Designers’ 11 Favorite Neutral Paint Colors That Aren’t White

Though the effect is often eye-catching, painting the walls of your home a bold, saturated color can be undeniably intimidating. It’s a riskier move that not all homeowners feel prepared to make, even with the right guidance. For those folks, choosing a neutral hue may feel like a safer bet or a better long-term investment. Perhaps the calming nature of a neutral color palette simply appeals to your overall design aesthetic, or you appreciate the way these low-key hues allow other design elements to shine. But even selecting the best neutral for your space can be paralyzing. Who hasn’t stood in front of a wall of swatches and broken out into a cold sweat, returning to the paint store two, three, even four times? 

Understandably, we often default to white, and while we love Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee or Sherwin-Williams Snowbound as much as the next homeowner, the right neutral can add dimension, depth, and even a subtle undertone of color to your space that white can’t. Here, four Southern designers share their go-to neutral paint colors that aren't white.

The Expert: Elly Poston Cooper

Elly Poston Interiors, Richmond, Virginia

• Benjamin Moore Old Country (OC-76) – “This shade is the perfect dusty pink that compliments everything and everyone. We can't get enough of it for interiors, and we have recently used it for the exterior of a coastal project in Vero Beach, Florida.” 
• Farrow & Ball Ammonite (No. 274) – “A beautiful hue with just the right tinge of lilac that makes both antiques and contemporary art sing.” 
• Benjamin Moore Classic Brown (2109-10) – “Fear not! This is the color we have always used in our design studio. It’s the winning pick to make any scheme feel fresh and warm.” 
  

The Expert: Taylor Johnson

Taylor Johnson Interiors, Greenville, South Carolina

• Benjamin Moore Wales Gray (1585) – “This blue grey is slightly more blue than grey, but it can still be considered a neutral in most rooms. Paint it on every surface—walls, trim, and ceiling—to elevate the look.” 
• Farrow & Ball Shaded White (No. 201) – “It may have white in the name, but it rarely, if ever, reads white. I describe it as a taupe when used in rooms without a lot of natural light and gray when used in rooms that are brighter.”
• Benjamin Moore Wind’s Breath (OC-24) – “I recently used this color on the walls in my kitchen, and I love it. It works as a pretty backdrop to my green cabinets and it’s not in stark contrast with the cabinet color as it would be if the walls were white. I tend to lean more towards warmer neutrals and this one achieves that goal without feeling too beige.”

The Expert: Maggie Dillon

Maggie Dillon Interiors, Raleigh, North Carolina 

• Farrow & Ball Setting Plaster (No. 231)
• Benjamin Moore Wedgewood Gray (HC-146)
• Benjamin Moore Grecian Green (507)

“Each of these colors can stand on their own while also falling subtly into the background of a busier design. They’re not too over-the-top and yet play effortlessly with bolder hues in any color family.” And Like Johnson, she suggests “trying them out on every surface of the space: walls, trim, and ceiling” for a chicer look.   

The Expert: Mary Lauren McBride

Mary McBride Interiors, Birmingham, Alabama

• Benjamin Moore Finnie Gray (CW-55) – “This Benjamin Moore color is really a warm taupe. We love it because it has more depth compared to a white, but it doesn’t compete with surroundings.”
  
• Sherwin Williams Unfussy Beige (6043) – "This warm beige has a hint of blush courtesy of red undertones, and it’s a great color for art to pop against."