m always looking to pair our wallcoverings
with the perfect paints that highlight our
designs. Farrow & Ball has the most gorgeous
velvety black shade that looks extraordinary
paired with our Dahling [wallpaper] in
charcoal. We highly suggest painting the ceiling
and crown molding in this deep dark color to
make the paper pop.” —Melinda Marquardt,
The Vale London
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TABLE LINEN BY PORTOLA
PAINTS
Portola Paints
“Table Linen on its own has a bit of a creamy,
almost yellow undertone that, when paired
with bright white, might feel too buttery. When
you pair it with deeper, more saturated colors
like Figueroa and Piano Room, it cuts all the
yellow out and it just feels like a warm white.”
—Jamie Davis, Portola Paints
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MANCHESTER TAN BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
Benjamin Moore
“A go-to warm neutral that is a wonderful
chameleon color. It can go modern or
traditional and pairs easily with textiles for
window treatments. I have had it in my living
room for 11 years, and it still feels fresh.” —
Marika Meyer
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SILVER SATIN BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
Benjamin Moore
“It has the slightest hint of gray and beige
together; it adds a lot of depth and body to a
space while still feeling neutral.” — Rebecca
Hay
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SHAKER BEIGE BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
Benjamin Moore
“This neutral paint color is the perfect
backdrop to allow the art to take center stage.
We recently used it in living room, and it
complements the rusts and greens in the
artwork perfectly.” — Marguerite Rodgers
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HARBOR GRAY BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
Benjamin Moore
“Finding a good neutral color can be tricky.
Benjamin Moore’s Harbor Gray is one of my go-
to grays because it is such a great middle
ground between a warm and a cool gray. It
works with everything!” — Rozit Arditi, Arditi
Design
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LOST LOCKET BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
Benjamin Moore
"When it comes to bedrooms, I want them to be
soothing and calming. Lost Locket is such a soft
and dreamy color that we can't get enough of it
for bedrooms." —Rozit Arditi
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FRENCH CANVAS BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
Benjamin Moore
“It’s the perfect neutral; it has a green
undertone that makes it pair well with so many
colors, and there is an organic feel to this
neutral. It’s not boring.” — Isabel Ladd
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NAVAJO WHITE BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
Benjamin Moore
“Navajo White is the best in the beige family. It
doesn’t have an undertone of pink, yellow, or
green like so many neutrals can have.” —
Carolynne Kollar-Flanagan, Mojo Stumer
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AMMONITE BY FARROW & BALL
Farrow & Ball
“Neutral can go in so many directions, but for
me, it’s about how the color recects, absorbs,
and accentuates natural light in a room. This is
a chameleon of color that can appear like a
creamy off-white one minute, and a very pale
gray-blue the next. I love when a paint color
surprises you from hour to hour and almost
adapts to its surroundings.” — Jeff Andrews
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CEDAR KEY BY BENJAMIN MOORE
Benjamin Moore
“Benjamin Moore’s Cedar Key is one of my
favorite neutrals in both brightly lit and
moodier rooms. It’s a versatile neutral that is
like a warm hug—cozy, and inviting. Truer
whites can feel sterile sometimes, and this
warmer off-white mitigates for that.” — Clara
Jung, Banner Day Interiors
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PURBECK STONE BY FARROW &
BALL
Farrow & Ball
“This greige color can live in so many places.
It’s warm but not yellowy. It’s got depth but
presents itself quietly. It adds a coziness you
didn’t know you needed.” — Sara Barney,
BANDD Design
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TRICORN BLACK BY SHERWIN-
WILLIAMS
sherwin williams
Sherwin Williams
“Tricorn by Sherwin-Williams is a perfect
neutral that provides the perfect contrast for
gold or silver hardware Pnishes. This is ideal
for me as a designer, as no two clients desire
the same look in their spaces. I can apply
Tricorn without the worry of any selected
hardware clashing because of varying
undertones. This paint color isn’t just neutral,
it’s extremely versatile.”— Breegan Jane
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BLEEKER BEIGE BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
benjamin moore hc 80
Benjamin Moore
“Who says ceilings have to be white? We love
to tone ceilings down with warmer neutral
tones. However, beige can be very tricky, as it
can hue pink, yellow, or even green as light
travels during the day. It’s a big disappointment
to choose a paint color to Pnd it turns very
yellow in the afternoon light. Benjamin Moore’s
Bleeker Beige is the perfect beige that holds
true in sunlight and is subtle and highly
adaptable." — Kendall Wilkinson
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JOA’S WHITE BY FARROW & BALL
farrow and ball
Farrow & Ball
“Joa’s White is the cashmere of neutrals. It’s
soft, and has a luxurious feel when it’s paired
with leathers and metals with a patina. I love a
neutral with red undertones.” —Corinne
Mathern
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MARILYN’S DRESS BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
212560
Benjamin Moore
“I think a delicate pale gray like Marilyn’s Dress
can create an extremely sophisticated and
elegant foundation for a home. It serves as a
chic backdrop for artwork, furniture, and
exquisite collections of any sort.” —Allison
Babcock
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IVORY TUSK BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
215370
Benjamin Moore
“Ivory Tusk by Benjamin Moore has a very
warm, earthy hue. I recently used this in a
home where the client’s raffia wallcovering had
seen better days and was bleached by the sun.
Instead of removing the raffia, we painted over
it with this creamy ivory for an instant refresh.”
—Tara McCauley
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NEUTRAL GROUND BY SHERWIN-
WILLIAMS
sherwin williams neutral gray
Sherwin-Williams
“Neutral Ground by Sherwin-Williams is a go-
to for our team. It works so well in an open
concept layout and is a great foundation color
to use for a layered design. It reads as a really
light gray and adds just the right amount of
subtle color to walls, particularly for rooms
with a lot of windows that offer plenty of
natural light. This is a paint color that works
well with any palette and for that, we’d
consider it ‘gold.’” —Janelle Hughes and Kim
Williams, KJ Design & Mortar Styling LLC
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GRAY OWL BY BENJAMIN MOORE
213760
Benjamin Moore
“Benjamin Moore Gray Owl is one of my go-to
paint colors for residential interiors. It has just
the right amount of color to stand out when
accompanied by any style or color of millwork
and contrasts beautifully with white
architectural trim as well as various natural
stones.” —Sara Ianniciello, director of design
at Whitehall Interiors
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")
BALBOA MIST BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
benjamin moore
Benjamin Moore
“We just discovered Balboa Mist by Benjamin
Moore. This neutral creates a perfect dialogue
with wood coors and natural Pber upholstery
and rugs.”—Silvia Kuhle, Standard
Architecture
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ATRIUM WHITE BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
benjamin moore
Benjamin Moore
“Atrium White by Benjamin Moore is a shade
we come back to time and time again for a
neutral backdrop. We use this color in every
room of the house because of its unique quality
that recects the cool tones of natural light
when shown against it.” — Gioi Tran,
Applegate Tran Interiors
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SMOKE EMBERS BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
benjamin moore
Benjamin Moore
“Benjamin Moore’s Smoke Embers is the
perfect gray with a lot of warmth that is like
curling up with your favorite cashmere throw!”
— Zandy Gammons and Liles Dunnigan, The
Warehouse Interiors
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#"
SNOWBOUND BY SHERWIN-
WILLIAMS
snowbound
Sherwin Williams
“My go-to neutral paint color is Sherwin-
Williams’ Snowbound. While it may seem
ordinary, it’s actually wonderfully unique
because this shade of white has zero yellow or
blue undertones. That is hard to Pnd in a pure
white without looking utilitarian. This color
gives us a clean and blank canvas to work with
on the furnishings. We don’t have to worry
about anything clashing with the walls, and we
will will achieve a modern and minimal look.”
— Traci Connell
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PLATINUM GRAY BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
benjamin moore
Benjamin Moore
“On one of our current projects located in a
1910 historical building, I just used Benjamin
Moore Platinum Gray on the walls in the
kitchen. It’s a wonderful neutral that errs on
the side of a French gray. Pair that with a bright
white such as [Benjamin Moore’s] Chantilly
Lace and the result will be quiet yet stunning!”
— Barry Goralnick
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LIGHT PEWTER BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
best neutral paint colors
ELLE Decor
“I’ve been using Light Pewter since the dawn of
time and I consider it a secret weapon in my
arsenal of paint colors. Both natural and
artiPcial light recect handsomely off of this
color, making it an excellent choice for an open
concept home.” — Patrick Ediger
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TIMELESS BY CLARE
best neutral paint colors
ELLE Decor
“The name of the paint color says it all. I love a
timeless neutral that doesn't sway too trendy or
too dated. This is the right color for a backdrop
that complements your ever-evolving design
style.” — Taniya Nayak
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STERLING BY BENJAMIN MOORE
best neutral paint colors
Benjamin Moore
“Benjamin Moore's Sterling is a fantastic go-to
gray. It is soft with cool undertones,
reminiscent of the seashore dusk or an urban
cityscape, so works well in both contemporary
and traditional settings.” — Emilie Munroe
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REVERE PEWTER BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
best neutral paint colors
ELLE Decor
“My go-to neutral is Revere Pewter by
Benjamin Moore. Truly a chameleon paint, it
can read gray, but with enough warmth in its
undertones, that it never feels cold. It's an
excellent choice for when you want color on
the walls that will play well with almost
anything you place next to it.” — Amy Sklar
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#(
SNOWFALL WHITE BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
best neutral paint colors
ELLE Decor
“Benjamin Moore's Snowfall White is my go-to
in life. There’s something about this shade of
white that has the perfect amount of warmth to
it, and when paired with wood coors, it creates
a clean and bright backdrop, giving the space
an instant facelift.” — Lauren Buxbaum
Gordon
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#)
WIND'S BREATH BY BENJAMIN
MOORE
best neutral paint colors
ELLE Decor
“The entire main part of my home is this color.
It’s the perfect light greige—not too warm and
not too cool. I get asked what it is constantly!”
— Erin Gates
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CORNFORTH WHITE BY FARROW
& BALL
best neutral paint colors
ELLE Decor
“Personally, Cornforth White by Farrow & Ball
is hands down my favorite. It has this
comforting neutral/grayish tone that’s perfect
for almost any room. I recommend it to clients
who want some drama, but in a soft relaxing
way that's easy on the eyes.” — Jessie Schuster
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KELSEY MULVEY
Kelsey Mulvey is a freelance lifestyle journalist,
who covers shopping and deals for Good
Housekeeping, Women's Health, and ELLE
Decor, among others. Her hobbies include
themed spinning classes, Netcix, and nachos.
Are you a home decor addict?
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