The Timeless Appeal of Beige: The Ultimate Wall Color Choice
Why is beige the best paint color for your walls? Let’s talk about paint colors and why beige, plain and simple, is the top choice for your walls.
When it comes to choosing a paint color, everyone has their own style. You might like white, beige, or colorful walls—it’s all good.
But over the years, I’ve tried them all in various homes. And guess what? I’ve discovered that beige is actually the most versatile and dependable wall color paint.
If you’re planning to repaint, there are many good reasons to consider beige. It might even become your go-to paint color!
Now, before you think, “Beige? Really?” hear me out on why it’s the best choice.
Beige Wall Color Creates a Feeling of Warmth
Beige adds warmth to a room. Have you ever walked into a room with stark white walls and felt it was too cold? Or entered a room with bold colors that seem too intense and take over the space?
I’ve been there, done that and it wasn’t good.
Why do I think beige works wonders? Nothing beats it for making any room feel instantly warm and cozy, whether it’s in a living room, family room, dining area, or another part of your house.
Choosing a neutral like beige is smart because it fits easily into any color scheme, so there are no limitations on color schemes.
Warmth and coziness – what’s not to love? It’s like giving your living space a bear hug!
Watch Out For Undertones
Let’s talk about undertones. Beige is often understood because of sneaky undertone nuances that can make or break your color game.
It’s not just beige; every paint color has undertones. Think of an undertone as a color hidden within another color.
According to Merriam-Webster, an undertone is a color seen through and modifying another color.
Here’s a little tip to keep in mind: lighter colors can be tricky. They often change appearance under different lighting conditions. For example, choose a beige with pink undertones, and you might find your room has a subtle pink glow.
So, just how do you figure out the undertone of a paint color? There are several ways:
- Examine it in various lighting conditions. Whether looking a paint chip or an actual sample painted on the wall, different lighting will bring out different undertones.
- Paint a large sample of two coats on several differents walls and in several different areas of the room you are going to paint. What looks fine at a paint store, will look totally different in the natural light of your room.
- Examine your painted sample at different times of the day. What looks like the perfect color beige during the morning, may look entirely different at night.
- Place a sample next to a true neutral color such as white or gray. Using this technique will often cause an undertone in the beige to jump right out at you.
- Check the manufacturer’s description. Many paint manufacturers provide color notations with each paint color they sell.
Beige is versatile
Beige is the poster child for versatility when it comes to paint colors. It’s like the friendly kid on block who gets along with everyone.
It effortlessly blends with every other color in the spectrum and is the peacekeeper that ensures harmony in color palette.
It’s reputation for being a warm color makes it the perfect backdrop for any design style or any of the colors that you may use in your living space.
In a neutral color scheme, it seamlessly blends with other hues. By using beige on your walls, you’ll have the freedom to change the color scheme and decor in your home anytime the mood strikes.
In other words, it’s a great neutral to use no matter what colors you want to decorate with!
Want to switch up your decor? Beige has your back. It’s like a beige canvas awaiting your decorating touch. Consider it ready and waiting to blend right in with whatever you choose. It’s your secret weapon for a home that evolves as your tastes in decor do.
Beige isn’t trendy
It’s timeless and never goes out of style. There will always be color trends that come and go, but beige will always be a staple in the world of wall color.
For example, gray was one of the most popular paint colors for several years (and I totally wanted to jump on board that train!).
But – guess what? Time moves on and if you pay attention, newly decorated or refreshed rooms aren’t embracing the gray-love anymore.
Please don’t shoot the messenger – this is just what I see going on in today’s interior design world and what designers are saying out loud.
If you still have gray furnishings in a room, fear not. Opt for what I call greige paint colors, a warm beige color with gray undertones.
This is what we did when we remodeled our current home. It was at the height of the gray paint craze, but even so, we opted to use Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige in all of our rooms. All because even though this particular paint color is definitely beige, it also has gray undertones.
A prime example is my family room. When gray was all the rage, the room contained my greige colored couch, a coffee table upholstered with light gray fabric and a pair of gray recliners.
Even though those large pieces were predominantly gray, they still worked well with the paint color in the room, because the paint that we used has gray undertones.
Now, I’ve totally changed most of the furnishings and accessories in my living room. I still have the greige couch, but everything else has changed and still works great with the beige paint.
It makes a room appear larger
Let’s talk about optical illusions. Beige is a color that is a master of creating the look and feel of more space. It’s a weapon of sorts for a creating a room that seems to expand before your eyes.
How in the world can a paint color do that? Consider this:
Beige is a neutral and light color that deflects and diffuses light which helps to open up the space and give the appearance of being airier.
By bouncing light around the room, it reduces shadows, which visually prevents the walls from feeling like they’re closing in.
It’s a soft color that minimizes visual distractions, which allows the eye to move smoothly across the space. The result? You perceive a space a larger and more open.
It’s an unobtrusive color that doesn’t overpower a room, giving the impression of more available space.
Why beige instead of white?
White has its merits for sure – it’s crisp, clean and can be supremely chic when done right. But here’s the deal – it can also make a room feel stark.
Unlike the starkness of pure white, beige infuses a gentle touch of warmth, making the space feel more comfortable, inviting and lived-in.
Beige has a subtle depth and color dimension to it, when compared to white, that keeps a room from feeling flat or sterile. Ever walked into a room that just feels cold or uninviting? You won’t get that with beige walls.
Speaking of dimension, when used with white trim paint, it provides a nice soft contrast that allows architectural features to shine.
It’s a better color for minimizing flaws. White walls can be unforgiving, magnifying every little imperfection. But beige, on the other hand, is softer and helps those blemishes blend into the background.
Best Beige Paint Colors
Alright, let’s cut to the chase. So, what are the best beige paint colors anyway?
My favorite, which happens to rank at the top of the popularity list is Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige. In fact, the entire interior of my home is painted with it!
No matter which lighting situation I use it in, it doesn’t have any pink, yellow undertones or green undertones.
If you want the warmth of beige, but still want very light walls, use this trick. When getting your paint mixed, simply ask your paint store to only mix the paint at a 50% (or higher or lower) intensity. Works like a charm! By going lighter, you’ll have a room that hints a white, but still retains the warmth of beige.
Some of today’s popular beige paint colors are:
- Sherwin Williams: Accessible Beige, Natural Linen
- Benjamin Moore: Shaker Beige, Tapestry Beige
- Behr: Blank Canvas, Swiss Coffee
- Farrow and Ball: Ammonite, Skimming Stone
This isn’t meant to be an exhaustive list, but is rather a list of some the most popular brands and their beige paint colors today.
The verdict? The color beige isn’t just any ole color. It takes center stage as the conducer of warmth and versatility.
So, if you’ve been on the fence, beige is the unsung hero. Use it and your walls will tell a tale of coziness, inviting and classic style.
FAQs about beige wall color
I am trying to come up with a plan for repainting my kitchen. I want to do the cabinets which are now oak and the walls in the same neutral beige to coordinate with the back splash and counters. Have a large eat in kitchen with dining area separated by counter.My dilemma is what do I do about natural wood doors and woodwork throughout the area. The table and chairs are wood as well as a large hutch.The sliding,door to the deck is multi pained wood. Any suggestions?3
Hi Kathy. It’s hard for me to say without seeing the space. I’d be glad to give you some suggestions if you’d like to email me some photos to worthingcourtblog@gmail.com.
Great post! I feel the same way about beige
& now I have reasons why I like beige. I just can’t get into gray! Thanks
Great post! I completely agree, especially with the idea that beige walls just sort of fade into the background and allow your furniture and accessories to be stars. . My last house was a new manufactured home with all white walls and trim and I eventually painted every room in the house different colors. While I enjoyed the color, it made it difficult to change things up because the wall colors were bossy. Some rooms were repainted several times. Two years ago we built a new home and I was determined to find a nice neutral wall color I could live with for years because I was tired of repainting. After lots of research, I chose SW Wool Skein and love it! Our trim and doors are SW Greek Villa and the pale beige and soft white is so calming. I did use a pale soft aqua (SW Windowpane) in the full bathrooms that already have a lot of beige and brown elements in the form of tile and light stained wood cabinets, but it is still nice and neutral and lends a spa like feel. You are so right about undertones! I remember choosing a beige color for my sons from that ended up having a pink undertone, so thankful I tried a sample first!
Thanks for this post! My home has different colors for the walls that were painted by the previous owners. I’ve been wanting to repaint them all the same color for a while now. I’m going to look into the Accessible Beige color and see if it will look good in my home. It appears to be a good neutral color choice.
Love this color!!! Are your walls mixed at a higher or lower intensity?
All of the my walls are mixed at the regular intensity – I didn’t have any changes made to the paint.
Where did you get the recliner in your living room? I’ve been looking everywhere for a nice neutral one that doesn’t look like a recliner. Yours is perfect! Oh, and is is comfortable? Thanks!
Yes, they are very comfortable. My husband is 6’2″ for reference. They came from Havertys. Here’s the link to them: https://www.havertys.com/furniture/recliners/emma-recliner
I did not even realize that was a recliner. My husband wants a recliner and I hate the way they look. We did try a recliner from Bassett that looked like an accent chair and it was so uncomfortable and the fabric did not hold up well at all. I had given up on finding a recliner for him but I’m going to have to check this one out at Havertys.
Edited to add, I accidentally posted this as a reply to someone else, sorry!
Great post! I completely agree, especially with the idea that beige walls just sort of fade into the background and allow your furniture and accessories to be stars. . My last house was a new manufactured home with all white walls and trim and I eventually painted every room in the house different colors. While I enjoyed the color, it made it difficult to change things up because the wall colors were bossy. Some rooms were repainted several times. Two years ago we built a new home and I was determined to find a nice neutral wall color I could live with for years because I was tired of repainting. After lots of research, I chose SW Wool Skein and love it! Our trim and doors are SW Greek Villa and the pale beige and soft white is so calming. I did use a pale soft aqua (SW Windowpane) in the full bathrooms that already have a lot of beige and brown elements in the form of tile and light stained wood cabinets, but it is still nice and neutral and lends a spa like feel. You are so right about undertones! I remember choosing a beige color for my sons from that ended up having a pink undertone, so thankful I tried a sample first!
When we were in the process of building our current home I thought I would go true white walls but as the house neared completion I realised that there was a lot of light in the house and that white would have been blinding. This was especially evident in the front half of the house with the morning sun. Our light here in Australia is especially bright. I chose a paint from New Zealand, Resene Eighth Tea, a neutral beige (despite the name) with no obvious undertones. It is a lovely cool shade and easy to work with. I was careful with the undertones as a previous house had pink beige walls. Never again!! I was never tempted to choose grey despite my daughter thinking I was being old fashioned choosing beige.
You have a beautiful home. I really like the Accesible Beige. I am FINALLY finishing my basement and would like to keep it light and airy. Obviously, lots of recessed light will help, but would you recommend mixing paint at only 50% color. Also, what trim color would you use?
Any help is appreciated.
Hi Brenda. If you want the warmth of beige, but also want a light and airy look, I think mixing Accessible Beige at 50% is definitely a good idea. One of the trends in today’s world is to paint the trim the same color as the walls, but in a differ sheen. For example, flat sheen on the walls and semi-gloss or gloss on the trim. I think it’s a trend that will eventually fade away though. If you prefer a more classic, long lasting look, you can’t go wrong with white. We used Sherwin Williams Extra White in semi-gloss on all of the trim in our house.
Would Accessible Beige work with cherry cabinets (stained a med-dark brown)?
(Meaning Accessible Beige on the walls; sorry that might not have been clear earlier.)
I believe that it would. I have it in rooms where I have cherry, mahogany, pine and more finishes on furniture and it workds just fine. 😀
I have gone with beige in all my rooms except for my master bedroom,guestroom and bathrooms and have loved it. Just replaced our sectional in,our family room and it was really hard to find anything but grey. Finally found a beautiful one in what I call oatmeal which goes perfectly with the walls and rug in this room. As you said I can change my seasonal decor and all colors look great. Right now for summer I have chartruce and deep aqua with lots of texture and interest brought in with accessories, paintings and a large wall mirror. Next month the change over to fall will be easy.
I live in Greensboro N.C. also and hope you are enjoying the cooler air this morning. This summer heat and humidity has been definitely got me looking forward to fall!!
That all sounds very pretty! Yes, it was a nice surprise to walk out with my dogs this morning to the lower humidity and cooler temps!
I agree with you Suzy! I haven’t grown tired of my beige walls near as quickly as I do when we use a bright color. And it just works with every season and decor change.
love your decorating style!! Could you please tell me the color and make of your carpet in your bedroom? love it so much!You are the best!!
Thank you! We installed the carpet 9 years ago, so I’m sorry, but I don’t remember the brand or color name. It came from Lowes though. Maybe you could show them a picture of it from my blog and they could help you figure it out.
I’m so ready to move on from grey. One of my favorite neutral colors is a soft green with n undertone of green. Great must do tips when chosing colors for your home!
I love your deerskin rug. Would you mind sharing where you got it?
Hi Heather. I’m SO sorry for not replying sooner! The rug that you’re asking about was actually made for us by a local flooring store out of carpeting.
Hi Suzy, I love your decorating tips. Where can I purchase the rug that is shown in the first picture of the “Why Beige Is The Best Wall Color To Use On Your Walls” ? Thank you!
That rug is actually a piece of carpeting that we ordered from a local flooring store that was cut to a custom size and bound for us. I can’t give you a link to it, but here are the details. You may be able to contact the store that we ordered from and have one made and shipped to you. Ours came from Carpet One by Henry in Greensboro, NC. It is from their collection called Home on the Range. This particular one is the color sand. It is sold to them by Presitge Mills, who uses lots of different manufacturers. I’ve seen the same carpet on other websites, but I can’t be sure it’s the exact same as this one. Sorry I couldn’t be more help!
What is the color of your house. Love it
Thank you! It’s Sherwin Williams Network Gray.
Suzie,
Can you tell me what kind of blue recliners you have? I’ve been searching for a new one and I’d like to find one like yours.
Hi Lynn. They came from Lazy Boy. Our chairs are the ones call the Collage Wall Recliner.