15 Timeless Paint Colors You’ll Never Tire Of

No matter how many samples you brush onto the wall, it can be tough to nail a paint color pick on your own. That’s why, whenever we feature a home in the magazine, we ask the designers to share the tried-and-true hues they relied on to bring their projects to life. From creamy whites that instantly brighten a room to earthy pinks and breezy blues that read as work-anywhere neutrals to saturated tones that dial up the drama, we’ve curated a collection of 15 paint colors that are designer approved and utterly timeless. 

Welcoming Whites 

Fresh selections to brighten any room 

Benjamin Moore’s Swiss Coffee (OC-45)

White paint colors can be tricky to get right. Avoid sterile doctor’s-office vibes by choosing an easygoing shade like this one, which designer Caroline Brackett used to revive the wide entry hall of her 19th-century farmhouse in Pickens, South Carolina.

Sherwin-Williams’ Greek Villa (SW 7551) 

“It’s a really lovely white with a touch of yellow undertone,” says designer Amy Studebaker of the shade she chose for the exterior of her St. Louis, Missouri, home. “It’s a very welcoming white. It’s not gray; it’s not yellow; it’s not cold; it’s not blue. I feel like it works really well in a more traditional home. 

Benjamin Moore’s White Dove (OC-17)

For a refreshing pick that’ll instantly make a room feel more open and airy, lean on this old-faithful pick from designer Catherine Branstetter,  who used it throughout her own historic Nashville Tudor. “I wanted to brighten it all up,” she says of her choice to wash most of the walls in this shade. “That’s always my go-to paint color for interiors.”

Sherwin-Williams’ Alabaster (SW 7008) 

Designer Heather Chadduck Hillegas doused the walls and ceiling of this WaterColor, Florida, bedroom in this sun-bleached shade, which feels right at home in the beachy surrounds.

Farrow & Ball’s Wimborne White (No. 239)

In this Highlands, North Carolina, mountain cabin designed by Whitney McGregor, a soft, creamy coat of this classic white reflects natural light to give the pine-paneled dining room a gentle glow. 

New Neutrals

Dynamic picks that work well just about anywhere 

Farrow & Ball’s Skylight (No. 205)

Designer Mark D. Sikes washed the living room of this Sea Island, Georgia, retreat in three shades of soothing blue: Farrow & Ball’s Skylight on the walls, Borrowed Light (No. 235) on the ceiling, and Light Blue (No. 22) on the trim.

Sherwin-Williams’ Liveable Green (SW 6176)

In the family room of designer Hannon Doody’s Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, cottage, she washed the tongue-and-groove paneling in this fresh verdant hue to root the new addition in old-house character.

Farrow & Ball’s Pink Ground (No. 202)

The key to making pink work beyond a nursery is to muddy it up a bit, notes designer Ashley Hanley, who selected it for her daughter’s Richmond, Virginia, bedroom with the idea that it’ll age well as she grows. “It’s beautiful—not too bubble-gum but more of a dirty blush pink,” she says of the shade.

Sherwin-Williams’ Natural Tan (SW 7567)

This creamy yellow is just right for rooms that call for something with a hair more depth than a true white. Its sunny undertones perfectly suit this beach house kitchen by designer Heather Chadduck Hillegas.

Sherwin-Williams’ Mountain Air (SW 6224)

In this Fairhope, Alabama, primary bedroom, the painted wood-paneled ceilings mimic the “haint blue” ceilings of historic Southern verandas. “There are a lot of older homes like this on the bay,” says designer Natalie Roe of March + May Design. “So many people enclose their  porches, and when they do that, they’re left with wood on the walls and ceiling.” 

Moody Hues

Deep tones that deliver enduring style 

Sherwin-Williams’ Black Fox (SW 7020) 

 For cabinetry that felt harmonious with her historic Kentucky home’s original, dark-stained trim, designer Hannah Maple opted to go with this color, which has velvety greige undertones that keep it from feeling stark. 

Farrow & Ball’s Brinjal (No. 222)

To give smaller spaces like wet bars and powder rooms a jewel-box atmosphere, call on saturated tones, as designer Elly Poston Cooper did in this Richmond, Virginia, pantry, where she soused the cabinets with this berry shade in a glossy finish. 

Sherwin Williams’ Forged Steel (SW 9565)

Designer Laura Hodges proves that gray shouldn’t be written off as an afterthought shade, showcasing its ability to bring unexpected drama in the catchall pantry at our 2023 Southern Living Idea House.

Benjamin Moore’s Garden Cucumber (644)

Elevate utilitarian areas like mudrooms and laundry rooms by washing their millwork in rich, look-at-me hues, as designer Ellen Kavanaugh did with this blue-tinged green in her Wellington, Florida, home’s back entry. 

Sherwin-Williams’ Tricorn Black (SW 6258)

“It’s a softer black that feels welcoming and not off-putting,” notes Studebaker. Here, the color modernized this cozy saltbox-style cabin in Florence, Alabama, the renovation of which homeowners EJ and Whit Brown tackled themselves.