It’s that time of the year again friends! Time to highlight and take a look at the most popular and bestselling paint colors for 2016. For today’s post, I am focusing just on the 2016 bestselling Sherwin Williams paint colors and in two weeks, I will share the Benjamin Moore bestselling colors.
Cabinetry/Trim Color is Pure White Sherwin Williams via Linda McDougald Design
All the images and paint colors in today’s post are Sherwin Williams 2016 bestsellers. Color names are noted under each image.
Tricorn Black Sherwin Williams via Terracota Design Build
Every year, I research and pull together the bestselling paint colors and share them with you guys to help you zone in on some of the best colors out there. If you’re curious about last year’s bestsellers, you can find that here.
It’s always so interesting to me to see what colors are the most popular for the year. Colors become bestsellers because they work so well in a variety of different situations and have a proven track record. This information is golden for us and a great place to start when sifting through thousands of paint colors to consider for our homes.
Requisite Gray Sherwin Williams via Clark and Co. Homes
Before we jump in, I just want to say how appreciative I am that every year, the Sherwin Williams team works with me and gives me all of this great information to share with you guys. They are always so very helpful and this year, I had the opportunity to talk with Sue Wadden, Director of Color Marketing for Sherwin Williams to ask more in depth questions about the trends and bestsellers. Being a color geek, I felt like I had the opportunity to talk with a rock star! 🙂
Tradewind Sherwin Williams via Rethink Design Studio
Tradewind Sherwin Williams via Front Door Communities
I’m breaking the colors down today by color category. The full list of the 2016 bestsellers can be found at the end of the post.
Let’s jump right in!
Whites
The bestselling SW whites this year are a very strong mix of beautiful hues. Pure White has always been one of my favorite whites because it’s absolutely stunning on cabinetry and trim.
Cabinet Color is Pure White Sherwin Williams via Linda McDougald
Pure White has an ever so slight hint of warmth, so it’s not a bright harsh white but it’s also not cream. Really, it’s a pure white (hence the name).
Dover White, Panda White and Alabaster have also bestsellers this year. Of course, Alabaster was named the Sherwin Williams Color of the Year for 2016.
Alabaster is a white with warmth and in spaces with little to no natural light, of course, the warmth comes out more as you can see below:
Alabaster Sherwin Williams via Beth Webb Design
However, I also love to see Alabaster used in spaces with an abundance of natural light because the color becomes a cooler warm white, like you see below:
Alabaster Sherwin Williams via Thompson Homes
Grays
No surprise to anyone that grays would continue to dominate in 2016 but the question is, what shades of grays are the most popular? I was thrilled to see Repose Gray (my hands down favorite gray) made the bestsellers! Over the years, I have talked a lot about why Repose Gray is such a fantastic color and I recently highlighted Repose Gray on the blog here.
Repose Gray Sherwin Williams via
Repose Gray Sherwin Williams
In my opinion, Repose Gray is one of the most versatile and dependable light warm grays that you can find. Repose also looks beautiful in both natural and artificial light, which is hard to find a gray that can do that.
Another warm gray that was a bestseller this year is Mindful Gray. Mindful Gray is one shade darker than Repose on the same color card. Mindful Gray is one of my favorite cabinetry colors and it’s also a gorgeous wall color to use in spaces with a lot of natural light.
Mindful Gray Sherwin Williams via Summit Signature Homes
Ironically, I used Repose Gray on the walls of my craft room and Mindful Gray on my cabinets several years ago and I am still in love with the combination today. Repose is such a light and rich warm gray.
Walls Repose Gray & Cabinets Mindful Gray Sherwin Williams
Other beautiful grays that made the Sherwin Williams bestsellers list are Passive, Amazing Gray, Colonnade Gray and Requisite Gray. I have never talked much about Requisite but I’m seeing it pop up more and more. I really like it and I think it would be fantastic on cabinetry as well.
Requisite Gray Sherwin Williams via Clark and Co. Homes
Green
There was one green on the list SW sent me and I bet all of you can guess what it is… Sea Salt! No surprise here! Sea Salt is probably one of the top five all-time most popular paint colors on the planet because it’s so amazing.
Sea Salt (Board & Batten) Sherwin Williams via Braun + Adams Interiors
Sea Salt Sherwin Williams via Studio McGee
Blues
More than any other color, I was really anxious to find out what blues made the bestsellers for Sherwin Williams this year. For me, blues are one of the colors that really help me better identify consumer color trends and where we are heading. It’s easier to compare and see slight color changes year to year in blues, greens and blacks than seen in whites and grays.
Sue Wadden (Director of Color Marketing from Sherwin Williams) also mentioned in her notes that Distance has always been one of Sherwin Williams top blues; a beautiful denim blue that has some depth.
Distance Sherwin Williams
Sue also noted that Distance can look quite sophisticated when paired with white, but also whimsical in a child’s room.
Another bestselling SW blue is Tradewind. I LOVE this color as it’s a light and happy blue.
Tradewind Sherwin Williams via Rethink Design Studio
Sue also noted that another popular blue is In the Navy (SW 9178). She added that “In the Navy is a new navy blue in our ColorSnap system“. “For years, our palette lacked a deep and arresting navy, and we are so happy to have one now”. I agree, it’s really the perfect deep dark navy that will work in any color palette. Can you see this as a cabinet color or accent wall? Oh yeah!
In the Navy Sherwin Williams
Also included on the list of bestsellers that Sherwin Williams sent me are several shades of traditional neutral tans. The full list of colors is below:
Kilim Beige (SW 6106)
Dover White (SW 6385)
Pure White (SW 7005)
Alabaster (SW 7008)
Repose Gray (SW 7015)
Nomadic Desert (SW 6107)
Mindful Gray (SW 7016)
Latte (SW 6108)
Amazing Gray (SW 7044)
Passive (SW 7064)
Colonnade Gray (SW 7641)
Sea Salt (SW 6204)
Requisite Gray (SW 7023)
Panda White (SW 6147)
Loggia (SW 7506)
Tradewind (SW 6218)
In the Navy (SW 9178)
Distance (SW 6243)
Tricorn Black (SW 6258)
A color also quickly gaining popularity that I think will be on the bestsellers list next year is Gray Clouds (on the wall below):
Gray Clouds Sherwin Williams via USI Design & Remodeling
On a side note, Sherwin Williams just announced their 2017 Color of the Year and it’s Poised Taupe.
If you want to check out the most popular colors last year, you can get to that post by clicking the color palette below:
Ok, so I can’t wait to hear what you guys think! Were you surprised by any of the colors or have you used one of the best sellers in your home? I would love to know! Once again, thank you so much Courtney and Sue at Sherwin Williams for being so helpful and sharing all this great info with us!
Thanks for stopping by!
Cheers!
Cyndy
Gloria Anderson says
You won’t believe this, but I just finished reading SW’s Stir with articles by Sue Wadden! Cyndy, you helped me pick Passive for a den/kitchen open floor plan and it looks great!!! Now getting ready to paint powder room and daylight basement. Really like Sea Salt and Tradewind but wonder if they are too light for a powder room and/or basement? Also really like Beach Glass for powder room. Basement suggestions for something used mainly for storage? Glad you got to meet SW’s rock star!?
Lisa says
Thanks to you picking a paint color for my daughter’s room was easy! Last summer she mentioned she wanted gray, I went straight to your blog and read your 2105 SW Bestselling Colors. We used SW Repose Gray and it is so calm and peaceful. Best of all, she loves it! Recently used it again in a small powder bath and love it. This 2016 Best Selling Colors is going to be so helpful, when we finally get to the point of picking paint colors for our JB house! Already thinking about Sea Salt or Tradewind for the bathrooms! Saving this post for future reference!
Maggie Setler says
I noticed that there is an error on your first photo –you have Pure White marked as BM (not SW)
Cyndy says
Thank you so much Maggie for spotting that! I just updated it and it is a SW color. Ha, I think I was doing 3 things at one time when I did it and lost my train of thought! Thanks for the note! 🙂
Beth says
Thanks for posting this! So many posts only concern BM, but it’s not available where I live, while SW has a nice store right in town. Showing the colors in a variety of light settings is also super helpful.
Laura says
Would pure white or alabaster be best for the trim molding when using repose gray on the walls?
Tanya says
Hi Cyndy,
I posted the other day to thank you for suggesting Repose Gray, which I am using for my bedroom. I forgot to mention that I also took your suggestion for Tricorn black and I am getting ready to paint (okay my husband is getting ready to paint :)) a bathroom in our house with it. I went through so many grays and greiges to finally get to Repose Gray, and when I decided on black for the walls about our black and white tiled (small) bathroom, I was not going through that again. Amazing how many shades of black there are when you want it!! You had a post that included Tricorn Black and when I saw it, I decided that would be it! It also happens to be in the HGTV SW brochure, ‘Livable Luxe,’ and since I have used Mink from that brochure, and you can see it from the bathroom, it doubly confirmed my decision. I was also glad when I saw that you actually like those brochures. Anyway, just wanted to let you know that your excellent taste/blog is helping world class indecisive paint choosers like me actually CHOOSE 🙂 I can’t wait to see how the bathroom turns out, especially, dark and moody is outside my comfort zone, but it’s a small bathroom with one southern window, and I’m excited to see how it turns out! Thanks again for your help!
Cyndy says
Aw, Tanya, you made my day with your note! It means so much to me and I cannot think you enough for your encouraging words. I am THRILLED that you are happy with Repose and you are going to LOVE Tricorn! I would love to see a pic of your bathroom in Tricorn when you’re done. I bet it will be simply amazing! So proud of you for doing something so bold and fun in your bathroom. Big high five and a huge thank you for your sweet note. It really means the world to me Tanya! xo
Tanya says
Thank you so much Cyndy for this note! I appreciate your encouragement and kind words. Yes, this is a bold step, I am the queen of greige. I will definitely send/post a picture of the bathroom once it is done. Thanks again!!!
Joette says
Hello, may I please have your thoughts on using Pure White on a home’s exterior? The main body of the home. The roof is a medium gray with a blue undertone.
Kim OBrien says
I’m doing Repose Gray in my whole house and Alabaster as the trim. would you do Passive in a playroom? I’m wondering how it will transition from Repose.
Cyndy says
Hey there Kim! Have you tested Alabaster in your light for your trim? I would recommend just to make sure it’s not to off white for all your trim work. If it is, I would encourage you to look at Pure White SW. I think transition from Respose to Passive should work but if the room with Repose has no natural light and the room with Passive has natural light, you may have a conflict. If both rooms have the same lighting, you should be ok but I would test just to make sure. If Passive does not work, take a look at Silver Drop from Behr. I hope that helps! 🙂
Elizabeth Braeutigam says
I’m looking at doing our entire house in Repose Gray. We have a very open floor plan with very high ceilings and tons of natural light. I want to go with a gray that is not to dark. I am also looking for some accent colors and our trim and ceilings are all Swiss Coffee. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. I love your style!!!
Anusha says
Hi Elizabeth!
I am curious to find how Repose Gray worked out for you. Our home is also open concept and we are planning to use Repose Gray. Did you try any accent walls with it? Please let me know!
Tanya says
Hi Cyndy,
I finished my bathroom in Tricorn black and I absolutely love it!! Not sure the pictures reflect how it looks, but wow, what an upgrade it gave the bathroom! I don’t think I realized how much I have to go with black until my husband finished painting and instead of feeling like I had to run out to buy accents, I couldn’t choose from the large array of pictures and knick knacks I have for it. It feels dramatic, but not dark or dreary in the least. Thanks for your encouragement! If you let me know where to send/post pictures, I will do so for you. (They aren’t blogworthy pics, I don’t think, but would be happy to share them with you!)
Cyndy says
That’s so awesome Tanya! I’m so glad that you love it and I’m so proud of you for doing something so different. Yes, I can’t wait to see pics! My email is: cyndy@thecreativityexchange.com Would LOVE to see! Thanks for your note and congrats on your beautiful space.
Cathy Silk says
Hi Cyndy,
I love the look of the repose grey, however, all the beautiful pictures above show it with white trimming. How would this color work/look with a home that has all oak trim? I am looking for a paint change in a few rooms of our home – the master bedroom (pretty small), family room and the main floor which has an open floor plan consisting of the foyer, kitchen and dining area with 12 foot ceilings. I am very open to ideas for my colors are so outdated. I appreciate any of your suggestions. Thanks Cyndy.
Alex says
Hi! First of all… I rarely post on blog comments but I am about to RE-PAINT my entire house this weekend… EEEKK!! So I need some suggestions.
I have painted what seems like 100 times in other homes but about two years ago, when we moved into our new home, I fell in love with this pastel yellow and gray color scheme.
We had just moved into our new home and I was so thrilled with all the natural lighting… little did I know it would completely change the look of every single color depending on which room you were in. Some rooms the dark gray looks navy and in other rooms, it looks purple or even black. REALLY crazy.
Now, I am ready to make a huge change and re-paint all but three walls in my house, This time, I got tons of samples and put them throughout the house so I could see how the color would change throughout the day. We have pretty much ALL natural light. Which I love but with grays, you know it’s tricky.
My question is, how do you feel about using the repose gray on all the walls in the main living area AND continuing that color onto the ceilings? I know.. it is a lot of gray. But, I really want the space to feel even bigger than it already does.
The floor plan is very open and if I paint the ceiling in the main living area ALL of the ceilings would need to be painted because there is no dividing wall in that area. We do have chair rails in the dining area so there will be some break from the repose gray.
Thoughts? Am I crazy to want to do this!?
Also, love your blog… I just came across it today when I was researching repose gray. I love it. I decided on this color a few weeks ago and it is finally cool enough to be able to paint!
Thanks for any and all help! It is so much aprpeciated!!!!
Cyndy says
Hey there Alex! Thank you for your note and I’m thrilled that you found my blog! Repose would be fantastic to use throughout your home! It’s the number one color I recommend! However, if you want your space and ceilings to look taller, unfortunately, Repose on the ceiling will make the ceilings/room seem much smaller. Contrast at the ceiling with a much lighter ceiling color is critical for making a space appear larger than it is. My advice is to have the guys mix 25% Repose with bright ceiling white. The Repose in the undertone will give you that continuity you’re looking for and the bright white will make your rooms appear bigger. I hope that helps! 🙂
Alex says
SO HELPFUL!!!
Thank you!!!
Robin Hinson says
Hi Alex
I painted my den and office Sea Salt this weekend. I would love your advise for the hall and upstairs that are visually contented. I love the versatility of Sea Salt and how it looks different with lighting changes.
Thanks
Robin
Louise says
Hi, I am planning to use sea salt in the bathroom and in the dinning/living room area. Where the linear fireplace and a TV above, I would like to use the Tricorn Black color for that part of the wall and continue with sea salt. I would like your comments or any suggestion. Thank you
Joyce says
Loved seeing the 2017 color! We have been looking and color testing for almost 2 months for our living room and foyer. Foyer and half the living room is 2 story so I am overwhelmed on putting a dark color even though we do have natural light on both ends. We are getting a brown stained hardwood floor and I would like to replace our furniture with creams and beiges and off white. Can you help suggest a color. We tried greys but they look like a huge concrete wall in the evening light. ?
Cyndy says
I am really loving light grays right now that lean green with a very subtle amount of blue. It’s a gorgeous alternative to traditional grays and they really give a little more life to walls but they can still be a neutral. These shades of green/blue/gray are also the perfect compliment to brown stained floors, beiges and off whites. However, with all of your natural light, you will for sure need to test on a large poster board to nail the color because the colors could go more blue in natural light. I would suggest looking at Sea Salt from Sherwin Williams, Beach Glass from Benjamin Moore, Catalina Blue from Benjamin Moore and if these colors go to blue in all that natural light, test Hollingsworth Green from Benjamin Moore. Don’t be alarmed by how green Hollingsworth is on the card, you’ll need more green in your color to offset the blue tones that will come out on the wall in natural light. In fact, you may want to start by sampling Hollingsworth because I have a feeling, the perfect color for you will be right around Hollingsworth with natural light coming in from two directions. I hope this helps and sure hope you’ll keep me posted on your final decision. 🙂
Shelley Munn says
I have been driving myself insane trying to pick a color for my new house. It is an open concept house with vaulted ceilings. I have dark espresso kitchen cabinets with glass/mosiac horizontal back splash with creams, taupes, dark browns. I get southern facing light. I am thinking about painting the entire top level Reposed Gray, but would like to paint my ceilings a pale blue. Ocean Air benjamin moore or Trendwind SW? Maybe half tint either of them 25%.. or is painting the ceiling a bad idea? It just looks so pretty and unique when I see it in pictures and I love love love blue and want something a bit different! Love some help… PS: What about Revere Pewter vs Reposed Gray?
Camille says
Hi Cindy, love your blog–it’s giving me a lot of great ideas and food for thought as we work through a renovation. I’m leaning towards Repose Gray for walls in a kitchen/den combo with Pure White Cabinets. Two questions for you:
What would be a good color for the island if I want to do something different there. Mindful Gray is a favorite but not sure how that would work with Repose on the walls?
Also, I like to add color with rugs, fabric and accessories. Is Repose going to allow me to do that or will I need to stick with neutrals?
Thank you!!! Always look forward to your posts!
Cyndy says
Hi Camille! Yes, Repose would be fantastic in kitchen/ den and it works beautifully with other colors, which another reason I recommend it so much. I would recommend doing your island in a dark version of your main accent color in your fabrics throughout this space. If you’re using navy, why not a dark Benjamin Moore Hale Navy or if your accenting with black, Tricorn Black from Sherwin Williams is awesome. If your using any light blues, Yarmouth Blue by Benjamin Moore is absolutely breathtaking on a kitchen island. I hope this helps! Keep me posted ok? 🙂
Camille says
I’m taking a leap of faith and going with your suggestion of Hale Navy on the island! Haven’t decided on accent colors yet but going to treat the navy as a neutral.
Believe it or not, Respose is going to be too dark in the small den which as low light. Any recommendations on a lighter neutral/white with Pure White cabinets? I feel stuck! Lighting sure does affect a room!
As always, thank you!
Cyndy says
You will love Hale Navy Camille!! How about diluting Repose with 50% Decorator’s White (Ben Moore Color). If you like the color, I would just have the paint guys add more white. You could even Pure White with 25% Repose. Yes! Keep me posted!
Donna says
Hi, in love your blog! So helpful! We’re getting custom cabinets and get to pick any SW color. Narrowed the hundreds of whites down to Pure White, Pearly White and Greek Villa. Alabaster seems too creamy. We want a white/grey granite (maybe Alaska White or White Ice) and may use a greige paint for walls. What do you recommend? Have you used Greek Village? Thanks!
Donna says
I meant Greek Villa… darn autocorrect! Thanks ?
Tom says
Hi. Finishing a basement that has little natural light so basically relying on artificial light. Want a light gray would you suggest repose gray or would you suggest something lighter?
Cyndy says
Repose would be ideal in that lighting situation! I would sample it on poster board first and tape to wall just to be certain. It may go a tad darker than what you want because of the lack of light but you could always have it cut with 25% white to lighten. Keep me posted!
Tara says
Have a kitchen with medium brown wood cabinets, brown/beige/black colored quartz countertops, neutral backsplash and brown hardwood floors, along with all stainless appliances. Was planning to use repose Gray throughout the whole house but just wondering if that would work in our kitchen which seems to lean a little toward the brown side of color?
Nicole Decker says
Hi. Thank you for all the information! I found this to be very helpful. I plan on using Repose Gray throughout most of the main floor, and Kilim beige in the living, dining room, which are kind of separate from the main living space. Will Repose transition well to Kilim?
The kitchen will be Repose with Pure White trim. The counters are black granite. What color white should I go with on the cabinets?
I am going with Repose in the master bedroom and was thinking of going with an accent wall. Would you recommend a darker gray or a light turquoise color?
Thanks
Cyndy says
Hi Nicole! Kilim and Repose are fairly close in color zone and may be too close to transition. I would paint two poster boards and tape to your wall and see. While there are some differences, they are in the zone and may not transition as well depending on the lighting (Repose may go grayer and Kilim may go warmer). Sounds like you want to add contrast and have a darker version, so I would point you to Mindful Gray, which is one shade darker on the same color card as Repose if you see and issue with your sample boards. I would highly recommend going white (Pure White) on your cabinets with the black countertops and Repose walls to lightening things up. That would be a stunning combination! If you don’t have a lot of natural light in your master, I would also recommend no accent wall because the Repose will be darker in that space. However, if you really went dark like a Tricorn Black (Sherwin Williams) on an accent wall or even dark chestnut black like Urbane Bronze (both Sherwin Williams) that would give you a lot of contrast and be rich and den-like and very cozy. I hope that helps! Keep me posted! 🙂
Donna says
Hi Cyndy! I just got new cabinets in Pure White and painted walls a 25% lighter version of Requisite Grey. Walls look quite green and I was pretty suprised by that! Any advice about lighting? Or what to change wall color to? I wanted a warmer color without the green. Thanks!
Cyndy says
Hi Donna! Yes, lighting can dramatically change a color. Tell me more about the lighting in the space. Do you have a lot of natural light or is it all predominately artificial light and then we can go from there. 🙂
Sara Kajkowski says
Hi Cyndy, Great to find your blog! We are building a new house and looking to use BM Classic Gray on the walls, SW Mindful Gray on cabinets, SW Green black on the island, and SW Snowbound trim and ceiling. There is a ton of natural light in the kitchen and living space. I keep going back and forth on painting the cabinets Repose instead of Mindful. Is there anything you’d adjust?
Cyndy says
Hi Sara! Sounds like a great color palette! If it were me, I think I would do Repose on the cabinets just to go a tad lighter but still contrast. I have both Mindful and Repose on cabinetry and walls in my craft room and I have a lot of natural light. While I love the Mindful Gray, I wish I would have done the Repose on my cabinets just to go a tad lighter. Although, they are so close you really can’t go wrong. I wouldn’t change a thing with your palette, they should all work beautifully together! Keep me posted!
Carol Kardisco says
Hi Cyndy! I am planning on painting my living room, dining room, kitchen (all open concept with cathedral ceilings) and hallway. I am thinking about painting the walls light gray (with an accept wall of darker gray in the living room. Am having wainscoting installed I in the dining room and down the hallway (white). SW Repose Gray and Mindful Gray come highly recommended by you. How would Repose Gray be for the lighter gray and Mindful Gray for the accent wall? I would also like to repaint my kitchen cabinets. I would love to do them in white, but the backsplash is done in stone tile squares of gray and tan (not sure how the white would look with the tan?) Wondering about the kitchen cabinets in some complimentary shade of gray but would that be too much gray? Also, will be painting a master bedroom which is right off the living room, the master bath, and the bathroom off the hallway. Would you recommend staying with gray for continuity or some other color? Both bathrooms have gray stone tiles for backspash around sinks. I am going for a beachy, coastal look. I painted one bedroom SW Blue Horizon for my elderly mother because it was a very dark room and needed to be lightened. Thinking about Blue Horizon for the other bedroom as well. How will that look with Gray down the hallway or can you suggest another color?
Mary Beal says
Hi Cindy! I am remodeling our kitchen. Dining kitchen combo has a southeast exposure. We have oak floors and cabinets with some oak trim. We have just put in Peacock Green granite counters and stainless appliances. Will be doing tile backspace in an old world beige look tile with three rows of silver/gold variegated glass tile in the middle. I have been leaning towards the Sherwin Williams Loggia color for the wall color. What do you think?
Venus Robinson says
Hi Cyndy.
I wondered what color is the paint on the bathroom wall where the board and batten was painted with Sea Salt? Trying to narrow down colors for our bathroom and I think that would be perfect!
Thanks in advance.
Venus.
KM says
Hi Cindy,
I am repainting my whole house which is north south facing and has natural finish white oak flooring all over. I want to go with a very light (preferably soft gray) paint for all the walls. But not able to decide which one will be the best. Can you please suggest some paints that will make the space feel lighter and airy and modern?
Gina says
Hi Cindy,
Can you suggest a light blue color for a beach condo with minimal natural light? I like SWTradewind, but was looking for more blue than green. Thanks so much!
Mike says
Hi Cyndy,
I have a older ranch style that has been transformed into an open concept, industrial modern look. Just laid American Olean theoretical large format tile in Creative Gray. I want to go with a light gray in the main area but want to avoid “too much gray”. I have lots of natural light as well as led lighting. What would you suggest, I was thinking agreeable gray By SW or gray owl by BM. Thank you.
Janel Sea says
Hi! I am buying my first home and the house has a beautiful fireplace with cedar above, around and next to it (built in shelving). I love the sea salt color for the walls of the living room… was thinking of painting the cedar a white. But alabaster and pure white almost look too close in color. Any advice for me? Thanks!
Ann says
Hi Cyndy, I am looking for a calm but not dreary grey and white to go together. The main factor is that we have saltillo/terracotta orange tiles on the floor and I am trying my best to drown them out as they are SO energizing. Do you have any suggestions to calm the saltillo down with any whites and grey combos? Thanks in advance!
Cyndy says
I would point you to a color like Benjamin Moore Gray Owl mixed with Decorator’s White. Both colors would have a calming/diffusing impact on the orange in the terracotta, while still complimenting. Gray Owl is a near perfect balance of warm and cool undertones, so it will really help you in calming. However, be sure and paint a poster board and tape it to your wall just to make sure you like the color. 🙂
JB says
Hi Cyndy,
I came across your blog and I’m hoping you are still checking on this feed from time to time! We moved into a city rowhome that only has a front and back window, and track/dimming lights on the ceiling. We have dark oak floors and the living room/dining/kitchen are just one long running continuation of each other in an open space so essentially the living room color has to blend into the kitchen color, and go up the stairs. The kitchen is all white cabinets with light white/grey granite counters and a light warm grey subway tile backsplash. We also have dark metal industrial railing/fence/floating stairs going on. We are going bananas trying to find a color that will work in here that don’t look too dark. We have tried almost every gray. And white/grays are too blah. We are considering maybe looking into blues at this point but worried about it looking too dark. Do you have any suggestions for either a blue, light grey blue, or light grey? Also thoughts on accent walls in a narrow space?
Kim says
Hello,
I need assistance in selecting a gray paint that goes with honey oak trim with black granite countertops. We have a open/concept floor plan. We have honey oak cabinets throughout kitchen. Any suggestions would greatly be appreciated.
Thank you
Kim
Peggy Carr says
I have soaring ceilings w/lots of glass so generally all rooms are bright. Would like to paint all walls a warm gray, perhaps Amazing Gray. All trim is white, including ceiling beams. Would like to paint the ceiling something other than white! Would love suggestions!
Angela D says
Looking for some help. I plan to paint my upper kitchen cabinets SW Pure White and was thinking of a light sage-ey green maybe something close to SW Horse Tails for the bottom cabinets. Not sure about walls. Had originally thought SW Accessible Beige for walls but tried in the guest bath and think it would be to dark in my open kitchen & Dining Room. I’m also going to paint my laminate countertops. Thinking of black for those unless I replace with a rich wood. Any suggestions for walls and for lower cabinets? Thanks for any help given.
Chelsea says
I love this post and need some advice. I recently painted my kitchen cabinets in Eider White and the walls in Repose Gray. I’m a little disappointed because the Eider White isn’t as white as I had imagined. (My kitchen counters are charcoal gray.) I can’t repaint the cabinets but I can repaint the kitchen walls. Do you have suggestions? FYI: My main house color is Repose Gray and it looks fabulous in the family room because we have lots of light. The kitchen has less natural light since the kitchen counters are also dark gray, everything looks too gray :o(
I need some help to liven up the kitchen now. Thanks in advance
Stacey Staples says
Hi Cindy,
I’ve been driving myself crazy and I so need someone’s help. Your advice has been brilliant and I’ve literally read through all of your responses to gather inspiration. Picking the right color is such a talent.
Here’ my situation: We’re building a house in a tight neighborhood near Sullivan’s Island In South Carolina and we have restrictions on exterior colors based on neighbor selections. I would love SW’s Alabaster, but am being restricted from white. Had then planned on SW’s Requisite Gray, but am now given the opportunity to do a cream. It’s so scary because if I get it wrong, I’m stuck. I picked Kestrel White (SW7516) for a raised double front porch house on the marsh. For the bottom half, including foundation pillars and wood slates, I am thinking about Perfect Greige (SW6073). Snowbound is my thought for trim. We have 6 French doors that open to the porches with full length shutters. I was thinking either Sea Salt or Topsail for shutter color. I would love to stain all of the doors, but can only the main one, which I am English Walnut. I know this is a lot to conceptualize, but I SOOOO would appreciate your help!!!!! Thanks so much!!!!
Cheryl says
Hi.
Great info! I’m thinking of painting my walls throughout a 1400 sq ft condo in the Seattle area near the lake repose gray with alabaster trim, fireplace mantel and interior doors. What color white should I use for my ceilings? Also an accent color for the interior side of my front door? Thank you!
Oh… and I am using Sherwin Williams paint.
Your input will be greatly appreciated.
Dee says
Hi on the advice of an interior design professional we just painted our entire open floor plan house SW Passive. Unfortunately, the color feels very dark, but overall we can live with it. However, in the kitchen Passive is AWFUL. The cabinets are cream (close color match to SW Biscuit) and the Passive looks just terrible in the kitchen. It really draws out the yellow in the cabinets and makes the walls look purple. 🙁 Ugh we don’t have the money to repaint the whole house as it’s a large open floor plan and we paid for professional painters. Is there a color that is warmer that would work well with Passive that I could use just in the kitchen to make the yellow go away? I’m so sick of over this…
Cyndy says
From what you described, I would look somewhere around Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray. It’s a very light warm gray with a green undertone. Also sample Revere Pewter Benjamin Moore. I think you need a very subtle green in the undertone to offset warmth in cabinets. However, before you repaint, double check the color of the lightbulbs you’re using because it could be those energy efficient bulbs that cast purple/blue. Most of the time when people tell me they are getting a purple case, it turns out to be the color of the light bulbs. Try testing both a white light or a “soft warm” white bulb to see if that helps. I’m thinking that will make a significant difference! Keep me posted!
Rita says
Help painting a bedroom low light with chocolate brown carpet and white trim the furniture is black.
Kad says
Very informative article, thank you!
I’m redoing an entire house, and want to do a “white on white” look. The kitchen has an exposed brick chimney, and the entire house has original hardwood floors (1938 home). I am thinking Alabaster will look great, but wondering if I should do the trim also in Alabaster but in high gloss? Will this give enough of a contrast? What I DON’T want is for the walls to look “yellow” if I do a different trim color. The house has a lot of natural light with windows on all 4 sides of the home.
Ryan says
Hi, can you post some exterior examples? The interiors are great!
Michaela says
Thanks for this article! I fell in love with one of the colors – Sea salt and used it to paint our living room & sunroom (paired with white trim). Now I’m stuck trying to find the right greige paint for the adjacent low-light kitchen with espresso cabinets. I don’t want anything with yellow undertones. Any ideas? I’d love to use this paint also for our south facing bright hallway & staircase. Was thinking maybe SW Eider White, BM Edgecomb gray… What’s your professional opinion?
Jackie says
Hi Cyndy!
I have been looking through your articles and they have been a huge help! I’m currently working on choosing colors to paint the walls of my new home. I’ve settled on Repose gray but also like Silver Strand, Krypton, Sea Salt, & In the Navy to use for various rooms (maybe navy on interior of doors). I’m so afraid of choosing colors that will clash though. Would any of those colors stick out in a negative way or all flow well in your opinion?
Thank you!
Sherrill says
Cyndy, I read all through this post. Interesting even though I am not planning any indoor project at the moment. If I only knew how many quarts of paint I have bought to “try a paint”.
I am thinking of buying three quarts of paint to do 3 outside shutters. Gee whiz.
Brick house a soft color with dark grey maybe a little black in the brick here and there. . It also has a beige stone in the middle area of the house. The colors I am looking at is SW as what shutter guy uses. Tricorn black,,
Urban Bronze, or a shade lighter than Urban bronze. I’m considering the Board and Batten
As a change. Wondering if you have seen these colors on shutters and hopefully help to not waste more on quarts.
I