Why Homeowners Love Neutral Paint Colors
Neutral paint colors are a popular choice among homeowners due to their versatility and calming effect. If you’re wondering why they’re so popular, this post may convince you to try one or more of the most popular neutral paint colors yourself.
This post is about the popular neutral paint colors by Benjamin Moore.
How to Choose the Best Home Paint Colors
As we started to update our home a few years ago, I quickly learned how essential undertones are when choosing Benjamin Moore neutrals. Undertones must be considered to get the desired outcome of your design.
The first thing to consider is how you want the room to feel. Cozy and Warm – choose warm neutrals with yellow, red, or orange undertones. Open and Airy – choose cool neutrals with green, blue, or purple undertones.
Second, consider using a less reflective, low-sheen, or flat finish that helps bring out the actual color.
The third thing to consider is the lighting sources. You should consider both natural and artificial light. Lighting can change the look of neutrals more than other paint colors. Use a paint sample to paint two coats on a square piece of primed drywall and move them around the room during the day to see how the paint changes. Turn on artificial lights to see how the color changes.
Lastly, consider the wood tones in your home; are they warm or cool? Match your paint color’s undertone to your wood undertone. For example, our current floors are warm with an orange undertone. We had to use a warmer neutral on the walls for consistency. Choosing a cool neutral wall color would bring out the blue or green undertones of the paint, causing it to lose its actual color.
List of Neutral Colors
- Collingwood OC-28
- Pale Oak OC-20
- Classic Gray OC-23
- Balboa Mist OC-27
- Manchester Tan HC-81
- Muslin OC-12
Most Popular Neutral Paint Colors by Benjamin Moore
Painting is an excellent option if you’re looking to give your room a fresh, updated look. These popular neutral paint colors provide a solid base, allowing you to add personality and color through furniture and accessories.
1. Collingwood
Benjamin Moore Collingwood was our choice for our open-concept living. This neutral paint color is on our entry, living room, and kitchen walls. It is considered between warm and cool gray with slight violet undertones. It has one of the most neutral undertones, making it one of my favorites.
As shown below, a lot of light is coming into this space, which means the color can look lighter or darker depending on the light source.
2. Pale Oak
Benjamin Moore Pale Oak is the color we used in our primary bedroom. It is a neutral greige, almost taupe color.
The undertones are warm, almost yellow, yet you can sometimes see a hit of pink depending on the light. Our accent wall in the bedroom is Simply White, which contrasts very well with this color.
3. Classic Gray
Classic Gray is one of the most popular neutral paint colors for a reason. Benjamin Moore Classic Gray is a warm gray on the border of an off-white.
It has a muted violet undertone that is so soft and pretty. It works well with average lighting; you will love the contrast with white trim.
4. Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist is a warm color with a violet undertone. It is one of the most liked pale greiges and will sit well in most light, swaying from gray to beige, depending on the sources. It has a beautiful contrast against the white in both photos.
5. Manchester Tan
Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan is a warm tan color with a yellow-green undertone. It is considered neutral and has less of a tan look than most tan paint colors.
This color paint likely needs more light, so I would think it if I had open-concept living with many windows or a room with lots of natural and artificial lighting.
5. Muslin
Benjamin Moore Muslin is the best Benjamin Moore beige. It is a lighter beige color than most, and it has a warm orange undertone.
Due to its warmth, it would be beautiful in almost all rooms, no matter their light source. It will go well with organic and earth-like tones, as seen in the picture below.
Neutral Paint Colors in our Home
We painted our open-concept living areas, including the entry, living room, dining room, and kitchen, in Collingwood.
During my home office makeover, I decided to try out Classic Gray. The transformation has been truly remarkable. I used Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace from my popular white paint colors for the doors and trim.
Our primary bedroom is painted Pale Oak. You can see a slightly different undertone from Classic Gray, but they are very similar in color.
Painting is an excellent option if you’re looking to give your room a fresh, updated look. These popular neutral paint colors provide a solid base, allowing you to add personality and color through furniture and accessories.
Consider trying one of these popular neutral paint colors for your next home project or refresh. Have you tried any of these colors, or are you considering trying them? Leave me a comment and let me know!
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