Gray and white striped stair way and wall {stripe tutorial}
COLOR INSPIRATION
For most of the homes I’ve owned, I’ve preferred neutral wall colors—often a simple white or off-white. I felt the architecture in older houses spoke for itself and didn’t need bold color to highlight its charm.
My new home is a craftsman-style house that has lovely character, but it lacks the heavy texture and “chunky feel” of an older home. It’s mostly ordinary drywall. Still, I aim to keep our environment cozy, neutral and dignified, with a bit of quirk and fun to prevent things from feeling too serious.
Instead of white for the main rooms this time, I chose a muted gray with warm brown undertones for most walls. A neutral in that family will flow through much of the house. I plan to share an updated paint color post soon with the exact hues I’m using.
Pure white walls in this house would feel too bright and contemporary for the rooms with large windows, whereas in my previous home white felt perfectly aged and charming. It’s interesting how a different house can change what feels right.
I still use white on select walls, board-and-batten, and trim to create contrast and brightness against the gray.
I’ll also have a few rooms with colored walls for unexpected pops of personality. For example, I’ve photographed a bright turquoise bathroom that I’ll write about soon.
Color inspiration can come from anywhere: a fabric, a rug, a painting, or even a moment outdoors. I collect ideas on a Pinterest board where I gather color inspiration and palettes.
Too often we play it safe with color and pattern, ending up with predictable, matchy-matchy rooms. But nature demonstrates countless harmonious color combinations—if nature can combine colors so effortlessly, we can, too.
I tend to choose colors that:
1) Capture the mood I want in my home.
2) Reflect the surroundings both outside and inside the house—considering region, home style, permanent finishes like wood floors and trim. For me, neutral backdrops with occasional color accents feel most at home.
In the Pacific Northwest, several bloggers use pleasant neutral schemes that might inspire you. Janelle from Isabella & Max and Emily from Jones Design Studio both use deep gray walls effectively in their homes. I recently asked Emily about her palette and she shared this explanation, which I’m using with her permission:
“First, I just love neutrals. They are calming, easy on the eyes and neutral—which means you can be fickle about changing accessories and still have them look good. Our walls and major furnishings are all shades of white, gray or black and I like being able to add red at Christmastime, green in the spring or yellow in the summer in the form of pillows, books and flowers and still have everything look cohesive. Because it can get gray and dreary in the NW, we have lots of white to keep things bright.”
I agree—neutral walls give you freedom to experiment with color accents whenever you like.
I also enjoy design quizzes that help pinpoint palettes you might love. One fun example is the My Colortopia quiz, which suggests custom color palettes based on your answers. If you try the quiz, it can offer new ideas for accent colors or an entire scheme for a room.
PAINT PALETTE QUIZ
How about you? Did a color quiz offer a palette you like?
Are you adventurous or cautious when choosing colors for your home?
I have partnered on projects with paint brands in the past, but the opinions and color choices I share are my own.