Favorite Paint Colors (As Seen Throughout My Home)
Happy Friday, friends! I get SO many questions about paint colors and while I firmly believe in testing a swatch in your own home prior to committing (because paint looks very different based on its surroundings), I thought I’d compile a big blog post with my favorite, most asked about, paint colors that you can find throughout my home- or previous homes, as the case may be. If you’re looking for swatches to test, definitely check out some of these that I’ve used and loved…Â
In our guest bathroom, I wanted to keep things classic, but also a little playful. I ended up pulling a light / medium cornflower blue color from the vintage rug and I love the way it applied to the millwork and walls. A tip? I selected slightly varying hues from my fan deck. Sleepy Blue and Languid Blue are in the same color family, they’re just one swatch different (lighter / darker).
Remember that time I decided to transform our ugly brown carport into an al fresco dining area? If you missed it, check out the reveal here… it was a good one! I didn’t really do anything to the space other than paint and style it. The transformative power of paint continues to surprise me. Bold, black paint worked so well for this outdoor area. Want to see this color in an interior setting? My friend Ashley painted her master bedroom here.
In my previous office (that we finished almost exactly a year ago!), I kept things neutral and bright. With textured built-ins, wallpaper, and a lot of other things going on in the space, I wanted to keep this room free of visual clutter. I like a calm, neutral workspace!
Our most recent project, the basement media room, is probably my favorite right now. We spend so much time lounging downstairs and the dark & moody navy paint is SO GOOD.
Over the summer, I tackled our bedroom balcony. I painted the brick (read more about that here), and brightened the deck in an effort to make it a place I actually enjoy hanging out. Mission accomplished- I spend time out here every single day!
Oh whoa. EXACTLY a year ago, I shared our color blocked hallway renovation. How was that only a year ago?! It feels like longer in my head. This seemed like a wild idea, but I really adore the way it turned out. It’s weird in the best way! It just goes to show once again… that paint has magical transformative powers- especially if you think outside the box.
The paint color I’m most often asked about? Our previous green fireplace! She was a beauty. Something about that green hue with the cool marble worked really well. Olive Grove still remains one of my very favorite medium green tones.
I remember thinking I wanted to try contrast trim in our previous master bedroom, and it seemed risky to me at the time. It’s funny how something as simple as paint seemed like a huge decision. Ha! I’m really glad I went with my gut and painted the trim darker than the wall color. I’ve repeated that application multiple times since that bedroom.
Ah, the laundry room… and more contrast trim! This was our previous One Room Challenge space and it was the happiest place to do laundry. I went for a high contrast look while keeping things bright.
Do you remember last year’s Sherwin-Williams Color of the Year? I’m still determined to use it someplace in our new house! This photo was taken before I renovated my office. I painted an accent wall, just for fun.
This bathroom was one of my favorite spaces to design. I packed a TON of function into that tiny room, as well as bold contrasting paint and a BLACK CEILING. Yes- I painted the ceiling black and it was the best decision ever.
Let’s rewind wayyyy back to our first renovation. Who remembers this dining room? My love for dark green runs deep and I’ve been using hunter green hues since we bought our first home years ago. This space actually got published in HGTV magazine solely because of the awesome paint color. Check out the article here!
Next up, our previous kitchen and dining nook. Again- I went neutral because of the warm wood cabinetry, but that doesn’t make these colors any less awesome! Big Chill is really a chameleon color that changes from warm to cool at different times of the day.
Confession- I painted our previous living room walls a not-so-great brown/gray color I thought was going to be cool. It backfired, and was most certainly not cool (even designers & pros mess up). I ran to the paint store, grabbed a couple gallons of Silverpointe (which is a cool gray / light blue hue), quickly painted before Emmett got home, and breathed a sigh of relief. Haha! I’ve never told that story, but this paint saved the day and was made for this room!
Lastly, another warm, inviting, and neutral space… the guest bedroom. I pulled some creamy neutral hues from the vintage rug… noticing a pattern with that trick? I love using textiles and art as color palette inspiration.
There you have it- some of my all-time favorite paint colors! Remember to experiment with swatches before committing- that’s the best way to get the right paint for your room. Have a great weekend!