Paint Color Home Tour: Nature-Inspired Neutrals

A color scheme for a whole house! See paint colors in real spaces in this home tour full of lovely, nature-inspired neutrals with touches of blues and greens.

The Best Neutral Paint Colors- Maison de Pax

I think the most common question I am asked on the blog and social media is what paint color I used in any given space. Actually, it’s the most common question I am asked in person, too (regarding interior design, that is). Paint colors can be hard, and they obviously set the tone for the whole house. So today I want to share a complete paint color home tour: warm and cool neutrals plus some nature-inspired greens and blues that all flow together beautifully.

Paint Color Home Tour: Nature-Inspired Neutrals

As you will quickly see, this is not our current home. These are the colors used in our last house: our 1940 colonial in the city. You can tour the complete before and after here if you are interested. That post also includes links to the various projects and room makeovers, so be sure to go visit if you have questions.

Before I go through the colors, I want to make three observations:

How trim color affects wall paint choices

First, this home’s original interior trim color was very creamy yellow. It made it tricky to pick wall colors… So if you have a cream colored trim, this is an especially great resource for you. However, all these colors look lovely with true white trim, too (I know because I have used some in my current home where the trim is white and because we did use true white in some of the rooms as we udpated the home).

How light affects wall paint

Second, you may notice that most of my pictures look quite a bit lighter than the color swatch. I think there are two reasons for that: first, the paint swatch color is taken from the paint manufacturer’s website (which in this case happens to be all Sherwin Williams). It is the screen color they have assigned to their pigment, but it does not account for light reflecting off an actual paint swatch or painted wall.

Second, all colors take on variations as they are found in different lights, and since I usually take pictures with plenty of sunlight streaming in, you can expect the colors to be on the lighter side.

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How to test Paint Colors

I always recommend testing colors in the actual space where you intend to use them. Even after doing this job for years, I still bring paint samples into each space and watch them at different times of day before making a decision.

I’ve never had a problem with paint swatches all over my walls, but I realize that’s sometimes inconvenient. And due to challenges in getting paint samples these days, I am excited to share a better option.

Samplize will send you a reusable peel and stick sheet made with real paint. It allows you to move the sample around in the room to catch the different lights. I hope you find this tool as helpful as I have!

Get your peel and stick paint samples here.

Ok, with all that administrative observation out of the way, here is a run down of our last home by paint colors.

A whole house color scheme

The exterior was painted in Ellie Gray (SW 7650) by Sherwin Williams with Extra White trim and Tricorn Black accents.

Ellie Gray (SW 7650) by Sherwin Williams- Maison de Pax

Our entry, stairwell, hallway, living room, and dining room were painted in Barcelona Beige (SW 7530). If you like warmer neutrals that are dark enough to provide contrast with trim but light enough to keep your space feeling bright, this is a great choice.

Barcelona Beige (SW 7530) by Sherwin Williams- Maison de Pax

The longer we lived in the house, though, the more I was drawn back to my natural inclination of cooler colors. So I used Dorian Gray (SW 7017) in the library.

Dorian Gray (SW 7017) by Sherwin Williams - Maison de Pax

And for a touch of drama, we used Gauntlet Gray (SW 7019) in the upstairs office.

Gauntlet Gray (SW 7019) by Sherwin Williams - Maison de Pax

The kitchen, butler’s pantry, and laundry room received one of my favorite greiges, Colonnade Gray (SW 7641).

Colonnade Gray (SW 7641) by Sherwin Williams - Maison de Pax

My daughter’s nursery got a slightly lighter (and perhaps a touch warmer) neutral called Agreeable Gray (SW 7029). I loved it so much that I used it as the main color in our new home. See more about Agreeable Gray here.

Agreeable Gray (SW 7029) by Sherwin Williams- Maison de Pax

The downstairs playroom/sunroom and the master bedroom were both finished with Aesthetic White (SW 7035). This color is quite the chameleon – it looked cool against our cream colored trim but gave the rooms a soft, warm glow overall. I think it can be an excellent choice when you are working with tricky colored trim. Bonus: I used lots of Dovetail (SW 7018) for accents (like the gray armoire in the sunroom and my interior window trim in the master bedroom). It is one of my favorites!

Aesthetic White (SW 7035) by Sherwin Williams- Maison de Pax

We painted our master bath with Krypton (SW 6247). I think I may need to use this one again… It’s one of my favorites, too.

Krypton (SW 6247) by Sherwin Williams- Maison de Pax

And the boys’ room and bathroom received Silvermist (SW 7621).

Silvermist (SW 7621) by Sherwin Williams- Maison de Pax

And that’s it. 9 serene, nature-inspired neutrals for you that you can mix and match as you please. Remember, for more details on any of these rooms (and links to many more pictures if you’d like to see more angles) can be found in the before and after tour of this home.

Happy painting!

Nature-inspired neutral paint colors for your home- Maison de pax

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115 Comments

  1. Thank you so much for the color run down !! We’re about 2 weeks out from closing on our house and greiges are seriously heavy contenders ! I’m definitely putting some of these in our new home !

  2. Love these colors, I just had a color consultant come to our house and help me with paint choices and Gauntlet Gray is on the list!!!! Christine from Little Brags

    1. Hey … where did you find a color consultant? I’m a few weeks away from closing and these colors have me super overwhelmed. 🙂

  3. Rachel,

    This was a wonderful post! I think it’s great to not only suggest colors you’ve used, but also for people to see them in real spaces. And in more than one, that’s even better! I really like a few of these colors and may be looking for a neutral for my downstairs powder room so I might have to go get some samples!

    Sheila
    http://www.maisondecinq.blogspot.com

          1. Love grey but have deep red cabinets in the kitchen. Wondering if I should just stick with white?

          2. Love your home! Beautifully decorated too. I am going with agreeable gray in our new home. Love your flooring. May I ask what it is and where you bought it?

          3. I’m so glad to hear it! We just love the Agreeable Gray in our home. 🙂 You can actually get the details on our flooring in this post. I hope this helps!

  4. Hi Rachel,
    We are a year away from retirement and are downsizing and purchasing my mom’s house. I would like to design a “little black dress” house. Meaning I only want to paint the whole house once more! I love the neutrals but am wondering if the grays are too trendy and if I should stick with the beige scale? I will be redoing all the windows, flooring and paint so I have a clean pallet. What do you think?

    1. What a great question, Sheri!! We would all save a lot of money and effort if we really tried to “little black dress” things in life, wouldn’t we? 🙂 I grew up with grays. My mom painted almost every room in the house gray or blue, even when those colors were not in style… When she built a new home about 5 years ago, I tried to encourage her to consider some warmer beiges. She gave in on one room and once it was on the walls, she had them repaint it; she just doesn’t like beige. Now her house is perfectly “in style” though. Ha! My point is that you’ve got to know what you love because the trends will come around again eventually. If you are unsure, you can always go with a warm gray. I love the Agreeable Gray I have in most of my home now, and it can read gray or beige depending on the lighting and the accessories. I hope this helps in some way!

        1. I’ve not used that one before, Angela, but I will definitely add it to my lists of colors to try!

  5. We just painted several rooms colonnade gray and it is warmer in person. Love this color! The painter we hired has the same color in his home

  6. I am wanting to repaint the interior of my home and I adore these colors. I like more natural subtle colors. I do however have dark walnut trim that I do not plan on painting. Do you think any of these would work with wood trim? If not do you have any suggestions?

    1. Great question, Carma! I’ve never owned a home with walnut trim, but I imagine it is gorgeous! I don’t see any reason why these colors wouldn’t work with darker trim, but you might want to consider going slightly lighter to provide a greater contrast between your trim and the walls and to brighten the space. If you go to Sherwin Williams, you can find most of these colors on cards that have gradations of lighter and darker colors, start there and see if something slightly lighter might work. Or you can always have them mix a color at 50% for a more subtle tone of the exact same color. I hope this helps!

    2. Hi Carma!
      We used Colonnade Gray with our wood trim (oak, not as dark as yours probably) and it’s a really nice contrast! Rachel, my question for you is: we have a 2 story foyer on the north side, lots of natural, but not direct light. Would you go with something darker than the Colonnade Gray, or lighter? There’s so much wall i don’t want to have to repaint if i decide the wrong way! 😂

      1. Great question, Jessi! I’d encourage you to check out the foyer in my new house (tour the house here). It is also a two story space with tons of natural light… We used Agreeable Gray in here, which is a couple of shades lighter than Colonnade. As you can tell, lots of natural light will wash out the color some and make it a bit warmer usually, so you’ll just have to decide whether you’re ok with it washing out to almost white or whether you want to keep that darker gray look. I hope this helps!

        1. Thank you! I was thinking about the Agreeable gray! I might get a sample of the Ellie Gray too just to see how each plays off our wood trim. Thank you for the inspiration! PS – I am in love with your wood floors!

          1. Sounds like a great plan, Jessi, and you are so welcome! And I confess, I’m kind of in love with my wood floors, too. 😉 Good luck with the painting!

    1. I’ve used interactive cream in a 4000 sq ft house, with 14ft ceilings and large windows. Now in a 1700sq ft house with 10ft ceilings. Still love the tone of interactive cream, but too dark for small house. Any suggestions? Will be using gray as accent furniture with camel.

  7. My brother in-law wants me to do his great room over and he wants a “gray” color. He has a lot of natural wood for trim and doors and does not want them touched. How would a gray look against this trim?

    1. I don’t see any reason why these colors wouldn’t work with darker trim, but you might want to consider going slightly lighter to provide a greater contrast between your trim and the walls and to brighten the space. If you go to Sherwin Williams, you can find most of these colors on cards that have gradations of lighter and darker colors, start there and see if something slightly lighter might work. Or you can always have them mix a color at 50% for a more subtle tone of the exact same color. Another reader commented that they used Colonnade gray with wood trim and loved it… So I think you’re probably safe! 🙂

  8. Hi,

    Our new house is under construction and we expect to move in by end of this year. We are so excited and already thinking about paint. We picked Colonnade gray as the default on all walls and plan to paint darker tones as a highlight in each room. Can you suggest some dark paint colors that complement well with Colonnade gray?

    Thanks.

    1. How exciting! I’m not sure how dark you want to go, but I loved our office in Gauntlet Gray – very dramatic. I used Behr Secret Society in my husband’s current office, and it’s lovely, too. For more medium tones, Dorian Gray, Dovetail, and Ellie Gray are all nice complements to Colonnade. I hope this helps and congratulations on your new home!

      1. Thanks for the suggestions.

        In the blue tones, we are currently contemplating between Hague Blue (Farrow & Ball) and In the Navy (SW 9178). So, Secret Society is in the same realm. I am looking for similar options in the red and brown tones to complement with Colonnade Gray.

  9. Help!!!!! I’m painting my family room/ dining room Dorian Gray. It’s really a true gray in the room. My big question is: do I go stark white with the crown & trim , or a creamier color such as BM White Dove or SW Snowbound Trim? Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

    1. Great question, Wendy! Honestly, I’ve used Dorian Gray against both creamier trim and crisp white trim… I tend to prefer bright white trim, personally, but our last house had all antique white and it wasn’t worth the expense to change it. The best part is, I don’t think you can go wrong! The creamier trim will have a softer feel, but the bright white will make the gray feel warm and cozy. I’d go for what you have in the rest of the house or prefer generally. I hope this helps!

  10. Just painted my entryway, living room and kitchen Colonnade gray and love it! Now, trying to decide which color to paint dining room. Has anyone tried SW jogging path? And also thinking Ellie Grey. Thanks for posting pictures of the paint colors, its very helpful!

    1. That’s great! My parents actually used Colonnade gray throughout the main areas of their home and then jogging path in my father’s office. It coordinates well with the Colonnade gray (in fact, it’s so close, I’m not sure some people even notice the difference), but it is definitely warmer. He had several pieces that we felt would complement a warmer backdrop, though, so the jogging path seemed like a good choice in there. The Ellie gray will probably read more similar to the Colonnade as far as warm/cool but a bit darker… I hope this helps!

  11. Hi! I just had to get my siding and roof done due to product failure and age. I was thinking Ellie Grey for my exterior but my Owens Corning roof in Quarry Grey seems once installed to have a blue tinge/cast I wasn’t expecting. The company says the roof color should settle down with sun/UVA exposure? I thought the roof was going to be a combination of lighter and darker grey colors. I know nothing about home projects and have to pick a color right away. Is Ellie Grey a warm or cool color? I tried samples of greys that really had a bluish tint like SW Morning Fog, Dustblue, and Steely Grey and I didn’t like them. Could I do a yellow exterior like SW Banana Cream with this roof. Help I’m so confused! Thanks!

    1. It’s a very tough thing to make color decisions without seeing all the elements, Kathy, but I find Ellie Gray to be a barely warm gray. It’s almost truly not warm or cool, though, just neutral… I’m not sure how this will work with your roof, though. I can tell you that yellow/orange and blue are complementary colors on the color wheel, and as such, there are many yellows that complement blues very well. If you like yellow homes, you could probably find a yellow that would look nice with a blue/gray roof. Yellow is far cry from gray, though, so if you really wanted a gray house, make sure you are really sure for such a change! 🙂 I hope this helps in some way.

      1. Thank you so much for your response! I had a yellow house with a brownish roof before the siding and roof was taken off. I was thinking it would be dumb to do the same color as before when I had to spend all this money. I had/have no idea what color I wanted to paint the house. I just want to be able to look at my house after spending all this money and think it looks nice. I like cottage, traditional styles not modern. Would it help if I can see if my son could help show me how to post a picture on here?

  12. Hi. I have a sears roebuck home that has been remodeled. I have been looking at SW colors for weeks for my family room which is an addition. We have provincial oak trim (light) 2 pella sliding doors on the north side and 2 windows on either side of our brick fire place. The room is now painted SW burlap. I feel there isn’t much contrast against the trim so I am ready to make a change. The peak of the ceiling is 12 ft so my wall opposite the fire place is a big open space. I would like to paint either the fire place wall or the opposite wall a darker color. The fireplace brick is dark reds, browns and rust. Do you have any suggestion?

  13. Thanks for a great site and I love that you respond to all questions/comments. Here’s mine: we’re buying a newly built home which is really a cottage but the living room, kitchen and dining area are open concept with eleven foot ceilings and they all face south or southwest. I’ve tested Colonnade Gray which seemed dark on some walls, Repose which felt warm and pleasant, but a bit bland, and now I’m testing cooler SW shades: Sea Salt, Lattitude and Palladian Blue by BM. The Sea Salt has an interesting way of changing with the light and can look gray, bluish or greenish. Lattitude is, well, gray, and Palladian I think too intensely green. Trim will all be white. With a good deal of light in the afternoon, I’m torn over going warm or cool. Floors are a driftwood type color as are cabinets. And should I keep ceiling white or go with a color? I tried Tame Teal and it was intense. And should I carry same color throughout? Bedrooms are quite small and I have two and a half baths and a laundry room. Really need some guidance! Thank you so much.

    1. New homes come with so many decisions! I always love a white ceiling, but that’s just my preference. If Colonnade seemed dark, you might try Agreeable Gray. I have it throughout the main areas of my new home, and I love it. It reads cool in some lights and warm in others – it might go with those driftwood floors really well. It sounds like Sea Salt would be really lovely, too, if you want something with more color, but if I were you I would not carry something like that throughout the house. If you go with a white or gray, you could carry it into any room and still have room to use accents for different color schemes. Paint colors are so much a personal preference… but I hope these ideas help in some way! Congratulations on your new home!

  14. Thank you for such a quick reply, Rachel, and for the congrats! I do like Agreeable Gray quite a bit. I erred in the direction of the house; it faces West! So that front open room will be bathed in afternoon sunlight. I spent hours today trying to put together a whole house palette. My challenge is I’m allowed only three colors per the builder. I can use more of course, but pay extra. But, do I need more? I’d love for your readers to weigh in. I have the open kitchen, living room, dining room at the front, then I have a half bath, laundry room, Jack and Jill bedrooms with bath, and master with bath. Thoughts? All feedback is welcome. Floors are grayish brown and woodwork to be white. Help!

    1. You’re welcome! I think three colors is probably enough… You can always paint a single bedroom or bathroom another color for a change later, of course. 🙂 My current home has just four, and it’s got 5 bedrooms. I’m using Agreeable gray downstairs (great room, dining room, and kitchen), Cameo White by Bher in 3 of the upstairs bedrooms and the laundry room, and then a light blue and a dark blue in the other two bedrooms. I think the tough one will be finding the right color for the main living area since, as you said, it’s the most space and it gets lots of afternoon light. Definitely try samples and look at them at different times of day!

  15. This is so helpful! I’m closing on a new house in a couple of weeks and painting the entire thing before I move in. I want to do gray downstairs but there are so many! I like several here. Would you say Krypton leans a little blue? I don’t want the gray I choose to look “institutional”.

    1. Congratulations! Krypton definitely leans blue. In fact, I always considered it “blue” rather than “gray,” though I have been surprised by how many readers have commented on my “gray” bathroom… I guess it is a bit chameleon.

  16. Hi Rachel!
    We must be sisters in another life or something because your color choices couldn’t be any closer than those near and dear to me! Your decorating style is beautiful! I have always had a difficult time trying to describe my style preference. Farmhouse Chic sounds right to me! I am so thrilled to have found your site. Thank you!
    Cindy from PA

    1. What a sweet thing to say, Cindy! I’m so glad you found me, too, and I hope you continue to be inspired! xx

  17. We painted our basement dorian grey, but the stairway down to the basement is too dark for dorian…what color do you suggest in the same color scheme? Floors are dark walnut.

    1. If you are looking for something in the same family but just lighter, then either of the lighter grays I shared (Colonnade or Agreeable) look lovely with Dorian. Repose Gray is another option that is very similar to Agreeable but a tad cooler, if you are looking for a truer gray with less brown undertones. I hope this helps!

  18. Hi Rachel,
    I am in the process of painting all of the downstairs in my house so this is so helpful! I would love to get your advice on a color for a very small bathroom in the kitchen. The kitchen has all white cabinets and is painted a very dark grey similar to the Gauntlet Gray color you listed. What color do you think would look the best for my bathroom in the kitchen? I am open for any advice. Thank you so much!

    1. Hi Sophia, I bet your kitchen is beautiful! Your white cabinets must look lovely against that dark gray. For the bathroom, I would definitely suggest a lighter color if, as you say, it is very small. This will help open it up in contrast to the kitchen. Either of the lighter grays (Colonnade or Agreeable) or even the blue (Krypton) or green (Silvermist) would be a nice, refreshing touch in that space, and they will coordinate well with the gray in your kitchen. I hope this helps!

    1. Thank you! Great question. The kitchen we actually painted white (one advantage to a NOT open floor plan) because the cream felt too dingy in that large of a space. I hope this helps!

    2. Love all of these grey colors used. I have the collonade grey in most of my house but trying to decide on a color for entryway, hallway, and the living room. Is there a neutral creamy yellow that would work?

          1. I’m afraid I haven’t used that color, but definitely give it a try! I also love Silos White by Magnolia Kilz (it’s what we used in our ranch house recently) for an even warmer white. I hope this helps!

        1. Hi, thank you so much for your wonderful knowledge of decor. I have decided to keep a soft greige throughout the remainder of the home (open foyer/living) however currently have the collonade grey in part of the home and not sure what paint color to choose. The foyer/living space does not have as much natural light and the collonade grey would be too dark. Would you recommend the SW agreeable grey or another?

          1. You can actually lighten the Collonade Grey by 25/50/75% to get the same tone of gray, but make it lighter for a more dim space.

  19. Rachel …HELP!
    I have just read through your “Paint colour home tour” and certainly learned tips and to-do’s. However, I have zero ability to picture colours. I love the grays. My problem is my floors are a dark brown hardwood with white trim throughout. The kitchen cabinets are dark wood as well. The kitchen walls were a hmmmm; I’d call it dark orange, but I expect it has a fancy name. All other rooms are various shades of browns and all windows have white trim. It’s too dark and somber. I had the kitchen and living area painted a light ecru/beige; results:BLAH! I have downsized to this home, love the location, neighbourhood, and neighbours! Yet, this colour scheme leaves me flat and feeling ho-hum. did I mention the kitchen appliances are all black? Doom and gloom. Like your mother, I have loved grays long before they became a to-do colour and would really appreciate any suggestions, especially for the kitchen/dining rooms and sunny family room. Many thanks for your clear, easy to understand tips!
    I remain befuddled, colour-confused and hopeful to hear from you.
    Nanny

    1. Don’t stress, Deborah! You will survive. 🙂 Have you checked out our new home tour (the post you read was from our last home)? You can view our current home here. We have darker wood floors and white trim in this home, so it may give you a better idea of what some colors might look like in your space. Have you tried Agreeable Gray by Sherwin Williams? It is the color I used throughout the downstairs in our new home, and I am loving it. It reads warmer sometimes and grayer sometimes, but it is very light and versatile and yet still provides some contrast to the white trim. You could also try Repose Gray if the Agreeable Gray is too warm for your taste. Repose gray is just a touch cooler. I hope this helps! Good luck. 🙂

  20. What color trim did you use with the barcelona beige, krypton, and silver mist? Also, we have a chair-railing in the living area. I was thinking of using the barcelona beige on the top, a trim color, and not sure above the color below the chair railing? Any ideas?

    1. The trim in most of the house was an unidentified antique white (original to the house), but we used an extra white (straight out of the can) in the bathroom with the Krypton. As for a color to go with Barcelona Beige, I would suggest something similar but a few shades darker. I’m afraid I don’t have a SW fan deck on hand, but you can ask at the store what might be a similar formula with a darker tone. I hope this helps!

  21. Love your home and decor style. I have an open concept kitchen to living room and foyer. Want to paint my kitchen and living room the same color to lighten it up (kitchen and eating area is gold color and living room is light “porcelain skin” beige color. My kitchen cabinets are a golden color tending to yellow wood, similar to what was pictured in your before kitchen in your new home. Without painting cabinets at this time, how would Agreeable Grey work or what color do you recommend? Want to tone down the cabinet color! We have a covered patio which makes lighting in the kitchen and living area on dark side. Would love to change cabinet color at some point, unsure whether to do a wood stain or creamy white?? Suggestions?

    1. Agreeable gray is a more warm neutral than cool, so I think it would be a good option with the warm cabinets. I, of course, prefer white cabinets, but there are some beautiful wood finishes.

  22. I want to paint my kitchen cabinets Dorian gray. what color would you suggest for the walls? I’m trying for a farmhouse industrial. The island stools are red metal . Thanks for your input.

  23. Hi..Beautiful home..I see that you used aesthetic white.I have just started painting my hallway and family room in it..Hard to find reviews since that color is rarely used by people.Are you pleased with it..Thank you.

  24. Hi Rachel, you have a beautiful home!! I’m in the process of painting the interiors in my house, and went with Agreeable gray in the entryway, living room and breakfast nook. The room faces South and the living room especially has a lot of warm wood in the form of Entertainment nook/center as well as around the fireplace including the mantle and a cream colored carpet and some limestone around the fireplace. Unfortunately after the painting yesterday, the Agreeable gray has started looking a bit blah, no character whatsoever and I’m thinking maybe I should have gone for a different accent in the breakfast nook as well as the niches.
    1. Can you recommend what are the accent colors that go well with Agreeable Gray?
    2. For additional context, I’m going to SW Sea Salt for my master bedroom and bath which is next to the living room. Can I use the “sea salt” for the niche or will it clash with the Gray?

    1. Hi Heera! Have you considered doing a pop of white for the niches? Sometimes that can really brighten and highlight other paint colors.

  25. Love this post.
    All the molding, doors, cabinets, built ins etc in my home are SW Antique White. I’m wanting to choose a warm gray to use in my entire home, very open floor plan, but am worried about the trim coming off yellow.
    My walls are all currently SW Accesible Beige and I’m wanting to dive into the gray world.
    Any suggestions?

  26. Hi. We are getting ready to repaint our “80’s” plastic laminate kitchen cabinets. We are going with the Aspen Gray with black glaze. We have all new appliances coming in the black stainless steel. What would be the best gray color for walls. Also, keep in mind our kitchen is open plan to dining room and living room. I need help!

    Thank you,
    Kim

  27. Hi there! This post and all of the comments, the pictures of your lovely home been so helpful! We bought an older home that needs an interior face lift and has a lot of open/connected rooms! I am headed to Sherwin Williams for some samples and swatches! I am leaning towards agreeable grey for the living area that connects to an open kitchen. Currently the kitchen has brown/maple wood cabinets and LOTS of them and solid surface countertops in a creamy color that are actually pleasant and in good shape so we will keep them for a while. If the walls in the living area and kitchen are Agreeable, how do you feel about upper cabinets in alabaster or aesthetic white and bottom cabinets in Ellie? I feel like both of those whites would give me the look it a grey and white kitchen without clashing to much with the cream countertops? The tile floors have cream, beige and grey in them.

    Thanks for your advice and this amazing post Rachel! Can’t wait to follow you and get going on my master in Krypton!

    1. I think that the key is to find warmer whites versus cooler so the cool tones don’t clash with the neutrals/cremes/browns in your space! Good luck! Take your time, paint is very personal to taste and not worth rushing.

      1. When sampling Agreeable Gray we picked up Repose Gray and are leaning towards that in our open living areas and everywhere we thought we were going to do Agreeable. We have a whole wall of windows and lots of natural light and the Repose just looks a little crisper. My question, do you feel that it is still warm enough to look nice with the other colors in this pallet – using Dorian in our Master and Entry Way and Ellie on some cabinets. Silvermist and Krypton on bedrooms and bathrooms. Thanks in advance for your opinion…I do think it works well and have gotten some consensus but thought I would check with you since you put together this pallet and have used so many of the colors!!

        1. Repose gray is a great choice! I’ve never used it in a home alongside Dorian and Ellie, but my gut says they would look lovely together. As you noticed, more natural light will often bring out the warmer tones in Agreeable Gray, and Repose is just slightly more cooler. I’m sure it will be beautiful!

  28. I am painting the exterior of my house SW Incredible White and am trying to decide what color to paint my shutters and door. I initially decided on Mindful Gray for the shutters and Dovetail for the door. I love both colors, but the Mindful Gray is very light. Do you have any suggestion for a color to coordinate with Dovetail, either lighter or darker?

    1. It sounds like it’s going to be beautiful! If you want that lighter-than-Dovetail look but not quite as light as Mindful, Dorian Gray is actually on that same color family card. It’s one level darker than Mindful Gray but still lighter than Dovetail. It’s the one I used in my library in that home. Similarly, in that same color family (it’s SUCH a great set of colors!) Gauntlet Gray (the one in the office in that home) is darker than Dovetail and simply beautiful. Hope this helps!

  29. Rachel, We are building our retirement home on the Gulf of Mexico in the sunny panhandle of Florida. I had my heart set on bright white trim/kitchen cabinets (open floor plan with a wall of windows/French doors that face the ocean to the West/slightly SW). The house will get lots of sunlight. The painter and builder have suggested that all the window and door trim, baseboards, crown as well as my kitchen cabinets be painted SW Aesthetic White to match the “white” Anderson windows. I had no idea that the windows we chose would dictate the trim color for my entire house. The drywall is finished and they want my choices NOW to start painting the walls. I am several states away and can not travel down for a couple more weeks. The floors we have chosen are a light gray driftwood color. Do you have any suggestions on the best wall colors for our situation? Hubby and I both love grays but with the light (slightly cool) gray floors and this creamy white trim we are lost!

    1. Congratulations on the new house! I am hesitant to say anything because whites and grays can be SO tricky depending on the light… but I do know that aesthetic white was lovely in our last home. I hope you will love it! One color that I have found to be very forgiving with various trim colors is Agreeable Gray. We have it throughout our main living areas in our current home (which has pure white trim), but I loved it equally in the nursery in our last home (which had very antique white trim). It’s a warm gray and a bit of a chameleon color depending on what kind of light it is getting. You can see it in this post in the nursery, and you can see more images in the main area of our home here. I hope this helps!

  30. I love these colors. What do you suggest when you have a kitchen with cherry cabinets and tan brown granite? Can you use one of the lighter grays.

    1. I’m so glad you like them! I would try a sample of Agreeable Gray and see how it looks in there. It’s a bit of a chameleon color, so the warmth will likely pair well with the cherry cabinets and tan brown granite but still have a gray look. If that is warmer than you want, though, Repose Gray (also Sherwin Williams) is a very similar tone with just a bit less brown. I hope this helps!

  31. Hi, Rachel,
    I’m redoing my living room, which opens catty-corner into my warm-toned kitchen. LR used to be plum and tan, so pretty dark. Right now I have SW Oyster Bar (not bay) on the LR walls, and I’m not quite crazy about it. I also have a tongue-and-groove ceiling in the LR, and a built-in shelf unit along one short wall. Oak floor. My friend suggested putting the Oyster Bar on the ceiling also, even though it will not look the same, all trim white, and the shelf unit gray. Right now it has SW Light French Gray, which I think looks a little washed out. Any ideas for a gray that might go better, or a gray for a north-facing room, or should I give up on gray? Most I’ve tried seem to go blue. Have you ever used Oyster Bar? Ugh, I’ve been at this about 3 months now… For context, all other rooms in my house are warm, except for a small white/gray/lilac bathroom.

    1. Hmm, I wouldn’t rush into a gray color. A good gray that many of my friends have used and loved (and always comment it looks very neutral without blue) is Repose Gray by SW. You could lighten it up a bit so it doesn’t feel too heavy. I don’t think I would paint the ceiling Oyster Bar if you aren’t loving the color now. Paint is surprisingly tricky. Oyster Bar seems a bit yellow to me when I look up the color, but it obviously may look different in your home.

  32. Thanks, Rachel! To clarify, don’t rush into a gray for walls, or did you mean for the shelf unit? I tried Repose gray, and that even seemed sort of blue in my room. I have some spots I’ve painted SW Accessible Beige and am wondering if that’s better than the Oyster. Also, Do you have any other wall faves for warmer side but not too dark? I appreciate your help!

    1. I never rush into paint colors anywhere – haha! Really, though, I’ve been known to paint 5-10 swatches on my walls and leave them for at least a couple of weeks so I can get a true feeling for how the light affects the colors at different times of day. If you like Repose Gray but felt it was too cool, I’d suggest SW Agreeable Gray. It’s a very similar shade but definitely warmer. I have it all over the main living areas of my current home (see a tour here) and love it! It’s a chameleon color that goes gray or beige depending on the light, but it’s definitely more gray than Accessible Beige. Hope this helps!

  33. Thanks, Rachel! I will sample it. Still considering color for built-in, as well, and whether to paint ceiling anything other than white…

    1. I’m sorry, I missed this reply somehow. I always prefer white ceilings, and I love the look of coordinating colors between trim and walls. So a darker color from the same paint family for the built in might be pretty. Or a white built in is never a bad thing. I hope this helps!

  34. Thanks so much for this post!! I used Aesthetic White for our big rooms on the main floor and our master, Silvermist for my son’s room, and Colonnade Gray and Gauntlet Gray in the dining room. GORGEOUS! Looking forward to getting more of these on the walls!

  35. Hi Rachel,
    We are downsizing to a wood exterior bungalow, and have been given only a few choices for the exterior. One is a gray that looks almost blue which I do not like. The other is Agreeable Gray. Interest in your opinion of how this color will play outside. I know you love it inside, and that is one of my go to colors. But what about the exterior with extra white trim? Thanks so much!

    1. It is going to look much lighter outside than it does inside. If you want a warm gray exterior, you might need to try a darker gray. Painting an exterior is expensive, so I’d test as many samples as you are comfortable with.

  36. So lovely Rachel. I have a question…I have a pine/oak looking floor with dark wood and reddish accents in majority of a 1901 home I just purchased. In the back two bedroom I would like to paint Agreeable Gray and lay new floors. There are 12″ tiles in hallway between the old wood floor and the bedrooms I want to lay flooring. To my question…the flooring is really throwing me for a loop. I love the large plank darker floors but want to stay true to the cottage feel of the home. What color flooring can utilize to keep the continuity in the back bedroom but also keep it updated? I can send pictures if that helps.

  37. I’m painting my kitchen cabinets BM River Reflections what wall color would you choose to go with ? SW Repose or SWAgreeable ? Please help.

    1. I’m sorry, Tammy, but I’m not familiar with River Reflections. I would suggest getting a sample of each and putting it beside the cabinet color for a few days. Give yourself a chance to view the colors at different times of day, with natural and artificial light, from different angles, etc. Hopefully that will help you decide! 🙂

  38. Hi Rachel, so helpful —- have an open home, light white oak floors, like you agreeable gray suggsstion. In my master I have gray screen vanity and site white on walls, what do you suggest for adjoining master. Would agreeable gray look good?

    Also looking for powder room color (navy vanity) and other bedroom walls. Have one bath that is gray tile (I’d like to pull on blue there) and one that is ming green.

    Thanks, really puzzled

  39. I love this post and I’ve been reading it over and over because I love that you have blended cool colors with some a tad warmer. We downsized into a lovely, well kept garden home, and decided to wait on paint. Unfortunately, most of the rooms are on the east side of the house which backs up to a hillside, so they don’t get much natural light. The main living area is painted Sherwin Williams Burlap, which I would like to change one day, but I’m going to have to go in stages. I want to start with the master bedroom and bath which are just off the main living area. The bedroom is painted SW Dovetail and is just very drab. The master bath is painted SW Netsuke. How can I ease those two rooms into more friendly colors like the colors in this post without having to paint the living area right now? My goal is to create an environment to display beautiful floral watercolor paintings painted by my husband’s deceased mother. Thank you, and I love this post!!!

    1. I’m so glad you found this helpful, Denise! I would suggest starting with SW Agreeable Gray. I love it so much that we used it as the main color for our more open-concept floor plan in our next home. It has both warm and cool undertones, so it might be ok with your warmer tones in your living area while still freshening up your bedroom and bath in a way that would highlight any artwork you want to use. As always, I suggest getting a small sample and trying it out for a few days before you decide. I hope this helps!

      1. Thank you so much Rachel. I have studied colors and studied colors some more. The Agreeable Gray is just too cool for the space, but that helped me to head in the right direction, I think, soooo, I’ve settled on Accessible Beige and a pretty tufted navy headboard. We will paint next week, so, as soon as it is finished, I’ll post before and after pictures.

        1. Hi Denise! I’m so glad you landed on a color you love! It can be tricky because every home is different.

  40. Love this whole palette, in fact, using it for our new (to us) house that we’re totally renovating. Two quick questions: Would sea salt work as well as silvermist with the rest of this palette? And do you think aesthetic white works for a (half bath) room with a gauntlet grey accent wall, or is a brighter more pure white a better call for pairing? Thank you so much for this inspo. Happy designing 🙂

    1. So glad you found this helpful! Silvermist has more blue and is a touch darker, but I think that Sea Salt would be a wonderful, earthy touch of color to add to this palette. Just test it to make sure it doesn’t read mint-y in your space (this is rare, but since it’s lighter and more green, the light can sometimes play tricks!). As for aesthetic white and gauntlet gray, I’m afraid it will depend entirely on lighting in the space. Aesthetic white is truly a greige white (usually neither too warm nor too cool), but against gauntlet gray it could possibly read a little yellowish. I always say test and see in the actual lighting you will be using to be sure. Hope this helps!

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