Update: you can find my most up-to-date colors on my Paint Colors page!
The rest of this post was written before my house was repainted.
CHOOSING PAINT COLORS
Today I want to share the paint colors I’m using as I continue the ongoing painting project in my house. Paint color questions are among the most frequent I receive, so this should help answer many of them in one place.
My original plans for the house have changed over time as I lived in the rooms and responded to how they felt. I try to stay flexible and follow what feels right. I’m sensitive to how a room FEELS, and that inner sense usually guides me to choices that reflect my true preferences.
It’s easy to be swayed by what’s popular or pretty online, but I try to choose colors that create the atmosphere I want, not just what looks trendy. Letting feeling guide decisions helps me build a home I love living in and avoids many mistakes. I aim to be true to my own taste rather than buying solely to please trends.
my mom made my curtains
Tobacco Leaf Paint by Martha Stewart
After a long search to find the right color for my family room and kitchen area, I settled on Tobacco Leaf by Martha Stewart. I love this color. It functions as a warm neutral—classy, cozy, and with a hint of brown so it avoids the minty green look that other greens had in my house.
Cool icy greens and blues felt too cold for me, so I was drawn to warmer tones that create the cozy ambience I prefer. It took many samples to find Tobacco Leaf, but the effort was worth it.
Tobacco Leaf is on my kitchen walls, breakfast room walls, family room, and the small hall outside our powder room.
Martha Stewart Snail Shell – Powder Room
Snail Shell Paint by Martha Stewart
For the small powder room off the kitchen and hall, we used Martha Stewart Snail Shell, a deep khaki green. It was a leftover sample that didn’t work elsewhere, but it landed perfectly in the powder room. I may change it later as the rest of the house evolves.
The plan is to add white tongue-and-groove wainscoting on the lower half of the powder room walls. That project might prompt a repaint if we decide a lighter color suits the updated space better. For now I’ll wait and see how the house comes together before making any changes.
Dining Room Behr All in One Studio Taupe
Behr All in One Studio Taupe Paint
For the dining room I took a chance on a warm gray: Behr All In One Studio Taupe. I love it. Although many assume gray will feel cold, this particular tone carries a warm, slightly brownish undertone that complements the natural light and landscape in the Northwest.
When a wall color works with the exterior light and scenery instead of fighting it, the room feels right. Studio Taupe contrasts nicely with white trim and furniture and doesn’t compete with my colorful stained glass; in fact, it echoes the leaded pieces that separate the glass panes.
Though it may look similar to the family room color in some photos, Studio Taupe is significantly darker and provides a harmonious flow between rooms without being identical.
What’s the next step in the painting process?
I’m extending Studio Taupe into the living room, entry, and up the staircase. I decided to continue the dining room color throughout most of the main floor so the spaces feel cohesive. One separate room will become my new office and may be painted differently.
My front rooms receive a lot of light, so Studio Taupe will read lighter there. I hope the gray with crisp white trim will lend an older, more established character to my Craftsman-style house.
I prefer warm neutrals throughout the home. It’s a formula I’ve used in every house I’ve owned because it creates a comfortable, unified backdrop. I don’t plan every color in advance; instead I choose paint at the end so it naturally complements the furnishings, trim, and light.
Walls should be a backdrop rather than the main feature. I rely on white accents, neutral basics, pops of color in accessories and painted pieces, and warm woods. I like contrast and a mix of highs, lows, and midtones rather than a monotone look.
Tobacco Leaf – Martha Stewart
You can read about how I painted that dresser and the story of my blue table in previous posts about those projects.
What about the upstairs hall and bedrooms? I haven’t decided yet. I tend to make those choices later, after living with the main floor colors.
My husband says he can handle painting even our tall walls with his ladder, so we’re ready to move forward. Thanks for following along on the painting journey!
related posts:
My favorite Antique White Paint
This post was shared as part of a paint color gathering.
Thank you to Diane from Longaberger for sponsoring this week’s posts!