Home Color Combinations: Expert Tips and Tricks!

I get it! Choosing the perfect color combinations can feel overwhelming when designing your home’s interior. The colors you select will set the tone for each room and create the atmosphere you want to live in. Whether you’re working with an open floor plan, designing a cozy living room, or selecting paint for a small space, this guide will help you confidently navigate the world of colors. Here are five top tips to find the best home color combination. Here’s a line up of the tips and tricks I’ll be sharing:

• Why flow and cohesion are important.
• How to use tried and true color pairings for a harmonious interior.
• Why neutrals are the easiest part to mess up!
• Keeping chroma consistency is key!
• Why lighting makes all the difference.

Plus I will share some fun and fabulous pre-made color palettes to get your creative juices flowing!

TIP 1: Consider Whole House Color Cohesion and Flow

One of the most important lessons I learned from my mentor (and have seen how this plays out in real life during my color consultations) is that cohesion is very important. You probably already understand that, since you are researching color schemes!

The flow from space to space and the cohesive feeling of the combination of colors makes effortless flow. Like designing a capsule wardrobe, picking a whole house paint scheme relies on curating a selection of colors that all work together. That way the entire home feels cohesive.

The good news is, it will naturally narrow down all the choices. My advice is to start with one color you love and then build from there.

While the colors all need to flow, it is important to consider that every room in your home serves a unique purpose. Don’t forget that the color combinations you choose should reflect the room’s function and mood. In every home color consultation, I ask homeowners what the room is used for and how they want to feel in each room!

Tip 2: Use The Color Wheel To Make Color Choices

The color wheel is a fundamental tool for both interior design professionals and homeowners decorating their homes. It organizes colors into a circular format, showing relationships between primary, secondary, and tertiary colors.

Ways to Use The Color Wheel To Create Your Home Color Palette

Understanding the color wheel will help you create harmonious paint schemes for your home.

• Complementary Colors: These are opposite on the color wheel, like blue and orange or red and green. They create vibrant, high-contrast combinations, ideal for spaces where you want energy and drama.
• Analogous Colors: These sit next to each other, such as blue, green, and teal. Analogous color schemes offer a soothing, cohesive look perfect for bedrooms or living rooms.
• Monochromatic Colors: Variations of a single color, such as different tones of blue, create a sophisticated and calming atmosphere.

Keep in mind, there are varying degrees of intensity of colors! You can use these elements of color theory while using an entirely low-chroma or dirty color palette to keep everything feeling muted and soft. More on this in the next section!

By leveraging the color wheel, you can experiment with different schemes to find what works best for your home.

Tip 3: Pick A Color Chroma and Neutrals That Harmonize

If you haven’t read up on chroma yet, you may want to read this post about clean colors and what that means. From there, you’ll be able to do the next step effortlessly!

In general if you like bright splashy colors, they go better with cooler less saturated neutrals. And the converse is true of the more muted shades you would find in New England-style interiors. These do well with creamy off whites and warm beige, tans and khaki tones.

Knowing this will help you craft your home color palette and pick your neutrals!

• Decide whether you like low chroma or high chroma and keep all the hues your palette within the same rage- don’t mix!
• From there, you’ll be able to pick your neutrals because vibrant and clean colors go better with whites, off-whites and grays.  

PRO TIP: If your room feels off, it may be due to the blend of neutrals in your palette. Most neutrals have a subtle undertone (for example, khaki has a subtle green undertone) and when mixed together they can clash, making the room seem off. Compare them side by side and if one feels oddly pink for example, you probably mismatched your neutrals!

Tip 4: Pay Attention To Light

Lighting dramatically affects how colors appear in your home. Natural light changes throughout the day, altering the way paint looks in a room. For example, light colors, such as light green, can appear washed out in rooms with a lot of natural daylight, while deeply saturated colors like royal blue can seem dull in artificial light. 

• South-Facing Rooms: These spaces get bright, warm light, making cool colors like soft blues and greens a great choice to balance the warmth. Pick main colors with a low to medium amount of saturation for a softer look.
• North-Facing Rooms: These tend to have cooler, dimmer light. Avoid cool undertone colors for these spaces. Warm colors, such as creamy yellows or terracotta, can help make these rooms feel more inviting. While exterior paint colors tend to get brighter when painted on a whole house, interior colors can darken, especially in North rooms. 
• Artificial Lighting: Consider how your light fixtures affect color. Warm light bulbs will enhance warm colors, while cool LEDs complement cool tones. Color experts recommend looking at the bulbs’ CRE and to opt for those above 90 for the best color rendering. 

Testing paint samples on your walls and observing them at different times of the day is essential to ensure you choose the perfect color.

Tip 4: Use Neutrals To Bring a Whole House Paint Scheme Together

Neutral tones like white, cream and beige are versatile and timeless. They serve as the foundation of many successful interior color schemes. I tell my color consulting clients that if they’re not committed to a particular color, its always safe to use a neutral on the walls and to add colors in pops in the form of furnishings, an accent wall, an area rug and accessories. This is called an Accented Neutral Scheme and it is relatively easy to create.

• White Walls: White walls provide a blank canvas, allowing you to experiment with bright colors in your furniture and decor. Benjamin Moore’s Navajo White is a popular choice for its subtle warmth and peachy undertones. I love a warm white paint color or cream paired with wood and earth-tone textiles.
• Earthy Color Palette: Soft taupe and sandy beiges like Tapestry Beige, Ben Moore Muslin or Edgecomb Gray, and muted greens like Creekside Green or Nantucket Gray create a grounded, calming effect. Pair these with natural materials like wood and stone for a cohesive look.
• Layering Neutrals: Use different shades and textures within the neutral family to add depth and interest to a space without overwhelming it.
• Soften Contrast: While I love rich tones like dark green and dark blue they can create a lot of contrast. I used mid tone neutrals in my master bedroom to soften a high contrast paint color scheme. The light wall colors and dark wallpaper on the accent wall created drama. I was able to soften the contrast by adding a mid tone natural Belgian Linen duvet cover and neutral carpet to help bridge the gap. Another way to do this is to use a less saturated version of the same hue that is also lighter in value. For example, instead of a brighter red, try a rusty peach paint instead.

Neutral tones are particularly effective in open floor plans, where they provide a unifying backdrop for varying design elements.

Free Home Color Scheme

If you are looking for a jumping-off point, try one of these free color palettes I created. You can use them as a starting point and then tweak them to suit the needs in your home with your fixed elements and lighting conditions!

You can access them here. You can also get more tips on how to use these paint color schemes here.

Finding Your Best Home Color Combination

Choosing the right color combinations for your home doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By considering the flow between rooms, understanding the role of light, and using tools like the color wheel, you can create a color harmony. Start by identifying your desired mood for each space and build your palette around those goals. Remember, every room has its own function and personality, so your color choices should enhance both. Whether you opt for a bold complementary scheme or a soft, monochromatic look, let your vision guide the way.

Neutrals remain a timeless choice for creating balance and cohesion throughout your home. They serve as a versatile foundation, allowing you to layer in color and texture through furniture, accessories, and accent walls. Don’t forget to test your selections in different lighting conditions to see how they truly look in your space.

With these strategies, you can confidently transform your home into a space that reflects your style and meets your needs, one thoughtfully chosen color at a time. If you do this right, you’ll also have the added benefit of moving furniture from one space to another and it will all work together!

And remember if all else fails you can do a virtual color consultation with me. Learn more about working with a color consultant here.

The post Picking The Best Home Color Combination: 5 Top Tips appeared first on A Season For Home.

As a certified color expert, I spend most of my days helping homeowners sift through endless paint chips and talking them off the ledge of second-guessing (because trust me, we’ve all been there). But my love for New England color didn’t start in a color studio. I grew up in a home on the Historic Registry, surrounded by quirky charm and old-house soul. And later, during our own multi-year Vermont farmhouse renovation, I learned just how transformative paint can be. The right color doesn’t just change a room,  it makes an older home feel warm, grounded, and true to its bones.

Over the years, I’ve noticed I return to the same tried-and-true hues again and again. Not because I’m stuck in a rut, but because these colors work beautifully with New England architecture and light. They feel timeless, cozy, and instantly welcoming. Today, I’m sharing those five go-to colors with you, plus the color principles behind why they’re so reliable.

Photo Credit: Crisp Architects

What Paint Colors Are Best for a New England Home?

You might be thinking, Why would paint colors behave differently here? I promise, they do. New England homes come with a special set of characteristics that influence how colors show up on your walls. Here’s what makes this region unique:

• Cooler, softer natural light. Many of my clients, especially those in rural areas, also get strong green reflections from surrounding woods, fields, and mountains especially in the summer months.
• Antique or unpainted wood tones. Older homes often feature warm, rich wood that plays beautifully with some colors and completely clashes with others. Add to that slate tile floors in the mudroom and brick fireplaces, and you have distinct russet browns and reddish earth tones that must be considered when picking paint colors.
• Classic architecture. Colonial lines, farmhouse bones, millwork, and low ceilings give older homes charm but can also create darker spaces. The right paint color can enhance this character instead of fighting against it.
• Major seasonal shifts. Summer sun washes colors out; winter brings cool shadows that make some hues look minty, dingy or muddy. The goal is to choose colors that ride these swings gracefully.
• Bright whites can fall flat. If clean modern whites feel harsh, sterile, or oddly gray in your home, you’re not imagining it. Luckily, there’s a workaround.
• Timeless New England style favors earthy, desaturated color. Ou color palette in New England is rooted in Colonial Pigments. As a result, low-chroma colors (aka dirty colors) and historically inspired hues feel naturally at home here (and no, you don’t have to stick to the “Historic” fan deck to get the look!)

With that foundation in mind, here are the five paint colors I recommend over and over for New England homes.

1. Warm, Creamy Off-Whites

It’s hard to pick a favorite, but one of my most reliable creamy off whites that looks gorgeous (even in the darkest spaces) is Sherwin Williams Dover White. This is the white paint I go to again and again for ceilings, trim and white walls.

Sherwin Williams Dover White. Photo Credit: @hatcliffconstruction

Why We Love Dover White By Sherwin Williams

• One of the biggest mistakes I made when we bought our 1790s farmhouse was painting the walls of our dark dining room White Dove by Benjamin Moore. What I didn’t know was that certain white paints look terrible in dark spaces! Silly me, I was just trying to brighten it up.
• What I learned in my Color Expert Certification traing is that this is a common misconception. In fact, bright whites can look flat or dingy in low light, but creamy whites glow in dark interiors with small windows or porches overhanging. Warm whites with yellow undertones can even handle the cool northern light we get in the winter!
• Now I know that Dover White is stunning in low light rooms. It has the same high LRV (83) as White Dove but carries more warmth, perfect for darker New England rooms.
• It plays beautifully with antique furniture, patina-rich wood, and traditional trim.
• While it isn’t stark, sterile, or overly yellow it also feels classic, cozy, and quietly historic.
• I highly suggest considering a warm off-white like Dover White as a softer alternative for trim when you want white but not builder-basic white.

Best for: Trim, ceiling and anywhere you want to use white. It looks great in foyers, on kitchen cabinets, living rooms, bedrooms and hallways.

2. Soft Beiges, Taupes & Warm Greiges

I feel like a broken record sometimes, but I will happily admit that Sherwin Williams Neutral Ground is one of my most recomended paint shades when coming up with clients home color combination . I literally cannot count the number of clients for whom I have specified this creamy warm neutral beige paint color!

But don’t run away when you hear me say “beige” this is much softer and lighter than the beige paints of yore. This is much lighter and not as intensely yellow of the beiges of the early 2000s.

Neutral Ground on The walls with darker contrast trim in a mudroom. Photo: @buildingacasehouse

Why It Works

• Neutral Ground handles both summer’s strong directional light and winter’s cool blue shadows.
• A higher LRV (70) brightens darker homes with low ceilings and small windows.
• Feels grounding and warm during long winter months.
• Doesn’t clash with earthy fixed elements like brick and antique floors.
• A perfect backdrop for the muted greens, reds, and blues often found in historic New England homes. Having a workhorse neutral like Neutral Ground is key when using an accented neutral scheme for interior design.

Best For: living rooms, dining rooms, parlors, historic trim moments

3. Earthy Sage Greens

Examples: Benjamin Moore Nantucket Gray (shown above in my office) or Sherwin Williams Grassland

Why It Works

• Soft, muted, low-chroma greens feel naturally at home in New England’s landscapes and historic architecture.
• Timeless without drifting into “colonial kitsch.”
• Beautiful for cabinetry, wainscotting, and even exterior trim.
• Adds color while keeping the overall palette calm and refined.
• Looks great with muddy and complex undertones of fixed elements like stone, brick and aged wood.

Best For: mudrooms, kitchens, libraries, guest rooms

4. Dusty Gray-Blues

When I meet with my clients before our color consulting appointments, I always make sure to ask what colors they are drawn to. Three quarters of the time the answer is often greens or blues. When I sift back through the paint schedules I have created, these dusty blues come up time and time again.

Examples: Brewster Gray, Wales Gray, Templeton Gray, Puritan Gray (all Benjamin Moore)

Brewster Gray by Benjamin Moore is a perfect example of a New England paint color that can be used on walls, trim or accents and always feels timeless.

Why It Works

• All of these above mentioned blue gray paint colors have enough weight for traditional millwork but stay soft and livable thanks to gentle graying.
• These mid tones vibe effortlessly with historic wood, clear old-growth pine planks, aged oak, even yellow-leaning maple.
• Look New England coastal, farmhouse, or traditional depending on your styling.
• I love these colors for reverse trim in spaces with lots of ornamental woodwork.

Best For: Stairwells with tons of woodwork, bathrooms, bedrooms, mudrooms, breezeways, Federal-era home’s foyers and stately home offices.

5. Earthy, Desaturated Reds (Brick Tones)

While red is not a paint color that comes to mind for most people, earthy brick colored pigments are traditional early New England and always look at home in the classic homes of the North East. I use these red paint colors in moderation for my paint schemes. The key is to use them for a pop of contrast!
Examples: Benjamin Moore Audubon Russet, Walnut and Boston Brick

A rusty red bench in a mudroom gives a pop of contrast. Photo: @sanfordcollectiveinteriors

Why It Works

• Browned, earthy reds with warm undertones feel rooted and authentic, never costume-y like blue or purple-leaning burgundies. I love those that look like they were created using natural pigments.
• Provide the “pop” most color schemes need while still looking natural and historic.
• Perfect for unexpected moments of charm: interior doors, stair risers, a kitchen island, or built-ins.
• Echo classic New England barn reds and brick tones.

Best For: front doors, dining rooms, interior doors, built-ins

How to Choose the Right Color for Your New England Home

Keep these principles in mind as you narrow your options:

• Pay attention to light direction, it changes everything. North facing rooms and those with small windows or low ceilings get less warm direct light and the colors will need to be adjusted accordingly.
• Consider your wood undertones, they’re part of the palette whether you want them to be or not. A lot of older wood floors and beams have orange tones which pair well with blues and greens but clash with taupes. Keep that in mind when you are picking your main neutral and your highlight colors.
• Look down. Your floors matter more than most people realize. As do the other fixed elements in your home including brick, stone and slate.
• Your personal style determines how muted or saturated you should go. While traditional New England colors are based on colonial era pigments, if you prefer a bit more saturation, the key is keeping it consistant throughtout your whole home palette.

The post The Essential New England Color Palette: 5 Foolproof Paint Colors for Classic Homes appeared first on A Season For Home.

Beige and taupe are both timeless, versatile, and endlessly useful, but they each bring a different mood and undertone to a space. Understanding those nuances can help you choose the right neutral for your home, especially as current color trends evolve.

But wait, what is a warm neutral? If you need a refresher on what is the difference between warm and cool colors, take a look at my post about it then head back over here to read on!

What is Beige?

Beige is a catch-all term for a warm neutral color with a sandy tone. Beige is technically a light brown with a good deal of white pigment added to it to lighten its value. Beiges include a wide swath of warm earthy light tans that can have undertones including pink, orange, yellow and green.

What Is Taupe?

Taupe is a warm neutral that lacks saturation. When compared to a neutral gray like Repose Gray by Sherwin Williams, it is definitely warmer.

Comparatively it feels much cooler than brown or beige. It is like a desaturated version of tan that falls midway between tan and gray. If it were to be lightened in value it would become a greige.

Taupe can have hidden undertones that can feel violet, purple or blue, however it comes from a base tone of orange or brown. These sneaky undertones are best identified when compared to other shades of gray, taupe and tan.

If you are looking for the perfect Taupe Paint, make sure to check out my collection of favorites here.

What is the difference between Beige and Taupe?

Both taupe and beige come from a base color of orange (a mix of red and yellow.) The difference is in the amount of gray that is mixed in. Taupe has more gray which gives taupe a desaturated cool feeling when compared to beige. Conversely beige feels warmer and more saturated than taupe.

Which to pick: Taupe or Beige?

I have found in my Color Consulting business that clients tend to shy away from the warmer rich beige paint colors associated with the late 1990s and early 2000s. And they are simultaneously trying to avoid gray, which dominated interiors for the last ten to fifteen years. Now, homeowners are looking for warm neutrals that do not feel yellowed, dated or too gray. The key is to find either contemporary beiges (that lack gold tones and too much saturation) or taupes that have enough warmth that they don’t feel gray!

So how do you know which to pick? Should I use taupe or beige? Well, if you have read my tips for picking your home’s color combination then you already know that the first step is to analize your home’s fixed elements!

If you have a golden granite countertop or other surfaces in your home with distinct pink or yellow undertones, you will need to pick a beige that will harmonize with the undertones in these materials. Conversely, if your space was last updated in the gray trend you can use taupes to warm it up without clashing.

Next, you can determine which you like better by comparing taupe and beige paint colors side by side. I have some favorites listed below! A lot of times you will gravitate toward one or the other.

You can also compare your taupe or beige to a known neutral like Sherwin-Williams Repose Gray. Repose is a true, balanced gray that can act as a benchmark. If your taupe looks significantly warmer than Repose, it’s likely a good middle ground. If it looks cooler you’re back in the gray trend all over again!

Avoid These Pitfalls

Warm or cool lighting afect these neutrals considerably. I have noticed in my color sonsutation appointments that vaulted spaces and open concept floorplans that have windows on opposing sides of the house, but no natural light in the middle can create havok on neutral paint colors! So below make sure you read what to avoid before you get out your paint brush!

While my clients are gravitating toward taupe more and more, I have noticed in some homes that taupe’s gray influence is both its beauty and its challenge. If you choose a taupe that leans too gray, it can start to feel too cool or oddly purple, especially in rooms with low natural light or north-facing exposure.

Whereas certain shades of taupe can look too gray, some beiges can appear too yellow! The main pitfall with beige paints is that its warmth and saturation can sneak up on you really quickly. I’ve noticed that on the paint chip, a color like Benjamin Moore Carrington Beige can look squarely in the beige category. However, when brushed out in a whole room, Carrington Beige can appear decidely yellow, which many of my clients want to eschew.

The moral of the story? Make sure to test your paint color by brushing it out before committing to the whole space! I always recomend starting with large scale paint sample sheets, like the ones from Samplize. These are a great mess-free way to see the paint color in your space on a larger scale.

Taupe Paint Colors to Try

If you’re looking for a balanced taupe, start with these tried-and-true favorites:

• Accessible Beige (SW 7036): Probably the most popular taupe today. With an LRV of 58, this taupe is light enough that it won’t darken a room but any lighter and it would be considered a greige and not a taupe. It’s beautiful for cabinets or walls.
• Smoky Taupe (BM 983): Soft and sophisticated, Smoky Taupe reads as a classic mid-tone taupe. This is one of Benjamin Moore’s most versitile mid-tone taupe paint colors and only get’s purplish notes at the very end of the day or in darker days of winter.
• Bungalow Beige (SW 7511): More saturated than Accessible Beige, and a great one if you’re torn between beige and taupe because it has more warmth that my other picks.
• Indian River (BM 985): With an LRV of 36 I’d reserve this for high-drama spaces (like a moody dining room or small bathroom) or to paint cabinetry or millwork. I used it in a small guest bathroom and Smoky Taupe in the adjacent guestroom.
• Stone Hearth (BM 984): I adore this color and think it is a great alternative to Accessible Beige. They have a similar value, but stone hearth has more green to it, so it will goes nicely with warm wood tones.
• Shiitake (SW 9173): I’ve used this one in my color consultations. If you like Accessible Beige, this is like a darker version of it.
• Pashmina (BM AD-100): Super popular taupe with a darker LRV 44.2. This can even work on an exterior! It’s lovely with grayed out off-whites and ashy pale oak wood tones.
• Briarwood (BM 1016): A deeper, earthy taupe that adds depth without going too gray.

Beige Paint Colors to Consider

For those drawn to a lighter, more traditional neutral, these updated beiges stay clear of the heavy gold tones of years past:

• Neutral Ground (SW 7568): A modern beige with subtle warmth that works beautifully in open spaces. One of my all time go-to paint colors!
• Canvas Tan (SW 7531): While it lives in the off-whites collection for Sherwin-Williams, don’t let that fool you. There is plenty of beige personality in this paint color to call it part of this collection. It has nice warmth wihtout heaviness.
• Natural Linen (SW 9109): In low lights this warm neutrals is bordering on greige but in sunnier spaces it feels warm and creamy. I’ve used this in color consultations quite a bit. It is a good fall-back neutral that can work on kitchen cabinets or walls.
• Wool Skein (SW 6148): This khaki-backed beige is light and soft. While Wool Skein does have subtle hidden green undertones they are lacking in saturation so it plays well with other colors, especially earthy greens and brick tones.
• Natural Tan (SW 7567): A light and airy beige with balance. It is a modern take on a beige which gives it appeal for designers.
• Timson Sand (BM CW-140): This cooler beige comes from the Williamsburg Collection, which means it’s based on a historically researched pigment. Today it brings warmth into a space without harsh yellows.
• White Sand (BM 964): This has a whisper of pink undertones in it without becoming bratty thanks to a bit of yellow that balances it. It is light in value (LRV 67) which makes it a great whole-house option paired with white trim.

The Bottom Line

The best way to tell taupe and beige apart is to compare them side by side and to a neutral gray. Beige tends to feel warmer and more saturated, while taupe feels a bit cooler and grayed out.

As design trends have shifted away from gray, homeowners are looking for warmth in their space, but they are not quite ready to head back to the rich gold tones of the early 2000s. Todays beiges are softer and less saturated, and are a great option if you have fixed elements in your home (like tiles and countertops) that have a good amount of warmth. Taupes may be your best bet if you are looking to warm up a gray interior, or find yellow tones too harsh for your taste.

Ultimately testing the colors in your space is the best way to tell if they are right for you. And if you are still struggling with a paint color choice, I am just a click away. Shoot me a message via my contact page or sign up for a virtaual color consultation!

The post Taupe or Beige: What is the difference? appeared first on A Season For Home.

What Color is SW Universal Khaki?

Universal Khaki is a mid tone beige paint color with minimal undertones. It is slightly lighter than a true tan, yet darker than an all-purpose warm netural. Sherwin-Williams picked it for their color of the year for 2026 for its foundational and essential qualities.

In the accompanying media blast SW pushed when they announced this choice for Color of the Year, they claim it’s meant to be versatile and grounding, but in my experience working with everyday homeowners (those who are looking for livable paint colors) SW Universal Khaki is outside the scope of what most people will be comfortable with.

As I said, I have this paint color in my Living Room and I can personally attest that it comes across with a lot more personality than your typical “safe” neutral. Due to its deeper value and hidden undertones it is not as safe a choice as you may think!

Universal Khaki is on the same paint strip as Wool Skein and Relaxed Khaki, both of which are gorgeous paint colors. Interestingly, I did a little digging and found that Universal Khaki is exactly the same hue and saturation as Accessible Beige, one of the most popular colors that Sherwin-Williams makes. The only differnce is that Universal Khaki is 18% darrker than Accessible Beige.

Read on to find out if this is the right color to try in your home and where I think it works really well!

Undertones for Universal Khaki Sherwin-Williams

Sherwin-Williams Universal Khaki comes from a base color of orange and has hidden yellowish-green undertones. It is relatively low chroma; meaning it is a dirty color, is lower in saturation and has quite a bit of gray in it.

In my North-facing living room, it leans warm—sometimes even too bronze or golden in the warm afternoon light. That warm undertone and deep value is what makes it cozy, but it’s also what makes it a little tricky to work with.

LRV for SW 6150 Universal Khaki

Universal Khaki is a dark mid-tone paint color with an LRV of 40. This means on a scale of 0 (pure black) to 100 (pure white) it is moderately dark and can be used for exteriors or interiors. LRV is our way of measuring color value.

Now if you are wondering why the LRV is important, I’ll explain. To put this in context let’s look at the uber popular Sherwin-Williams color: Accessible Beige. As a paint color consultant I have recomended Accessible Beige in countless homes. However, with an LRV of 58, homeowners are often reticent to use such a “dark” color. While I personally have plenty of darker paint colors in my house I find that most folks are comfortable with walls in the 60s or higher.

Now let’s look at Universal Khaki. It has the same exact hue (base color 36 on a hex scale) and saturation (21) as Accessible Beige. But it is just a lot darker (LRV 40 vs 58.) {FYI heres a refresher on color hue.} Having seen it in the flesh in my own home, I can tell you this is not necessarily a “universal” color for walls because it way too dark for the vast majority of people. That said, it is a great choice for other (non-wall) purposes and I LOVE it in my living room. Read on to learn more about this color.

How to Use Universal Khaki in Your Home

I’ll start up front by saying: gone are the days of painting your walls a dark color and your trim crisp white. This look is dated and evocative of paint trends 25 years ago. So keep this in mind if you are looking at any paint color darker than a 60 LRV. That includes Universal Khaki (see above LRV explanation.)

If you’re going to go for Sherwin-Williams Universal Khaki, I think it works best in contrast applications like painting your trim khaki and keeping the walls off-white like Emily did here. Other places to use this paint color are built-ins, millwork, wainscotting, or even interior doors. In my own living room we wallpapered the walls and painted Universal Khaki on the window trims, baseboards, crown molding and wooden paneled wall and fireplace mantle in it.

I’ve also seen it used really effectively in a color-drenched space like the above image, where the walls, trim, and even the ceiling are all painted the same shade. That keeps it looking fresh and intentional instead of dated.

Decor To Pair With Universal Khaki

If you are loving the latest interior decorating trends of maximalism, English Country, and the Ralph Lauren aesthetic then this is a paint color to fold into your home’s color scheme. I personally think Sherwin-Williams chose this color for the year 2026 because this look is big and getting even bigger and khaki is a super important part of pulling it off!

Universal Khaki goes great in rooms with lots of textures and patterns. For a family room, pair it with leathers, courderoy, velvet and checks. All of these materials are screaming for Universal Khaki! Or vice versa!

You can also use it in a more minimal way, just make sure to use really softened off-whties, not crisp ones or it can be too high contrast. The key is to pull your tones to the middle ground!

What to Avoid

Universal Khaki is a favorite, don’t get me wrong! But there are some clear don’ts with this paint color:

• Don’t think of it as a neutral when you are looking for a light, airy neutral background color- look at Sherwin-Williams Wool Skein for a light option or Accessible Beige for a moderately light paint color instead. Or look at our warm neutral paint colors for minimalists.
• Do not pair it with bright, crisp white trim. This looks super old-school in not a good old-money way! Instead use it on millwork or color drench with it.
• Warm light can make this color look yellowed. In my living room we get afternoon sun that is very warm and it really makes it look bronze colored. The key is you need to make sure to sample it before commiting!

Similar Colors and Other Colors To Consider

If you like the vibe but want something more forgiving, check out:

• Relaxed Khaki (SW 6149) – This would be my top recomendation for those of you who like the Ralph Lauren vibe of Universal Khaki, but don’t want to commit to the depth. Relaxed Khaki is softer and easier to live with. While you are testing paints grab Accessible Beige and Wool Skein too (both from SW.)
• Benjamin Moore Bennington Gray (HC-82)– This is a little brighter and warmer with more golden undertones. When I put these two colors side by side the Universal Khaki looks more taupe and cool.
• Benjamin Moore Market Square Shell CW-30– Before you look this up on the computer or phone, please note that on a screen this paint color doesn’t look similar but in person these two are a good comp. Market Square Shell is a smidge greener and overall brighter but still firmly Khaki (not gold beige.)
• Benjamin Moore Crisp Khaki 234– A brigeter and warmer option. It has less green undertones, so if you feel like Universal Khaki looks too green, give Crisp Khaki by Benjamin Moore a try.

Complementary Colors for Universal Khaki and Whole-House Color Palette

Universal Khaki plays well with muted greens, earthy terracottas, and soft creams. For a whole-house palette, you could try:

• Universal Khaki (trim, built ins or wainscoting)
• White Duck (walls and ceiling)
• Sagey green accent: Khaki is always gorgeous with sage greens like SW Green Earth. Paint this in adjacent spaces or use this color as inspo for your furnishings in the room painted Universal Khaki.
• Terracotta/rust tones: You can use textiles and furnishings in this color. Or paint a side table or built in with Natural Brown by Ben Moore.
• Navy: Use navy with plenty of depth to stand up to the tonality of Universal Khaki. Mysterious from the Affinity deck by Ben Moore has a whisper of purple in it, giving it a classic military vibe.
• Brown: Skip true black and use a dark brown like Clove by Sherwin-Williams

Together, it creates a grounded, earthy palette that still feels current.

Whites to Pair With It

Instead of going for a bright, stark white, pair Universal Khaki with softer off-whites for a more modern look:

• Dover White (SW 6835): This warm white is great if you are looking for a brighter white to go with it because it has an LRV of 83.
• White Duck (SW 7010): For a slightly darker option go with White Duck. It has an LRV of 74. I love the grayed-out quality of this off-white because it goes with a lot of muted colors without becoming overly saturated. And it doesn’t head in the other direction and look too stark or cold.
• Neutral Ground (SW 7568): This is a great darker off-white (LRV 70) to pair with it. I’d love to see Neutral Ground in a vaulted space on the ceiling and trim, paired with Universal Khaki as the wall color. You could also use Neutral Ground as your “white” for the walls for a contrast trim scheme.

These keep the contrast more subtle so the khaki feels fresh instead of harsh.

Remember I am always a click away. If you need help picking the perfect colors for your home I offer virtual color consultations and in person too. I’d love to help you pick a custom color scheme for your home!

The post Sherwin-Williams Universal Khaki Paint Color Review (Color of the Year 2026) appeared first on A Season For Home.

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Today’s paint color review will include loads of details about this subtle neutral paint color, including undertones, coordinating colors and white paints for trim, LRV and more! Read on to find out if this popular taupe paint is the right color to use in your space.

Looking for the perfect taupe paint color? Here are my 16 top taupe paint colors (arranged from lightest to darkest.)

Why I Love Benjamin Moore Smokey Taupe

If I could go back in time, I would have painted our main foyer and upper hallway in Smokey Taupe instead of painting Collingwood. Our attached apartment was the last area in the house to be painted when we bought our Farmhouse fixer upper. For the color scheme, I wanted to decorate with chocolate browns, greens, cream and taupe. So I used Smokey Taupe on the trim in the living room with creamy off white walls and then reversed the scheme and painted the apartment bedroom walls Smokey Taupe with the white trim.

Once I discovered how gorgeous this taupe paint looks on the walls (and trim) I wanted a time machine to use it in the main house, which we had just painted a few months before! Here are a few reasons I love it and recommend it to color consulting clients.

• It is the perfect low chroma warm neutral with minimal undertones to use for accented neutral color schemes.
• The lack of undertones makes it perfect for someone looking for a minimalist paint color or folks who don’t want to add a colorful hue to their walls- but they do want a bit of warmth.
• I just love the way it adds dimension to our interior design and a touch of warmth without looking dated. Plus it doesn’t lean too pink like so many beige paint colors.
• It goes great with gray! So if you have leftover furniture and decor from the gray trend that you’re trying to meld into today’s warmer neutrals, taupe is your friend! I found a rug for the bedroom that has gray, taupe and cream in it to tie our existing grayish nightstands in with the warmer browns and cream.

What is Taupe Anyway?

Before we get too far into this paint color review, I want to define what a taupe color is. Taupe is like a blend of gray and tan. Taupe is similar to greige (which is a blend of gray and beige) but it is darker! If you’ve geeked out and read my Color Theory posts, I can say this and you’ll know just what I mean: Compared to beige, taupe is cooler, less saturated and intrinsically low chroma.

If that was like reading hieroglyphs, you can learn about color saturation, color chroma and color temperature next!

Undertone Of Smokey Taupe

The reason I love this color so much is that it barely has any undertone at all. BM Smokey Taupe 983 has the faintest amount of hue and is almost gray. That said, its parent hue is orange, which you can see in the image below, and where it falls in its degree of saturation.

While taupe is cooler than beige or tan, it is still considered a warm neutral. To illustrate this point, when set next to Repose Gray by Sherwin-Williams, it is clear to see the warmth of Smokey Taupe.

While it is almost imperceptible, this color does have a whisper of pink in it. I have only noticed it in certain lights when paired with green (or other neutrals with green in them, like Tapestry Beige.) It is not unpleasant, and not as prominent as Muslin, another warm neutral paint by BM.

I originally found out about this light taupe paint color, by reading about how interior designers love it precisely because it doesn’t have any pesky undertones. The lack of strong undertones makes it a perfect warm neutral paint color if you do not like yellow or if you are looking for a warm neutral to go with gray furnishings (or floors.)

LRV For Ben Moore Smokey Taupe- 983

The LRV is 54.53 which means it is a mid-tone paint color. LRV stands for light reflectance value which describes how bright or dark a paint is. Pure white would be a 100 on this scale and true black would be 0.

What does all this “Mid-tone LRV” business mean in plain english? Well, if you look at the image above, you can see in our south-facing apartment bedroom that Smokey Taupe has plenty of body to handle direct light, without washing out.

In the image above you can see our Living Room in the apartment, where I used Smokey Taupe for the trim and millwork, and paired it with white walls (painted in OC-17 White Dove by Benjamin Moore. Even with lower light on the north side of the house, Smokey Taupe is still light enough to not feel too heavy or high-contrast.

FAQs for Benjamin Moore 983 Smoky Taupe

White Paints To Pair With It

Whether you’re doing reverse trim or contrasting trim, like I did in our apartment living room, or you want to paint your trim white and the walls Smokey Taupe here are some great whites to pair with it:

My current white paint color obsession is Whitetail by Sherwin-Williams and it is simply stunning with Smokey Taupe. They have the same undertone and so it is a match made in heaven! This is a great ceiling color too because it is nice and bright with an LRV of 86.

For a more subtle effect, with less contrast, use Sherwin-Williams White Duck for your white. It has an LRV of 74 so will have less contrast. It too has a very similar undertone so it will not have any off cast.

I used White Dove for my white and all of the photos in this post show what that pairing looks like. I used White Dove as my universal white for my whole house, so this decision was an easy one. It looks great and provides crisp contrast without seeming too cool.

Check out this collection of my favorite warm whites samples.

What Colors Go With Smokey Taupe?

This light taupe paint color is dreamy to work with for interior decorating because it goes with so many colors! Here are my top picks: Peach, Chocolate, Red, Navy and Green.

Now, it is important to pair it with the right shades of these hues! My rule is to pair warm neutrals with low-chroma colors. These are colors that are less saturated and have more complexity. So pick muted greens, understated navys, rich browns, and subtle terracotta or brick reds. Skip the jewel tones and clean bright colors and pair them with white and gray neutrals instead. Read more about how to pick a color scheme for interior decorating.

You can use these colors as inspiration for your decor, textiles and furnishings, or you can use them for a whole house palette. As I mentioned above these colors would make great accent colors, like for a kitchen island, or bathroom vanity!

Is Smokey Taupe Right For You?

Ultimately, you’re going to have to test out Smokey Taupe in your own home to make sure it works for you. You can buy a sample sheet of it on Samplize or a small pot of it and paint it on the wall. Look at the sample in all different lights and make sure you love it. If it is too dark or light, consider trying some of the other ideas I suggested above.

I love it because it is warm without being yellow or overly tan or beige. It is a light taupe akin to a deeper greige paint color, so it is perfect if you are hoping for the paint to disappear into the background and let the furnishings do the speaking. But it has enough value that it will keep your walls from looking blank!

If you are bugged out about unexpected undertones, you can feel safe with Smokey Taupe. It is expert tested and approved, that’s how I found it! And now having used it in my own spaces I can verify how great this paint color really is!

If you are still unsure, sign up for a paint color consultation online and I can help!

The post Smokey Taupe by Benjamin Moore: Paint Color Review appeared first on A Season For Home.

If you love the way a calm, neutral interior looks, without a lot of busy colors and distractions, this post is for you! Today I am reviewing the top neutral paint colors for minimalist interiors. This paint color round up includes the best subtle greige and taupe paint colors. These all are warm, without feeling yellow, and range from nearly white to rich and a little moody.

At the beginning of all of my color consultations, I ask my clients to rate how comfortable they are with using color in their homes. On a scale of ten, I ask them to rate themselves, with one being only using white and off white and ten being like the bold use of colors and liking vibrant hues.

Today’s paint color round-up is for people who would answer one, two or three on that questionnaire!

So, if you want to find a barely-there neutral, and the idea of yellow walls makes you cringe, read on! Today’s blog post is all about the best neutral wall color for minimalists and people who don’t like a lot of color. Spoiler Alert: 90% of the time, the answer isn’t white. I’ll go over how not to end up with yellow walls by mistake. Plus you’ll learn which neutral is right for your furnishings. I’ll also share my six best paints for people who don’t like color on their walls.

What is an Accented Neutral Interior Decorating Scheme?

The Best Warm Neutral Paint Color For Minimalists

Here’s my list of the best warm neutral paint colors for minimalists. For this list I only selected paint colors with the following criteria:

• Warmth with no yellowness
• Light LRV (I picked colors ranging from 71 to 52 to give you some options)
• Low saturation and low chroma

Smokey Taupe by Benjamin Moore:

(LRV 54)This is probably the best true neutral I’ve used from Benjamin Moore and falls toward the darker end of my collection. In certain light, it has a touch of pink to it, but nothing like Muslin. Read all about it in my Smokey Taupe review.

Minimalist by Sherwin-Williams:

(LRV 52)This is a gorgeous paint color with more warmth than Slumber Sloth. Ironically, even though the name fits, it is the most saturated pick in this collection. It comes from the Sherwin-Williams designer series and plays well with greens and blues as well as earthy reds and browns.

Accessible Beige by Sherwin-Williams:

(LRV 58)There’s a reason this is the most popular paint color from the world’s largest paint manufacturer. It just works. It goes with everything and is so not offensive in any way shape or form. If you want your walls to be a blank canvas, this is your color!

Slumber Sloth by Sherwin-Williams:

(LRV 56) This color leans gray and is almost completely unsaturated while maintaining minimal warmth. This is a good option if your home has a lot of gray fixed elements and you are trying to gently warm the space up.

Wind’s Breath by Benjamin Moore:

(LRV 69.6)If you want a nearly white option, here’s your best choice. It’s the color to go with if you want a barely there neutral. To my eye this paint reads gray when I see in on the walls so make sure to brush it out before committing. It may not be warm enough for you!

Ballet White by Benjamin Moore:

(LRV 71.97.) If you are afraid to commit to a color on your wall, Ballet White is to the rescue. It is similar to Wind’s Breath but a little less gray and ever so slightly saturated. However, Wind’s Breath and Ballet White are very light in value so if you want a paint color that you’ll barely notice, Ballet White is definitely one to consider.

Buy Large Samples of this collection of Neutrals For Minimalists. (This is an afflilate link which means I will earn a small commission from your purchase at no additional cost to you! Thank you for supporting my small business!)

How To Know Which Neutral Is Right For You

Here is your step-by-step process to pick your winning minimalist paint color.

1. Start with a few large sample of the colors you are deciding on. Then head to your local paint store and pick up a couple of small cans of your top choices.
2. Prep your surfaces.
3. Brush out the samples covering a large area (one foot square or larger.) When I brush out I try to find a place where I can isolate the wall color between two sections of trim. This way I can completely cover the color underneath and see what the new color will look like.
4. Don’t forget to do two coats. This makes a difference!
5. Let the paint dry. Drydown will affect the final color. Paint can lighten or darken as it drys, depending on its unique recipe so don’t judge it until it is completely dry.
6. Look at your brushouts at several times of day in all different lights.

Common Mistakes To Avoid When Picking Paint Colors For Minimalist Interiors

Avoiding Sneaky Yellow Undertones

The majority of my color consulting clients who fall into the Minimalist category want to avoid yellow. And it is easy to be fooled by yellow paint masquerading as a neutral. This is a mistake I see out in the wild all the time.

A classic example of a yellow paint that someone could choose by mistake is “Timid White.” While you may indeed feel timid about picking a wall color, I assure you this is not the right color for you unless you like yellow.

So how do you avoid yellow undertones? If you are not sure if the neutral paint color you are considering is yellow, make sure to compare it to a pure white like Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace and a true neutral gray like Sherwin-Williams Repose Gray. You can do this on Plan Home or use paint chips. Just make sure to use natural daylight when analyzing paint colors.

Why White Is Not Always A Safe Choice

White is not necessarily a foolproof choice. White walls can be gorgeous in a well-lit house with big windows and tons of natural light. So if you have a brightly lit room and you want white walls, you have a green light from me!

However, if you do not have a lot of light, hold up! One of the most shocking things I learned in my training for becoming a certified color expert is that white paint is not a cure-all for a dark room. In my training, I learned that white walls in a dark space can make a room look sad and draw attention to the fact that it has bad lighting.

Take a look at how bad the white paint looks in my dining room which has almost no natural light. It looks so dingy!

Another consideration is white walls work best when a room is decorated with a lot of white fabrics, textiles and furnishings. If you have colored fabric on your furniture, pure white walls will look blank. It is key to repeat white throughout the space in multiple places and surfaces to make it feel cohesive.

So what is a minimalist to do if they do not have a ton of beautiful light or white furniture? Keep reading.

PRO TIP: You need to have plenty of natural light and white furnishings to pull off white walls.

If you want to find a warm white, check out my Warm White Paint Sample collection at Samplize (affiliate link.)

If you still need help, I am available for in person color consultations in Vermont and I also offer virtual paint color consultations for clients online. Sign up today!

The post Best Minimalist Neutral Paint Colors appeared first on A Season For Home.

I’ve used Muslin in my own home and have recommended it in Paint Color Consultations. In today’s paint color review of Muslin, we’ll dive into the undertones, the rooms in your house to use it, which whites pair beautifully with it, and situations where it might not be the best choice. Plus I’ll share my bonus color palettes to inspire your interior decoration!

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The Undertones of Benjamin Moore Muslin

Benjamin Moore Muslin is often described as a warm neutral, but its true charm lies in its subtle undertones. Muslin is a pale beige with a touch of peach or pink. These undertones give it a cozy and inviting feel without being heavy or too gray.

To detect the undertone in a paint color we start by comparing it to a neutral gray paint color. In the example below I’ve compared it, side-by-side, to Repose Gray by Sherwin Williams. This way you can see the peachy quality of Muslin.

I don’t want this to scare you off though! The pink undertone is soft enough that the pink doesn’t dominate like other popular pink beige paints, like Sand Dollar by Sherwin Williams. See the difference in the side-by-side comparison below.

The above example shows how the warmth from yellow pigments helps to balance the pink ones.

LRV and How Lighting Affects Muslin

Muslin has a medium light LRV of 66.54 which means it will be light and airy, even in darker lighting conditions.

As with any paint color, lighting plays a significant role in how Muslin appears in a space:

• North-Facing Rooms: In cooler, indirect light, Muslin’s warmth can balance the blue tones often found in north-facing rooms, creating a welcoming and harmonious atmosphere.
• South-Facing Rooms: In bright, warm light, Muslin’s peach undertones may become more pronounced, giving the room a sun-kissed glow.
• Artificial Lighting: Under incandescent lighting, Muslin’s warm tones are amplified, while LED lighting with a cooler temperature can neutralize some of its warmth.

Best Places to Use Ben Moore Muslin

Muslin’s adaptability makes it a great choice for various spaces. That’s why it’s a great pick when coming up with your house color palette. Here are some of the best applications:

Living Rooms

Muslin’s neutral yet warm tone creates a comfortable and inviting atmosphere, making it an excellent choice for living rooms. Pair it with natural wood tones, soft fabrics, and pops of color in your decor to create a cozy, layered look.

Bedrooms

For bedrooms, Muslin offers a serene and calming backdrop. Its soft warmth works well with both modern and traditional furniture styles, making it a versatile option for creating a restful retreat.

Hallways and Entryways

Hallways and entryways benefit from Muslin’s ability to reflect light without feeling stark. It creates a seamless flow between rooms, especially when paired with coordinating colors from Ben Moore’s neutral palette.

Kitchens and Dining Rooms

In kitchens, Muslin pairs beautifully with warm wood cabinets or white shaker-style cabinetry. Its understated elegance complements various countertop materials, from marble to butcher block. In dining rooms, it provides a neutral canvas that allows artwork or statement furniture to shine.

Coordinating Whites for Benjamin Moore Muslin

Choosing the right white trim and ceiling color is essential to complete the look of a room painted with Muslin. You can choose one using our three step method: How To Pick Trim Color. Or, if you’re looking for a quick answer: Here are some Benjamin Moore whites that coordinate well:

• Chantilly Lace (OC-65): Chantilly Lace is a crisp, clean white that provides a striking contrast against Muslin. It’s an excellent choice for modern spaces or when you want the trim to stand out.
• Simply White (OC-117): Simply White is a warm white with subtle yellow undertones that complement Muslin’s warmth without overpowering it. This pairing creates a cohesive and inviting look.
• White Dove (OC-17): White Dove is a soft, creamy white that harmonizes beautifully with Muslin. It’s ideal for traditional or transitional spaces where you want a more subtle contrast between walls and trim.
• Mayonnaise (OC-85): This creamy bright white is in keeping with the warmth of Muslin but has a 22-point differential in LRV so it will provide plenty of crisp contrast too.

Muslin Benjamin Moore: When to Avoid

While Muslin is a versatile and appealing neutral, there are certain situations where it may not be the best choice:

Rooms with Cool, Blue Light

In spaces with predominantly cool, blue light—such as north-facing rooms with minimal natural light—Muslin’s warm undertones can sometimes clash or appear too peachy. In these cases, a more neutral beige or greige might be a better option.

Spaces with Minimal Decor

Muslin thrives in rooms with layered textures, patterns, and complementary colors. In minimalist spaces with stark or modern decor, its warm undertones might feel out of place. For these settings, a cooler or more neutral paint color might work better.

Pairing with Cool-Toned Furniture

If your furniture and decor lean heavily towards cool tones like grays, blues, or cool whites, Muslin’s warmth may create an unintended contrast. Opting for a greige or taupe with cooler undertones can provide a more cohesive look.

Muslin Whole House Palette

Below I have two whole-house palettes using Muslin as the main color.

Muslin Paint Palette #1

• Muslin pairs well with both warm and cool colors, so you can create a balanced palette using both. Use it as an accented neutral color scheme with 80% neutrals and 20% accent colors.
• If you have an open-concept floor plan you can use Muslin in the entryway, main living space, and any hallways. Then use the other colors in this palette to give each space personality.
• Choose the mid-tones like Muslin and Prairie Grass for common areas like the kitchen and family room.
• Go for a hue with more personality like Pearl for a bedroom or bathroom. I also like Brewster Gray for a coordinating blue with historical vibes.
• Use the darker hues like Gloucester Sage and Iron Gate in spaces where you want to create a cozy enveloping atmosphere like an office, bedroom or dining room.

Katie’s Pro Tip: If you are worried about going too dark you can always do a reverse color scheme, by painting the walls white and the darker color as the trim. You can also paint wainscotting or millwork with these deeper hues for a similar effect. For best results use the white for the remaining surfaces.

Muslin Paint Palette #2

In our second color palette I opted for earth-tone inspired colors to create harmony in your space.

• Paint Muslin in the main areas of the house and any hallways, stairwells or spaces where you can see multiple rooms from one place. Its neutral nature will jive with any of these colors without being jarring.
• Choose Deer Field for a bedroom or bathroom.
• Use Nantucket Gray for kitchen cabinets or millwork around a fireplace and bookshelves.
• Go with Stone Lion in a family room for a cozy grounding hue for relaxing at the end of the day.
• For best results use the white paint for the trim and ceiling or try a reverse scheme as I mentioned above.

Still not sure? If you want more help picking out a custom palette just for your home, make an appointment for a Virtual Color Consultation today!

Final Thoughts on Muslin by Benjamin Moore

Benjamin Moore Muslin is a timeless neutral that brings warmth and elegance to a variety of spaces. Its subtle undertones and versatility make it a reliable choice for creating a welcoming and sophisticated environment. However, as with any paint color, it’s essential to test it in your space and lighting conditions before committing.

Whether you’re refreshing your living room, designing a cozy bedroom, or creating a seamless flow in your entryway, Muslin offers a classic and enduring option that can adapt to your style and decor. Pair it with the right whites, and you’ll have a winning combination that enhances your home’s beauty and charm.

• If you love this mid-tone paint color make sure to look into Ballet White, which is a little less pink.
• And read our thoughts on BM Collingwood and Tapestry Beige by Benjamin Moore too!
• And don’t miss our Edgecomb Gray whole house palette too!

The post Benjamin Moore Muslin Paint Color Review appeared first on A Season For Home.

Overview of Benjamin Moore Tapestry Beige

Benjamin Moore describes Tapestry Beige as a soft, muted beige with subtle warm undertones. While it leans slightly toward taupe or greige, its warm base keeps it from feeling too gray or cold. However, it’s important to note that Tapestry Beige does have faint green undertones, which can subtly emerge depending on the environment and lighting.

We used it in my husband’s home office, which is a North Facing room. In this space, it has a marked green undertone. In brighter lighting conditions, the undertone is less pronounced.

What is the Undertone of Tapestry Beige

Tapestry Beige is a neutral beige paint color with green undertones. You can see the undertones when you compare it to a neutral gray color like Sherwin Williams Repose Gray.

There are varying degrees of beige paint colors and this one has a cooler feeling than those with a slightly pink undertone. Compare Tapestry Beige to White Sand for example in the sample below and you can see the green pop in the Tapestry Beige, whereas White Sand (OC-10) has a rosy undertone.

Tapestry beige will jive with other neutrals more easily than a pink beige like white sand. Pink-based beige paint colors tend to clash with any neutrals other than pink beige. They don’t play nice!

When To Avoid Tapestry Beige

Clashing Fixed Elements: It is ultra-important to check your paint swatches with the fixed elements in your space such as tiles, countertops or a fireplace surround, before deciding on a neutral paint color for the walls in your home. If you have one or more fixed element with strong undertones, make sure they go with the undertones in your neutral paint color!

Open Concept Spaces: I do not recommend it for an all-house color or in entryways where there are other neutrals with pink undertones. Avoid painting it in the same viewshed with popular neutrals like Pashmina by Benjamin Moore, Sand Dollar by Sherwin Williams or Muslin By Benjamin Moore. The pink undertones in these beige colors will not play well with the greens in the Tapestry Beige!

Avoid Tapestry Beige in areas where there are other neutrals with contrasting undertones (such as pink beige.)

Need help with understanding your undertones? Make sure to Contact Me for an in person paint color consultation available in the Burlington area and all of Vermont.

LRV For Tapestry Beige

The Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of Benjamin Moore Tapestry Beige is 66 LRV is a measurement that indicates how much light a color reflects or absorbs, on a scale of 0 (pure black) to 100 (pure white). For Tapestry Beige, its mid-range LRV means it reflects a moderate amount of light—like it’s cooler and grayer cousin, Collingwood by Benjamin Moore, this mid 60’s LRV level is neither too dark nor overly bright.

Why LRV Matters When Choosing Tapestry Beige

1. Interior Applications:
   • Lighting Conditions: In spaces with lots of natural light, Tapestry Beige’s LRV ensures it won’t feel washed out or overly bright, maintaining its soft, warm character. However, in dimly lit rooms or north-facing spaces, its moderate reflectance might make the color appear darker, and its green undertones could become more noticeable.
   • Room Size: For smaller rooms, a higher LRV color might make the space feel larger by reflecting more light. Tapestry Beige strikes a balance—cozy without being too dark.
2. Exterior Applications:
   • Sunlight Impact: When choosing an exterior paint color it is important for homeowners to know the amount of light will diminish the intensity of the hue of any paint color, so I always recommend going a little darker than you think when choosing an exterior color. In the case of Tapestry Beige, it is in the zone of paint colors to avoid because it is neither here nor there for exteriors and can come off as someone trying to pick a white and unintentionally end up with a pale green. You can read more about what I recommend for Tapestry Beige on exteriors here.
   • Heat Retention: For homes in warmer climates, its mid-range LRV makes it a better choice than darker shades for reducing heat absorption, though it won’t reflect as much heat as lighter neutrals. If you are planning to use Tapestry Beige on your exterior, it can look lovely when the trim is painted the same color or you use a stark white like Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore or Extra White by Sherwin Williams.

How to Use LRV When Deciding on Tapestry Beige

• I love a good tone-on-tone pairing, especially in historical homes and those with classic styling. If you do too, try it with an off white with about 10 degrees higher LRV. This will make it seem a little brighter because it is not a strong contrast. If you choose one with subtle green undertones (like BM White Drifts LRV 73) it’ll beautifully minimize its green undertone and give you that tone-on-tone quality.
• To make it appear crisp pair it with trim or accent colors that balance its mid-range reflectance, like crisp whites to brighten. This will make the Tapestry Beige appear darker by contrast.
• Outdoors, keep in mind that its appearance can shift depending on how much light hits the surface, so sampling on a larger scale is crucial. Test the color on large swatches or sample boards in your space to see how the LRV works with your lighting.

Ben Moore Tapestry Beige For Exterior

If you are wondering if Tapestry Beige is a good exterior paint color here’s what you need to know.

When choosing an exterior paint color it is important to know the large amount of light outdoors will diminish the intensity of the hue of any paint color compared to what it looks like when it is painted inside! That’s why I always recommend going a little darker than you think when choosing an exterior color.

In the case of Tapestry Beige, it is in the zone of paint colors (60 LRV to 70 LRV) to avoid because it is neither here nor there for exteriors and can come off as someone trying to pick a white and unintentionally end up with a greenish off white! See below the way it looks on an exterior paired with White Dove.

If you like this look, but want it to have more of an intentional look (not like a mistake) I would recommend using a darker version of this hue, such as Benjamin Moore’s Coastal Fog, which has a LRV of 52.

If you like the greenish undertones of Tapestry Beige and want that to come out in the exterior paint I would suggest going with Mosaic Tile instead of Tapestry Beige. This will have a nice crisp appearance with White Dove as a trim color. And if you want a fully green paint, check out our top green paints for exteriors.

When choosing exterior paint colors, make sure you are starting with your fixed elements before deciding. You’ll want to take the color of the roof and windows into consideration before deciding on the siding color!

If you need help picking out your exterior paint colors, make sure to let me know. I offer exterior paint color consultations in Vermont.

Heat Retention: For homes in warmer climates, its mid-range LRV makes it a better choice than darker shades for reducing heat absorption, though it won’t reflect as much heat as lighter neutrals. In this case you can make it pop a little more by going with a more stark white trim such as Chantilly Lace. This will make the Tapestry Beige pop more than the White Dove.

Lighting and Undertones

Like many neutrals, Tapestry Beige shifts depending on the light in your space. While it typically reads as a soft, creamy beige, there are a few scenarios to be aware of:

• North-Facing Rooms: In cooler, low-light settings such as north-facing rooms, the green undertones in Tapestry Beige can become more apparent. This can give the color a slightly cooler feel.
• Pairing with Red or Pink: When paired with shades that have strong red or pink undertones—think reddish woods or burgundy fabrics—those green undertones can stand out more in contrast.
• Bright Natural Light: In bright, warm light, the color leans back toward a balanced, warm beige, with the green undertones staying subtle and understated.

Testing a sample in your space is essential to understand how the color interacts with your specific lighting conditions and existing decor.

Which White Goes With Tapestry Beige?

If you are looking for a great white paint for trim, you have a few options. Pair it with crisp whites like Benjamin Moore Simply White (OC-117) or Chantilly Lace (OC-65) for a clean, modern look. I also like Sherwin Williams Extra White for when you need a big contrast and really want to maximize the undertones in Tapestry Beige.

White Dove by Benjamin Moore is one of my favorite whites and is stunning with Tapestry Beige. You can see it here on the mantle with Tapestry Beige on the walls. You can see it offers plenty of contrast, while not coming off as stark or cold. It’s excellent with red brick and deep wooden floors with cherry undertones.

For a room with warm wood floors, like maple or counters or tiles that have a creamy yellow undertone, use Benjamin Moore Mascarpone (AF-20). And if your fixed elements have any orange undertones you can go with Sherwin Williams Dover White (SW-6385).

Pairing Suggestions

As a beige with green undertones, one of the best features of Tapestry Beige is its ability to play well in home color combinations with muted hues and a variety of earth tones. Here are a few ideas for complementary shades:

• Muted Peach and Historic Tan Colors: I love it with barely-there yet complex peach tones like Benjamin Moore Raleigh Tan (CW-190.)
• Deep Greens, Browns and Deeper Neutrals: Muted greens like Sage Mountain (2138-40) add a fresh, natural contrast. For a tonal palette, consider pairing it with darker beiges or browns with green undertones like Hampshire Gray (HC-101) or Victorian Garden(1531).

Featured Palette For Tapestry Beige

Here I’ve created a custom color palette for Tapestry Beige. I put it together with Sherwin Williams Honed Soapstone (SW 9126), a trendy but timeless green. Nantucket Gray would be a great green option instead. It also plays nicely with a rich chocolate-green color called Muddled Basil by Sherwin Williams (SW 7745). I’ve added in a contrasting peach (which sits across the color wheel from tapestry beige) called Raleigh Tan by Benjamin Moore. For our off-white I used SW Creamy which will offset the green in Tapestry Beige and provide plenty of contrast for crisp-looking trim and ceiling.

Final Thoughts

Benjamin Moore Tapestry Beige is a beautiful, versatile neutral that can bring complexity and elegance to any space. However, its subtle green undertones make it a nuanced choice, especially in rooms with cool lighting or when paired with contrasting colors.

If you love interior design with earth tones and greens you’ll love using this color as a neutral backdrop for pops of color with your other decor. I love it with flax-colored linens, off-white and earth tones in rooms with limited lighting. It has a complexity to it that exudes sophistication.

If you’re considering Tapestry Beige for your next project, I’d love to hear your thoughts or see how it turns out in your space! Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @seasonforhome. And if you’re needing more help with your colors, reach out for a Virtual Color Consultation!

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