Color Trend: Go-To Neutrals

When the guy in the office across the hall from ours told us he was going to have his office painted white, we wondered what shade–there are so many! Well, to him there is only one shade of white, and I’m pretty sure his whole office is now painted in primer (trim included). Choosing the perfect paint color can be intimidating, but there are many, many resources with tried-and-true shades so you’ll never have to resort to “white-white” (find links to Candice Olsen and Sabrina Soto’s favorite neutrals, among others, on our “Neutrals” board on Pinterest).

The trick to picking the perfect neutral is to select a color with a greyish base and just a hint of color. For instance, grey + green = sage, grey + beige = “greige”, grey + brown = mushroom. Pair your neutral with a slightly off-white trim for a sophisticated finish, but again, look for that neutral base in the off-white (avoid anything with pink, yellow, or blue undertones). Below are a few of our current favorites, but remember: Color is relative! Always take home a swatch to view in your space at various times of day and night before committing to a color.