Over the past few years, with kids and pets, your walls have been through a lot. Chips, scratches—hey, it happens! So, it might be time for a fresh coat of paint throughout the house.
But where do you even begin? How do you figure out which colors work together without getting overwhelmed? Sure, you could grab a color wheel, but after staring at the 15th shade of blue, they all start blending together, right?
We’ve got all the tips you need, from picking a cohesive color scheme that makes your space feel inviting and relaxing to why it’s worth considering the pros to help bring your vision to life.
As professionals, we have the know-how on selecting colors, how light can affect a paint color, what undertone to look for, how to test colors, and even suggest some of the most popular Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams colors out there. Trust us your living room walls will thank you.
Creating a Unified Color Scheme
You might be looking for the perfect color to use throughout the entire house, but creating a cohesive color scheme instead will improve the overall flow of your home’s interior design.
The same paint color throughout offers no added dimension, so first, you’ll choose a dominant color—the paint that most of the walls will have—followed by a secondary color––this can be bedrooms, office space, or bathrooms—and then you can pick a fun accent color.
Accent colors break up monotony and add a focal point to the space. Professionals are here to assist in the color-picking process, making it simple and fun. They can also be more efficient in the painting process, so put up the old tarps and worn brushes and let the pros handle it.
Building a Whole House Color Palette
Think of your home as a blank canvas. Sherwin Williams offers an array of house color schemes that perfectly match your personality, giving you an inviting room while matching your design style. We suggest using the 60-30-10 general rule. This is where the dominant color is 60% of the home, followed by 30% of your secondary color choice and 10% of an accent color.
To build a custom whole-house color palette, call us, the color experts, or visualize what house paint colors you want to use. Once you have a general idea of color, you can choose a neutral room color for your dominant color.
Next, choose a secondary paint color. These can consist of warmer neutrals, a classic gray, or Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace––a stunning neutral backdrop that is perfect in any home.
And for some fun, the accent paint color. This paint should be a few shades lighter or darker than your dominant color. If your dominant color is Benjamin Moore Classic Gray, you’ll want to choose White Dove or Flint for a more moody feel.
Choosing the Right Paint Color
Now that you have the basics of the whole house color scheme, how do you know you’re choosing the right colors? If you want to play it safe, you can always choose the most popular interior paint colors, like neutral or warm gray, a warm neutral beige, or a pure white semi-gloss. But with so many unique colors from Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore, we say it’s time to break from the norm.
Our qualified paint color experts can help you pick the most fantastic options to make your life easier. We can assure you the best choices based on room size, existing furniture, and artificial light, making every room in the house an inviting space. So go ahead and put the color wheel down.
Don’t be afraid to call these color pros. With the help of Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore, they will create the perfect backdrop for all spaces.
Consider Your Lifestyle and Preferences
Another thing to consider is the type of paint finish. These finishes are vital when talking paint colors for a home with kids and pets. Why? You’ll want to choose house paint colors that can withstand a few crayon swipes and dirty paws.
Choose a paint color for the whole house that will withstand its environment. These paint colors and finishes will handle their surroundings and make more out of your investment. This goes for rooms with tons of natural lighting conditions and even areas where cigarette smoke can be present.
If your living room is the heart of your home, you’ll need to choose a high-quality Sherwin-Williams or Benjamin Moore paint that will last. By doing so, you will not only create a welcoming atmosphere but also protect your walls.
A painting pro knows exactly which paint finish you’ll need, taking all the guesswork from your trip to the hardware store.
Understand Undertones
All colors have undertones. You might think you have found the absolute perfect color, but when you bring it home, your chosen color has a green-gray tone you weren’t expecting. Most colors tend to pull different hues, even whites can be warm or cool with yellow or blue undertones.
When choosing Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore paint colors, you can search by undertone. Warm paints will pull red, orange, and yellow, while cool paints will pull green, blue, and purple. Neutral paints are perfect for walls where you want to mix and match light or dark paint colors, different types of trim colors, or want a more versatile look.
Warm undertones are perfect for a living room and dining room because they offer a cozy, inviting feeling. Cool colors are great for smaller spaces because they offer a more light and airy feel and tend to make a room feel larger.
If you want a pure white space, you’ll want to go with neutral white colors. These whites are perfect for white trim and ceilings because they won’t pull any blues, grays, or green undertones. Making them able to match all paint colors.
You don’t have to commit to a specific brand to get the color you want. Sherwin Williams has the highest technology in paints and offers a perfected color matching service so you get the color you want and with outstanding top-notch quality. So, in short, no color is brand-specific.
Test Colors in Your Home
You just got home from picking out your paint swatches and cannot wait to see how they look! You may be surprised that beautiful blue and cool green don’t look as fabulous in your living room as they did in the store. Why is this?
Natural light changes throughout the day, making colors look different than they do under artificial lighting in a hardware store or showroom. North-facing rooms are challenging because they receive a wide array of natural lighting throughout the day.
We suggest hanging up the swatches and looking at them throughout the day, making sure the color looks how you want it, regardless of the time. Balboa Mist could look a lot different at 6 a.m. than it does at 6 p.m. So, fully testing them out is crucial.
Best Sherwin Williams Interior Paint Colors
Here, we have some of the most popular colors that have made the expert picks over the years.
Agreeable Gray
If you’re looking for a basic neutral living room paint color, agreeable gray is your top choice.
Accessible Beige
If you need to refresh your living room but want to add more earthy tones throughout your home, Accessible Beige is your color.
Natural Linen
A warm, neutral backdrop is perfect for almost any living room. It makes the most inviting space and pairs perfectly with any off-white color for the ideal breezy vibe.
On The Rocks
This gray is perfect when looking to pull some cool hues throughout your whole house. Pair this color with bright white trim using Extra White, while adding some contrast with Greek Villa, and Almond Roca accent wall in your living room.
Best Interior White Paint Colors
White Snow
This is a neutral white that can work from the living room to the garage door. This multi-purpose color is best when a neutral break is needed throughout the whole house color scheme. Natural White
Natural white is exactly that—natural. You can pair this white with any color—blue, green, or gray—it is the perfect neutral accent for your walls.
Gypsum
Minimal and Modern, this color is perfect for your living room or to brighten any room in the home.
Best Interior Neutral Paint Colors
Sweater Weather
With a name like that, you know it’s a cozy and soothing color. This gray is the perfect neutral when you want to add some depth.
Night Out
Need a dark and moody neutral? Night Out offers a stunning dark grey that doesn’t pull blue hues.
Vessel
This shade can be used when needing a pop of light within other neutral colors. Light Gray Interior Paint Colors
Repose Gray
If you need a warm gray, this is your go-to. The warmth is slight enough to bring a cozy feel while still maintaining that classic richness.
Light French Gray
It is the perfect living room color for everyone who still loves a millennial gray touch in their house.
Crushed Ice
A minimalist gray, this cool and light color makes any space feel airy and bright.
Beige and Cream Sherwin Williams Paint Color Options
Cheviot
Not quite white yet not quite beige, Cheviot is the perfect balance for an accent or all-over living room paint color for extreme coziness.
Oyster White
This creamy white has green undertones, making it a bohemian dream.
Irish Cream
Rich and creamy, this color offers orange tones, making it the perfect hue for painting your living room.
Neutral Ground
The perfect khaki color brings an off-white warmth to any living space.
Best Interior Green Paint Colors
Evergreen Fog
Green, gray, blue? It’s the perfect shade trust us. Feel as if your wrapped in a sea of fresh greenery.
Clary Sage
This color is begging to be painted in a dining room. This herb-colored green looks wonderful next to natural and dark-colored woods and enhances a space’s homey feel.
Rosemary
Charming and beautiful with a cool gray undertone this works beautifully in any space but really enhances dark wood grains.
Consider the Trim Color
Trim paint seems like a last thought, but it can make or break a room’s look. If you pick the wrong white or choose a blue-white instead of a warm shade, you’ll know right away that something is off.
If you want to play it safe, choose a perfect white for that trim. We suggest using White Snow. Painting trim can be time-consuming––hire the pros to get the job done quickly!
Incorporating Accent Colors for Visual Interest
Of course, all of your walls can be the same color. But adding an accent wall brings some life to a living space. Try painting a wall with a brightly saturated color to add some interest and create a stunning focal point.
Inspiration For Interior Paint Colors For Bedrooms
Pick calm and peaceful colors for your bedroom space. You can use different neutral shades or even bright white when you get ready in the morning to put your best foot forward.
Mossy grays like Evergreen Fog bring a sense of earthly balance and allow us to unwind, which is perfect for your bedroom after a long, busy day.
Cold Foam is a stunning white that casts warmth all over the walls making pairing bedroom furniture and bedding a piece of cake.
Natural engineered wood flooring with a perfect place to feed the dog inside the kitchen island
Inspiration For Interior Paint Colors For Kitchens
Your kitchen is one of, if not the most visited, living spaces. When spending time in your kitchen, you want it to feel open and light and have some contrast to break up all the large appliances against your cabinets. Bright colors work best to lighten up the walls, and dark colors add a bit of interest and depth.
Dark greens bring an earthy feel, and pops of white can create a beautifully trendy and clean environment. Try Dard Hunter Green to accomplish this feel.
Minimalist who loves color? Try Spatial White. It delivers a touch of a lavender hue, just enough to fill your kitchen with a cool and soft glow.
Don’t forget about some Millenial grays. Drift of Mist is a stunning color that won’t look too dark, even in spaces with low light. It’s the perfect neutral, so you can add it to your decor, and it will blend seamlessly.
Trouble choosing? Thinking of adding some paint color to those cabinets? We can help you get the look you want!
Inspiration For Interior Paint Colors For Living Rooms
Your living room should be the most comfortable spot in the whole house, minus the bedrooms of course. Choose paint colors based off of lighting to ensure you’re making the most out of the space a great example is different shades of white. Here are some of our favorite paint colors to get you pointed in the right direction.
Simple and effective, Pure White has a slight yellow undertone that prevents the room from feeling too stark and sterile. It’s the perfect basic for any room in your home, especially the living room.
Want something dark and moody? Charcoal Blue gives a darker aesthetic without having bold black paint on the walls. Your room will be completely transformed with this color, which begs for a leather sofa.
If you want something with color but without sacrificing a natural feel, try painting with Sweater Weather. With shades of gray and green, it will beautifully blend with your other home decor and go perfectly with other paint colors like White Sail for your trim work and Mountain Pass as a stunning, attention-grabbing accent.
Wrapping Up
If you haven’t figured out what house paint colors work for you yet, then make sure to reach out for a complimentary color consultation! We’ll come to your home and work through the best choices to make your home renovation the best experience it can be!