The Best Neutral Paint Colors for Every Room

Though neutral hues are prized for suiting just about everything, choices like lighting, furnishings and the paint finish itself (flat, eggshell, satin or gloss) will all affect how the hues pictured here appear on the walls in your space. Make a gradual shift to a new tone by buying a sample pot of the paint color you have in mind, then applying it to poster board that you can eyeball in different spots at different times. For more been-there, painted-that tips, check out our painting guide, below.

Establish a cozy tone that begins in the foyer and flows throughout an open-concept space with a soft, organic white. This color snuggles up to hardwood floors, exposed beams and natural fibers like the woven rattan baskets in this stop-and-drop area, and it also balances cooler shades like the steel blue seen here on the front door.

Try This Shade: Gilded Linen, Valspar

With subtle warmth that hints at a bit of taupe in its family tree, this timeless medium gray loves textiles. Consider how naturally it pairs with both floral curtains and the upholstered velvet headboard here, and don’t be shy about introducing it to linen. Choose a saturated tone like this one when you want your wall color to have a bit of presence.

Try This Shade: Rockport Gray, Benjamin Moore

This shade complements everything from bold midcentury hues (like those in this playroom’s poster and Rifle Paper Co. storage bench) to rough-spun, organic accessories like a woven sisal area rug. For a lighter look, carry a tan like this one across an unadorned wall. To emphasize its richer notes, frame your space with white molding.

Try This Shade: Cord, Farrow & Ball