Skip to content

Top Navigation

Real Simple Logo Real Simple Logo
  • Food
  • Home
  • Life
  • Health
  • Money
  • Style and Beauty
  • Holidays & Entertaining
  • News
  • Shopping
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • My Account
  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Free Organizing App this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Real Simple

Real Simple Logo Real Simple Logo
  • Explore

    Explore

    • How to Measure Your Ring Size at Home

      How to Measure Your Ring Size at Home

      Try one of these three easy methods to make sure your ring fits perfectly, every time. Read More
    • Here's the Right Temperature for Your Refrigerator and Freezer (Because a Few Degrees Makes a Difference)

      Here's the Right Temperature for Your Refrigerator and Freezer (Because a Few Degrees Makes a Difference)

      Keeping foods chilled properly helps them last longer and stay fresher. Sticking to the ideal refrigerator temps can help you avoid potential foodborne illnesses, too. Read More
    • 34 Great Books to Suit Any Mood or Interest

      34 Great Books to Suit Any Mood or Interest

      This list has you covered, no matter how you're feeling. Read More
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food
    9 Cheeses You Can Eat Even If You're Lactose Intolerant

    9 Cheeses You Can Eat Even If You're Lactose Intolerant

    Not all dairy is created equal. 
    • Recipes
    • Real Simple Cooking School
    • Cooking Tips & Techniques
    • Shopping and Storing
    • Kitchen Tools and Products
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home
    • Cleaning
    • Organizing
    • Decorating
    • Gardening
    • Home Improvement
    • Green Living
    • New Uses for Old Things at Home
    • Quick Fix
    • Real Simple Home
  • Life

    Life

    See All Life
    • Family
    • Entertainment
    • Technology
    • Wedding Planning
    • Travel Ideas
    • Career
    • Get It Done
  • Health

    Health

    See All Health
    Feel Like You Don't Enjoy Anything Anymore? There's a Name for That—Here Are 8 Ways You Can Break Through It

    Feel Like You Don't Enjoy Anything Anymore? There's a Name for That—Here Are 8 Ways You Can Break Through It

    Mental health experts explain anhedonia and how you can bounce back from this joyless state of mind.
    • Preventive Health
    • Mental Health
    • Health Coach
    • Crisis Coping
    • Fitness & Exercise
    • Sleep
    • Healthy Eating
    • Well Fed
  • Money

    Money

    See All Money
    Are You Keeping Too Much Money in the Bank? Here's How to Tell

    Are You Keeping Too Much Money in the Bank? Here's How to Tell

    Putting money in the bank is smart, but too much cash savings can actually be a poor use of that money.
    • Money Confidential Podcast
    • Saving Money
    • Money Planning
    • Money Confidential
    • Spending
    • Money Etiquette
    • Invest Better
  • Style and Beauty

    Style and Beauty

    See All Style and Beauty
    How to Measure Your Bra Size at Home

    How to Measure Your Bra Size at Home

    All you need is a tape measure and a little free time.
    • Clothing
    • Skincare
    • Shoes
    • Hair
    • Clothing Care
    • Makeup
    • Hair Body Face
  • Holidays & Entertaining

    Holidays & Entertaining

    See All Holidays & Entertaining
    PowerPoint Parties Are the Party Trend You Have to Try: Here's How to Host One

    PowerPoint Parties Are the Party Trend You Have to Try: Here's How to Host One

    PowerPoint nights are the new fun way to party together—even when you're far apart.
    • All Holidays
    • Gifts
    • Father's Day
    • Passover
    • Entertaining
    • Home for the Holidays
    • Come Together
    • Hanukkah
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
    • Valentine's Day
    • Easter
    • Mother's Day
  • News
  • Shopping
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • My Account
  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Free Organizing App this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Real Simple
  2. Home
  3. Home Improvement
  4. Painting
  5. 14 Absolutely Perfect Paint Colors Designers Love

14 Absolutely Perfect Paint Colors Designers Love

By Jaimie Mackey Updated July 01, 2019
Skip gallery slides
FB Tweet
Paint Colors Interior Designers Love, paint swatches
Credit: Courtesy of Manufacturers

Nothing sets the tone for a home quite like the color on the walls. It's no wonder then that choosing a paint color can be a daunting task. To help simplify the process (so that you don't end up with a rainbow of sample swatches swiped across every wall), we turned to some of our favorite interior designers for advice. We asked them to share with us the go-to paint colors they rely on again and again—from timeless classics to bold, statement shades. Picking paint colors can be hard, but rest assured you won't go wrong with one of these pro-approved hues. 

RELATED: 5 Paint Colors That Can Actually Help Your Home Look Cleaner

Start Slideshow

1 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Paper White by Benjamin Moore

Paper White by Benjamin Moore
Credit: benjaminmoore.com

"This white is my absolute favorite!" says Ashley Darryl of Ashley Darryl Interiors in New York City. "It's warm and tends to go a touch gray, instead of blue or yellow like a lot of whites. I use it everywhere—in kitchens so white cabinets pop, up a stairwell instead of a stark white, and even on moldings against colored walls."

To buy: From $40; benjaminmoore.com.

RELATED: The 21 Best White Paint Colors, According to Top Designers

1 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Parma Gray by Farrow & Ball

Parma Gray by Farrow & Ball
Credit: us.farrow-ball.com

"I am obsessed with this blue," Darryl says. "It has a purple undertone that looks almost gray-blue, like a cloudy sky." She's used it in a high gloss finish for a dramatic foyer, in matte for a family room to make the space feel cozy, and on a ceiling as a pop of color in an otherwise white room.

To buy: From $99, farrow-ball.com.

2 of 14

3 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Light Pewter by Benjamin Moore

Light Pewter by Benjamin Moore
Credit: benjaminmoore.com

"We've used this light gray for years," says Jim Aman of Aman & Meeks in New York City. "It's a great neutral that works with almost all interiors." While all-gray walls might seem like a big commitment, Aman loves that Light Pewter provides a timeless backdrop to other colors throughout the home.

To buy: From $40; benjaminmoore.com.

3 of 14

Advertisement

4 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Brassica by Farrow & Ball

Brassica by Farrow & Ball
Credit: us.farrow-ball.com

"If there is such thing as a quiet, masculine purple, this is it," says Richard McGeehan of McGeehan Design in Ossining, New York. "It's gorgeously subtle and it flatters everything from antique English mahogany to Moroccan black-and-white inlay—even 1970s chrome. It delights and surprises those who believed they could never love a purple room!"

To buy: From $99, farrow-ball.com.

4 of 14

5 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

White Dove by Benjamin Moore

White Dove by Benjamin Moore
Credit: benjaminmoore.com

"This is such a classic, versatile white," says Alexandra Kaehler of Alexandra Kaehler Design in Chicago. "It has a little bit of warmth, but not enough to look yellow, so it's always fresh-feeling. I would absolutely fill an entire house with it—and have, many times!"

To buy: From $40; benjaminmoore.com.

5 of 14

6 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Alligator Alley by Benjamin Moore

Alligator Alley by Benjamin Moore
Credit: benjaminmoore.com

This rich green is Kaehler's favorite colorful choice. "It has some gray undertones that make it really easy to live with. I've used it as the ground for custom wallpaper, as an accent on the ceiling, and I've also covered an entire room in it."

To buy: From $40; benjaminmoore.com.

6 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Heritage Red by Benjamin Moore

Heritage Red by Benjamin Moore
Credit: benjaminmoore.com

"I love this color in high gloss, in a dining room or library," says Lilly Bunn of Lilly Bunn Interiors in New York City. "It's best in rooms that you use at night, though, as it can be a bit too dark for the daytime." This rich hue will help make any space look luxurious and cozy. 

To buy: From $40; benjaminmoore.com.

RELATED: 5 Unexpected Paint Colors You're Going to Want to Bring Home ASAP

7 of 14

8 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Linen White by Benjamin Moore

Linen White by Benjamin Moore
Credit: benjaminmoore.com

"This is the perfect ivory color that works with almost anything and has tons of depth," says Alyssa Kapito of Alyssa Kapito Interiors in New York City. "It has enough pigment to still feel ivory in a very bright room, but it turns the softest pink as the sun goes down. We use this color everywhere and anywhere!"

To buy: From $40; benjaminmoore.com.

8 of 14

9 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Decorator's White by Benjamin Moore

Decorator’s White by Benjamin Moore
Credit: benjaminmoore.com

"We turn to this color very often in our projects," says Susana Simonpietri of Chango & Co. in Brooklyn, New York. "It's white with a slight blue tone, which makes rooms look that much brighter and lighter! We use it on walls, trim, and millwork, and we love it on media built-ins and bunk beds."

To buy: From $40; benjaminmoore.com.

9 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Shoreline by Benjamin Moore

Shoreline by Benjamin Moore
Credit: benjaminmoore.com

"My go-to neutral is Shoreline. I searched high and low for a pale gray that would not read blue, green, or lavender. This color has just enough pigment to contrast well against crisp, white trim, but not so much that you can't use it everywhere—even on the ceiling!" says Claire Paquin of Clean Design in Scarsdale, New York. "It's great for family rooms, hallways, and kitchens. It's the perfect, pale, neutral gray."

To buy: From $40; benjaminmoore.com.

10 of 14

11 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Autumn Purple by Benjamin Moore

Autumn Purple by Benjamin Moore
Credit: benjaminmoore.com

"This sophisticated, rich hue of berry purple is my favorite bold color right now," Paquin says. "It's daring yet inviting, and it lends tons of warmth to a space. It's not too masculine or feminine, and works in every environment." Paquin recommends it in dining rooms, powder rooms, or as a high-gloss lacquer on built-ins in a home office.

To buy: From $40; benjaminmoore.com.

11 of 14

12 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Passive by Sherwin Williams

Passive by Sherwin Williams
Credit: sherwin-williams.com

"Unlike most neutral grays, Passive doesn't carry any undertones," says Elizabeth Darth of Martha O'Hara Interiors in both Minneapolis and Austin. "It's not too warm, not too cool, not too blue, and not too taupe. This go-to gray is totally reliable, and could look great in almost any room. I recently used it in a nursery."

To buy: From $30; sherwin-williams.com.

12 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore

Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore
Credit: benjaminmoore.com

"This warm taupe-gray is like a chameleon, reflective of its surroundings and subtly changing with sunlight—which is what makes it so much fun!" says Hayley Schlueter, also of Martha O'Hara Interiors. "The color has been around for a while—it's on Benjamin Moore's historic swatch list—because it's so darn pretty!"

To buy: From $40; benjaminmoore.com.

13 of 14

14 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Bermuda Turquoise by Benjamin Moore

Bermuda Turquoise by Benjamin Moore
Credit: benjaminmoore.com

"Small, transitional spaces such as foyers and powder rooms are prime places to go big with color," says Jennifer Jones of Niche Interiors in San Francisco. "I love Bermuda Turquoise, a rich, saturated jewel tone that looks especially beautiful in a high-gloss finish."

To buy: From $40; benjaminmoore.com.

RELATED: The Best Blue Paint Colors for Every Room in Your House

14 of 14

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Jaimie Mackey

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 14 Paper White by Benjamin Moore
    2 of 14 Parma Gray by Farrow & Ball
    3 of 14 Light Pewter by Benjamin Moore
    4 of 14 Brassica by Farrow & Ball
    5 of 14 White Dove by Benjamin Moore
    6 of 14 Alligator Alley by Benjamin Moore
    7 of 14 Heritage Red by Benjamin Moore
    8 of 14 Linen White by Benjamin Moore
    9 of 14 Decorator's White by Benjamin Moore
    10 of 14 Shoreline by Benjamin Moore
    11 of 14 Autumn Purple by Benjamin Moore
    12 of 14 Passive by Sherwin Williams
    13 of 14 Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore
    14 of 14 Bermuda Turquoise by Benjamin Moore

    Share & More

    Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print
    Real Simple Logo

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • About Us
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Help
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithAll products and services featured are selected by our editors. Real Simple may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Real Simple is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporationthis link opens in a new tab. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Real Simple. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.realsimple.com

    Sign in

    View image

    14 Absolutely Perfect Paint Colors Designers Love
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.