How to Choose the Best Paint Colors for Your Home

I've been a paint junkie since way back. Collecting paint chips, flipping through swatch books, and daydreaming about updating a room with paint never fails to be fun for me! Hands down, painting is one of the quickest and most affordable ways to transform a space. But picking the colors? It can be baffling! So today I'm sharing what I know about how to choose the best paint colors for your home. Whether you're after blue, black, gray, or pink, use these colors as a jumping off point to finding that perfect paint for every room in your house.

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How to Choose the Best Paint Colors for Your Home

Gray

Gray is super fashionable right now, and it's my personal favorite go-to paint color. Gray is soft and soothing, and can read either airy and beach-like or dark and moody. It's perfect for literally every room in the house, but I especially love it in bedrooms, living rooms, and dining rooms.

Colors to Try: Stonington Gray, Gray Owl, Edgecomb Gray, Kendall Charcoal (all by Benjamin Moore), Aloof Gray (Sherwin Williams), or Quill (Olympic)

Photo by Melissa Oholendt from Style By Emily Henderson
Blue

Blue is another one of those staple paint colors that completely transforms itself depending on the shade you choose. Rich navy can make a room feel luxe and cozy while watery shades can channel the feel of a lakeside retreat. I like my blues with a hint of a gray undertone to keep it from feeling too crayon-like.

Colors to Try: Hale Navy, Quiet Moments, Wythe Blue, Black Pepper (all by Benjamin Moore), or Plumage (Martha Stewart)

Photo from The Nesting Game
White

White used to get such a bad reputation as being boring, bland, and cold, but I love white walls! They're a bright, clean canvas for all your favorite textiles and accessories, and it bounces natural light beautifully.

Colors to Try: Designer White (Clark + Kensington), Pure White (Sherwin Williams), Simply White, or Decorators White (Benjamin Moore)

Photo from Keeping It Cozy
Green

While I tend to go more toward grays and blues, I love the perfect shade of green for a room. It looks amazing in living rooms, offices, and kitchens. Like with blue, when in doubt go with a green that feels a bit gray on the paint swatch to avoid something too bright and cartoon-like.

Colors to Try: Silver Marlin, Balsam (Benjamin Moore), Silver Sage (Restoration Hardware), Chive, or Alpine Peak (Valspar)

Photo from Renae Keller Interior Design
Yellow

Yellow is a perfect color for nurseries, kids rooms, bathrooms, and kitchens because it's bright, happy, and cheerful. I personally prefer light, milky shades of yellow, but bold can also be beautiful.

Colors to Try: Lily (Sherwin Williams), Hawthorne Yellow, Mushroom Cap, or Golden Honey (all by Benjamin Moore)

Photo by Tysha Carter from Apartment Therapy
Brown

My favorite browns (especially for bedrooms and living rooms) are those that are actually bordering on the line between warm gray and brown. It makes for such a sophisticated look and feel that can go either modern or traditional to suit your home.

Colors to Try: Rockport Gray, Brown Horse (Benjamin Moore), Warm Stone (Sherwin Williams), or Olivewood (Glidden)

Photo from Simply Fabulous Living
Black

Yes, black! Don't be afraid of black. In the right space (think a cozy bedroom or a window-filled living room) it can be an amazing color. Blacks can read more blue, brown, gray, or even green depending on the time of the day and colors you pair it with, making it a really fun option that is anything but dark and dreary.

Colors to Try: Tomcat, Dark Kettle Black (Valspar), Inkwell (Sherwin Williams), Black Beauty, or Almost Black (Benjamin Moore)

Photo by Ashley Batz for Oh Happy Day
Pink + Purple

I'm lumping pinks and purples together because I personally think of them as being much the same. They can either be soft and airy or rich, bold, and dramatic. I love both in bedrooms and nurseries, but I think they can make for a fun, unexpected statement in a living room, too.

Colors to Try: Exclusive Plum, Sensitive Tint (Sherwin Williams), African Violet, Peony, Wild Aster (all by Benjamin Moore), or Bare Pink (Pittsburgh Paints)

Photo by Making It Lovely
Red

No way around it, red is always a bold and dramatic choice. Look toward more fire engine inspired hues for a modern feel, or think merlot and wine colored reds if you want something more traditional. Red is especially fun in rooms with big windows, and I personally like it best in a living room or sitting room.

Colors to Try: Grenadine (Behr), Geranium, Paper Lantern (Benjamin Moore), or Red Delicious (Glidden)

Photo from Domino