The 10 Best Neutral Paint Colors for Any Room in Your Home

Designer recommends using this greige color in large open spaces with turquoise, scarlet, or tangerine accents. "The warmth of this gray comes from the addition of a splash of beige and it feels as comforting as a bowl of homemade chicken soup," he says.

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Since this white color is dead center between warm and cool, designer says it will work equally well in traditional and modern settings. "I am historically prone to a neutral palette, and this white has been my go-to for years. It's a chameleon, taking on subtle changes in shade over the course of the day," she says.

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Since this saturated gray-brown-black reads as black, but not quite as hard, it's easy to live with in any room, designer Peter Dun says: "It's not that intense fortune-teller black but soft and sun-bleached, with depth and mystery. In a matte finish, it looks like a slightly smeared blackboard."

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Designer says this mauvey taupe is as warm as a cable-knit cashmere sweater, which is why he recommends using it all over a bedroom, not only on the walls. "It would turn the room into a cocoon ... very peaceful. Bring in ivory, gray, eggplant, or chocolate for contrast," he says.

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Since this bold color is the same earthy red that you see in pre-Columbian art, or an Etruscan mural, or a Turkish rug, it's surprisingly neutral and goes with anything, says designer : "We used it in our front hall as a backdrop to a Chinese coromandel screen and a huge African wooden sculpture. It creates this incredibly warm, inviting entry that draws you into the rest of the house."

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According to designer , for a house in the country or by the sea, aqua is the new white and is the perfect complement to greenery or an ocean view. "The idea is for the wall color to be quiet so it can blend seamlessly with the outdoors. This blue-green is a pastel with personality. Keep the overall feeling serene with light floors, white trim, a touch of deeper aqua, and a few dark accents to anchor the room," he says.

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Beige is designer s dependable neutral that marries any white, even a white gone wrong. “Years ago, a Fiorucci salesperson stared at my all-beige outfit and said, 'Well, beige is the rage.' I say yes! Best on walls in washable matte, this changes hues with the light, warms a chilly entry hall, and whispers 'Shhh' in the master suite. It’s nearly foolproof," he says.

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Although typically considered feminine, designer says lilac performs beautifully as a neutral when paired with strong, deep colors like charcoal, black, or navy. "This shade is the perfect balance of saturation and tone, like seeing a sunset through a soft filter. Try it in unexpected applications — the ceiling of a moody, masculine library; the interior of creamy cabinetry in a kitchen," she says.

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This is one of those chameleon colors that can read as gray, taupe, or green, depending on the light, according to designer . "I’d use it in a matte finish on walls, where it would be a great foil to warm whites, or in a high-gloss finish on trim," she says.

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People always think neutral means beige, but designer says beige isn’t a neutral it's "blah blah blah." Instead, he recommends looking to nature for inspiration: "You’ll see forest green, sky blue, and this luscious brown, which also reminds me of a melting pot of chocolate. I have used it in foyers, dining rooms, and even in my own bedroom. For a crisp effect, paint the ceiling and trim a bright white."

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