Designers’ Guide to Paint Colors

Raise your hand if you’ve ever wallowed over paint color options. Just the site of paint chips can send us into decision paralysis — so.many.choices. Here’s the perfect designers’ guide to paint colors.

Are you on the hunt for the perfect shade of white? (always!) Do you need a warm white or prefer a cool tone? Is a navy kitchen island on your radar or are you wanting to test out a deep green that’s taking Pinterest by storm? These are the tough choices looming as you stare at all those paint colors. Which means it’s time to call in the experts.

The Best Paint Colors According to Designers

We crowdsourced a handful of amazing designers for their tried-and-true paint colors plus a few fresh new favorites. Some selections even received double the votes! Studio McGee, Lexi Westergard, and Lindsey Brooke Design are sharing their top picks across several categories and showcasing how these paint colors look in the wild. Spoiler alert…they’re gorgeous. Jot down these recs for white, gray, blue, black and new fresh colors before your next stop at the paint counter.

A Designers' Guide to Paint Colors

Designer Paint Color Guide

A Designers' Guide to Paint Colors

Designer Paint Guide

Designer Paint Guide

A Designers' guide to Paint Colors

Designer's Guide to Paint

A Designers' Guide to Paint Colors

Studio McGee’s Top Paint Picks

We have yet to meet a Studio McGee design that we haven’t fallen madly for. It’s that line between classic and modern that they toe so effortlessly and their paint picks mirror that philosophy. Case in point, the bathroom above with classic shiplap painted an inky black. That would be Black Jack by Benjamin Moore. See what other paint colors made it into their top five favorites of all time. 

White

Simply White by Benjamin Moore

Gray

Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore

Blue

Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore

Black

Black Jack by Benjamin Moore

Fresh New Favorite

Polaris Blue by Benjamin Moore

Lexi Westergard’s Top Paint Picks

Lexi Westergard is the master of pretty blues, and she has a killer portfolio of work to prove it. Check out this navy kitchen island or these built-ins in the most gorgeous blue-green mix if you need any convincing. But her most famous dance with the perfect shade of paint has got to be that dream laundry room in Greyhound by Benjamin Moore. So good right? She has four more amazing recs where that came from.

white

Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore

Gray

Mindful Gray by Sherwin Williams

Blue

Greyhound by Benjamin Moore

Black

Wrought Iron by Benjamin Moore

Fresh New Favorite

Newburg Green by Benjamin Moore

Lindsey Brooke’s Top Paint Picks

I can personally attest to 3 of Lindsey Brooke Design’s tried-and-true paint colors (Simply WhiteGray Owl reduced 50%, and Hale Navy) so I’m pretty sure Lindsey is my paint picking soulmate. Hale Navy is at the center of her kitchen remodel and it’s so striking against the modern white backdrop. Or there’s the boys’ bathroom she paired with Cheating Heart and mixed metals for the most dapper space. She is not afraid to make a bold statement or blanket a project in a crisp, cool white backdrop and that’s why we love her. Make sure you bookmark her favorites because these five are gooooood.

White

Simply White by Benjamin Moore

Gray

Gray Owl reduced 50% by Benjamin Moore

Blue

Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore

Black

Cheating Heart by Benjamin Moore

Fresh New Favorite

Pigeon by Farrow and Ball

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