What color should I paint my walls?
White? Is white the MOST neutral color? Will it appeal to ALL of the masses? Or is it too sterile?
Is gray still trending? Does everyone STILL love gray?
I get questions about paint colors from sellers and realtors almost every day.
Let’s break it down:
Yes, gray seems to be done and white is in. Why? It’s a trend. Designers, home stagers, builders, homeowners and even social media influencers have gravitated towards white walls with accents of neutrals and charcoal. It’s a color scheme that is timeless and classic, yet fresh and crisp.
The coronavirus pandemic has and will continue to extend the lifespan of the white paint trend. The color white is perceived as not only fresh and crisp - but clean and disinfected. (But is it too sterile!? Of course, an empty room painted white is certainly sterile. But that’s why we stage!) Balancing white walls with the warmth and texture of organic materials, like baskets and wood, keeps white from feeling too sterile and clinical.
So, gray is out and white is in. BUT finding the perfect shade of white can be difficult.
Don’t we wish it was easier to choose paint colors? Especially white? Here’s the thing – and it may surprise you – white IS a color.
Every white paint has an undertone of one (or more) color hues: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.
The most commonly used whites fall into one of the following categories: blue whites, true whites, off-whites and creams.
Here they are:
Here is how I always answer the “What white!?” paint question: The perfect white paint is the one that works with the other colors in the space. It must be chosen in the context of the lighting and hard surface selections that it must coexist with.
A white that looks clean in one setting will read as blue in another. One that appears warm in one home will appear dirty in another.
Let me show you:
The blue wall is cool, while the baseboard is warm. The wall and door colors are a true white, making the baseboard and switch plate look dirty.
Painting the baseboard a clean white and replacing the switch plate would make a huge difference in this space.
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