Picking a color is hard: my favorite neutrals

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Paint perplexes just about every person I’ve ever worked with. People get so wound up about picking the perfect color and they should: paint is tricky! If you feel like you stand at the paint store and stare at swatches for what seems like hours and can’t make a decision, this post is for you!

There’s some things you should know about paint: First, it’s not permanent. Second, paint colors change based on light! Third, sheen matters and makes a difference. And lastly, undertones make all the difference.

There are very few things that are permanent in the world of decorating. Aside from a full remodel, where you’re dealing with trim and tile and cabinets and things like that, anything that you bring into your home (paint, accessories, art, furniture, rugs, etc.) can be replaced. Paint is one of the cheapest ways to update a space, especially if you paint yourself. A gallon of paint and some brushes and materials will typically cost you under $100, plus your time. I’ll be the first to admit that prep is often the most time consuming but painting goes pretty quickly overall. And if you don’t like it, you just let it dry and paint over it. Easy peasy.

The trickiest thing about paint is how it seems to change color in different environments under different light. I highly suggest you buy a sample can or a few and actually paint portions of your wall to check the color in your space. Incandescent vs halogen vs led vs daylight can all make a huge difference in how that color appears in your home, not to mention shadows and even fabrics on curtains, furniture and bedding. Have you ever noticed how putting one color next to another makes it look different than it did on its own? That’s why you want to paint some swatches on your walls to check all those things first.

Sheen: ahhh, yes. Sheen. Sheens are interesting because they really do make a difference. When choosing a sheen, you’ll want to consider light in the room, the purpose of the room (bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, etc.) and the thing you’re painting itself. In terms of light, if you paint a surface with a gloss or semi-gloss paint, the sheen will be noticeable when light hits it. For example, most bathrooms are painted in a semi-gloss. This is due to it’s durability to withstand steam and water. When you have a light fixture that has a bare bulb, for example, that section of the wall that the light bounces off of will appear shinier than other places in the room. It’s not a bad thing, just something to consider when choosing your paint. Remember that the darker the color, the more noticeable the sheen. But light certainly plays into that as well. The next thing you’ll want to consider is the purpose of the room. Is it a kitchen that will need to withstand some grease splatter? Is it mill work? Or a ceiling? The general rule of thumb is that normal walls are eggshell or satin (although flat walls are really becoming a thing these days). Mill work (like base/casing) is typically a semi-gloss for durability purposes; and ceilings should always be flat. Of course these are general guidelines and the truth is, whatever you want is the right choice!

And undertones. This is the hardest part of all, especially if you consider yourself color-challenged. Have you ever heard of a blue-red? Or a brown-gray? Or perhaps a pink-white? Yeah, seems totally crazy but it’s a real thing. The undertones of these colors is crucial to the shade of the color and can cause things to go really wrong, really fast. For example: grays with the wrong tint (or undertone as I like to call it) can look blue. Whites can look yellow or pink or dingy. Beige can look yellow. Now if those are the shades you’re looking for then great! But often it’s not, and we don’t realize it until the whole room is painted and what you thought would be your relaxing gray bedroom looks baby blue during most of the day. A trick I like to use when looking at paint colors is to compare several swatches of the same “color” (medium gray for example: grab 3 or 4 swatches of what look like a medium gray to you and compare them side to side). When you can compare colors against others that are similar, it’s easier to see the difference in the undertones. It’ll be easier to see a more blue-gray next to a brown-gray, and so on. Give it a go the next time you’re at the paint store and you’ll see!

In my five years of general contracting, I’ve happened upon some great paint colors (and some not-so-great ones too). Below is a list of some of my favorite neutrals that I think are pure in color, without funky undertones. All of these paints are Sherwin Williams brand, which I’m a big fan of and always use. However, anyone can match a SW color so if you choose to buy your paint at Home Depot or elsewhere, they should be able to create it for you.

  1. White: Snowbound. Snowbound is a great pure-white: not too blue, not too yellow. A true white. I’ve used it on walls and ceilings (although the sheens are often different), as well as millwork.

  2. Black: Tricorn Black. A pure black, and one I’ve used in my own home on my walls and doors.

  3. Beige: Accessible Beige. Accessible Beige is a great, non-offensive color. You barely know it is there. It’ll give just the right contrast against white millwork, enough to know that the walls aren’t white. It’s a more gray-beige, so it’s not yellow. most of my house is painted this color.

  4. Gray: Dorian Gray. Dorian Gray, again, is a great, pure gray. Not too blue, not too yellow, medium in tone. A great all-purpose gray.

I hope this post has helped you to understand paint a little better, and to give you some confidence in picking your next paint color! Leave comments below for any questions you may have! Happy painting!

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