December 18, 2022
11 Best WHOLE HOUSE Paint Colors
Picking the best WHOLE-HOUSE paint colors is slightly different than picking paint colors for a room. Well, yes! Here’s where you need to think about the cohesiveness of different spaces and bind all of them together. I am talking about all the common walls of your home, the hallways, living and dining room, kitchen, and entryways. If you have an open concept plan, this guide is a must for you!
Consistency is an important factor when picking the paint colors for the whole house. Just imagine what a clown house it would be if you painted the hallways in blue, the kitchen in yellow, and the living room in red, right? Hence, it’s important that you choose a SINGLE paint color for the whole house and further pick accents to go in the bedroom, bathroom, and other spaces. This will not just make your home look sophisticated and classy but also united and connected. Here are a few questions that I regularly receive from homeowners and my E-Design clients!
Is It Better to Paint the Whole House One Color?
I would say no! You shouldn’t paint your whole house in one color. Well, in my books, that would be too monotonous. Rather, I’d recommend that you choose a SINGLE paint color for the common walls of your home, living and dining room walls, kitchen walls, hallway, and entryway.
For the bedrooms, bathrooms, home office, kids’ room, and laundry – it’s not a bad idea to infuse accents with the help of paint colors. Your whole house paint scheme must also include wallpapers, accent walls, wainscotting, wall paneling, and accent cabinetry or built-ins.
What Color is Best for the Whole House?
A fail-proof solution to the whole house paint scheme is neutrals, whites, and off-whites. So, if you’re looking to play safe, choose subtle, lighter colors with minimal sneaky undertones. Yes, picking true neutrals that don’t possess a dominant undertone will take you and your home a long way!
I like to pick true grays or cool whites for the cool-toned homes and warmer neutrals and warmer whites for warm-toned homes. I must say that it also depends upon your personality and design style. You wouldn’t want to end up choosing a cool gray paint color for the walls when you clearly want a warm-toned Farmhouse appeal, right?
What Wall Color Goes with Everything?
White and off-white wall paint colors can go with everything! Whether you have a flair for cool-toned or warm-toned palette, the white paint colors will always play an efficient base in making it easier to pick the best accents, accessories, and materials. I’d recommend that you stay away from blues and greens for the full house paint scheme!
On the other hand, beige, gray, and greige can prove to be great whole-house paint colors if you have adequate space to let their depths sink in. These colors will definitely add more character to your space than the whites! However, whites are universally accepted so when in confusion, you know what wall color goes with everything!
What Color Should I Not Paint my House?
When choosing the paint colors for the whole house, ensure to avoid bold and dark colors and paint colors with considerable undertones. Here’s a list of paint colors that you must stay away from –
- Blue-Gray
- Green-Gray
- Warm off-whites with yellow, orange, or pink undertones
- Cool off-whites with blue, green, or purple undertones
- Yellow
These colors simply don’t work as ‘whole house’ interior paint colors and you must avoid them under all circumstances.
How to Choose the Best Paint Colors for the Whole House? The Checklist.
Choosing the best WHOLE-HOUSE paint colors may sound daunting. But if you have the checklist in hand, it can be a fun task! Well, there are a few considerations to keep in mind when picking the whole house interior paint colors. Just remember to check them off as you keep finalizing the paint swatches.
Warm or Cool Tone
Are you intrigued by the warmer or cooler tones? Is it the warm beige that appeals to you or the cool grays? Well, take a look around and consider the existing architectural features of the space. And I meant the immovable features such as flooring, exposed beams, cabinets, and major furniture pieces. If they’re warm-toned – choose a warm-toned color palette with beiges, taupes, warm whites, and greiges.
On the other hand, if your WHOLE house showcases the immense use of blues, greens, and icy grays – you know that you need a cool-toned palette. Pick a paint color that flows with your home and complements the existing architectural features.
Vibe of your House
So, what mood do you want for your house? Do you like it cozy and warm or breezy and cool? Well, it depends majorly on the ‘WHOLE HOUSE’ paint color scheme that runs across the common areas and hallways. Also, it’s time that you consider the local climatic conditions of your region. (This is one aspect that I truly love to consider)
Residing in the colder, northern regions? Well, it’s never a bad idea to incorporate beiges and greiges to make your home feel WARMER and welcoming. Simultaneously, look for lighter grays if it’s usually a hundred degrees outside!
Consider the Natural Light
How much natural light do you receive in the house? Well, do you have a well-lit home with ample windows or is it slightly dark and dingy? Well, this aspect is definitely a must to consider! Generally, darker spaces work best with lighter and airier colors like whites and creams. Hence, consider the light reflectance value to be greater than 78.
If you have a well-lit home, you can definitely experiment with paint colors that have considerable depth. For instance, I’d recommend greige, beige, gray, and taupe for the whole house paint scheme here. Here, consider the light reflectance value to be greater than 60!
Samplize with Samplize
Now that you’re aware of what’s going to best work in your space – it’s time to perform the last check. Yes! Samplize with Samplize. You must know that the paint colors may look different in different lighting conditions. So, you must always experiment with these swatches in different rooms in different lighting conditions to know their true hue. Observe these swatches at different times of the day so you know what works best!
11 Best Sherwin Williams WHOLE HOUSE Paint Colors
Well, I don’t want to keep you waiting on my top picks for whole-house paint colors by Sherwin Williams. Here’s a list of the 11 best paint colors for the entire house to have an eye on!
- Sherwin Williams Alabaster
- Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray
- Sherwin Williams Repose Gray
- Sherwin Williams Shoji White
- Sherwin Williams Eider White
- Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige
- Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray
- Sherwin Williams Canvas Tan
- Sherwin Williams Crushed Ice
- Sherwin Williams Pure White
- Sherwin Williams Drift of Mist
Now, let’s have a detailed discussion of these whole house paint color ideas and how to incorporate them into your home. I have also attached real-time examples for you to take inspiration from.
Sherwin Williams Alabaster
Sherwin Williams Alabaster is a warm and soft off-white paint color that you’ll never regret! Use this color to paint the whole house and make it feel welcoming, calming, and soothing. It perfectly vibes with warm woods, dark or light hardwood floors, and exposed beams. Especially for modern farmhouse design style, this off-white whole-house paint will prove to be quite versatile, sophisticated, and timeless.
If you have square footage restrictions or little incoming natural light (mainly, a dull or dingy space) – this color is bound to brighten it up! Yes, Alabaster has an LRV of 82. You must pair this color with SW High Reflectance White on the trims, moldings, and ceiling for a complete look.
Click here to get a 12” x 12” peel-and-stick sample of Sherwin Williams Alabaster
Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray
One of the best paint colors for the whole house, Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray is a mid-tone greige (gray+beige) paint color. This popular Sherwin Williams paint is being admired by most homeowners and builders – for obvious reasons. This warm-toned color is a perfect blend of beige and gray to offer the best of both worlds. It’s timeless, versatile, and can easily blend into any design style and decor.
It’s neither too dark nor too light – with an LRV of 60 which stands on the medium to the lighter end of the scale. You must pair this color with SW Pure White for the ceiling and trims and SW Tricorn Black on the window frames and doors for the best result. With this best whole house paint color, ensure there’s sufficient natural light entering the spaces.
Click here to get a 12” x 12” peel-and-stick sample of Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray
Sherwin Williams Repose Gray
Sherwin Williams Repose Gray is one of the best neutral paint colors for the whole house. It’s a ‘perfect’ tone of gray that’s neither too icy nor too warm and has a sense of subtleness and softness to it. This light to medium-toned gray paint color is not too heavy to overwhelm your home and neither too light to wash off the undertones. Yes, it has an LRV of 58. You must avoid this color in tiny homes!
Especially for farmhouse, rustic, or transitional design styles – this whole house paint color plays a phenomenal role. It pairs beautifully with SW Pure White on the ceiling, trims, and moldings and SW Iron Ore/SW Tricorn Black on the window frames. You must use this color in your home if it receives a considerable amount of natural light throughout the day! Moreover, note that it may look gray in the north-facing spaces and greige in the south-facing spaces.
Click here to get a 12” x 12” peel-and-stick sample of Sherwin Williams Repose Gray
Sherwin Williams Shoji White
Sherwin Williams Shoji White is a true warm and creamy off-white whole house paint color that doesn’t showcase any sneaky undertones. If you’re confused between greige and cream – this paint color will be a great fit for you. Don’t worry about the pink, yellow, green, or blue undertones because they wouldn’t show up! I have closely worked with one of my E-Design clients on SW Shoji White and we’ve absolutely loved the feel of it!
This warm off-white color will make your spaces feel calmer, lighter, and airier. So, if you’re stuck with little natural light or a tiny hallway space – this whole house interior paint color will prove to be bliss! Yes, it has an LRV of 74. Also, you must pair it with SW High Reflectance White on the ceiling, trims, and moldings and SW Iron Ore on the window frames for better results.
Click here to get a 12” x 12” peel-and-stick sample of Sherwin Williams Shoji White
Click here to check out my latest PREPACKAGED Sherwin Williams Shoji White Color Palette for the WHOLE HOUSE
Sherwin Williams Eider White
Sherwin Williams Eider White is an off-white paint color with deep gray undertones. It’s a very light gray color that sufficiently makes your space feel cool and calm with a touch of crispness to it. With an LRV of 73, this best neutral paint color for the whole house tends to perfectly compliment the dark hardwood floors and clean white trims. Note that this color may have some pink undertones – so, don’t forget to try a swatch in various lighting conditions in various directions of your home.
For the ceiling, trims, and moldings – I’d recommend that you choose SW Pure White for a subtle look. Even though the color falls on the lighter to medium end of the LRV scale, it’s highly recommended that you avoid the color in very small or dull spaces. It tends to ‘not’ brighten the space as efficiently as SW Alabaster.
Click here to get a 12” x 12” peel-and-stick sample of Sherwin Williams Eider White
Click here to check out my latest PREPACKAGED Sherwin Williams Eider White Color Palette for the WHOLE HOUSE
Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige
Sherwin Williams is a warm and balanced beige neutral paint color with deep gray undertones to make it calm and subtle. This is a super popular whole house paint color that builders and homeowners are obsessed with – especially in the modern farmhouse, traditional, and French Country interior design styles. This whole house color scheme is warm and welcoming and may look dingy in smaller spaces. So, ensure that your home has higher ceilings, ample incoming natural light and windows to make this color fresh and rejuvenating.
The LRV of Accessible Beige is 58 – which means the color holds pigment and can add depth to the walls. Even with ample natural light, the undertones wouldn’t get washed away, but rather hold the depth at all times. This color is more beige than gray – hence, the more light you give to the color, the more ‘beige’ it appears. Lastly, ensure to pair SW Pure White on the ceiling, trims, and moldings with this color.
Click here to get a 12” x 12” peel-and-stick sample of Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige
Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray
Looking for a whole house neutral color palette? Well, you must commence with Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray. This stony and muddy gray paint color can make a great statement on all the common walls of your home with a touch of serenity and warmth. It has a perfect balance of beige and gray to create a muted and subdued vibe in the entire house. You must pair this color with SW Pure White on the ceiling, trims, and moldings.
This color feels more neutral and doesn’t showcase any green or taupe undertones. Hence, a fail-proof neutral to have an eye on! Moreover, this color has an LRV of 53 which falls on the medium end of the scale. So, avoid this color in tiny hallways and common rooms since it can end up making the space feel dull and dingy. For larger homes with open-concept layouts, this color is a great way to add depth!
Click here to get a 12” x 12” peel-and-stick sample of Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray
Click here to check out my latest PREPACKAGED Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray Color Palette for the WHOLE HOUSE
Sherwin Williams Canvas Tan
The whole house paint colors must not have any obvious undertones. And Sherwin Williams Canvas Tan is one such classic example! This is a true tan paint color that can brighten any space and make the space feel warmer, cozier, and calmer. With an LRV of 64, this whole house neutral color falls on the medium to the lighter end of the scale.
Remember to pair this color with SW Pure White on the ceiling, trims, and moldings for a subtle look. Moreover, this Sherwin Williams whole house color scheme works wonderfully in French Country, modern farmhouse, traditional, and Coastal design styles. Note that in the south-facing rooms, this color can potentially showcase a warm yellow-golden undertone.
Click here to get a 12” x 12” peel-and-stick sample of Sherwin Williams Canvas Tan
Sherwin Williams Crushed Ice
When choosing the best home painting colors for a cool-toned palette, the foremost recommendation is Sherwin Williams Crushed Ice. This is a cool gray paint color but definitely not icy to exhibit crisp vibes in the home. With just a touch of warmth, Crushed Ice offers the best of both worlds – the timeless feel of gray and an everlasting refreshing vibe.
This best interior house paint color has an LRV of 66 – hence, falling on the medium to the lighter end of the scale. You can surely use it for medium or larger-sized homes! And lastly, note that the color has a sneaky green undertone which isn’t very dominant but can flaunt under certain lighting conditions. I’d recommend pairing the color with SW Pure White on the ceiling, trims, and moldings!
Click here to get a 12” x 12” peel-and-stick sample of Sherwin Williams Crushed Ice
Sherwin Williams Pure White
Sherwin Williams Pure White is my top pick for the whole house paint colors for any design style, color palette, and size of the house. This is a bright white paint color with a tinge of warmth to make it look calm and subtle and not very stark. This color works wonderfully on the trim, moldings, and ceiling – and can end up making your space feel as fresh and bright as ever. This lovely soft white color can also make the small hallways and common spaces look airier and brighter!
With an LRV of 84, this Sherwin Williams whole house color palette can work with any accents that you want. Oh yes, think of adding color to the accent walls, cabinets, and vanity for an utmost enchanting appeal.
Click here to get a 12” x 12” peel-and-stick sample of Sherwin Williams Pure White
Sherwin Williams Drift of Mist
Sherwin Williams Drift of Mist is a calming greige paint color that fosters a sense of serenity and balance. It looks creamy and falls on the warmer end of the scale – but definitely not too warm to overwhelm your house! Yes, you’re going to love it in the entire house but note that the color may showcase the green undertone under various lighting conditions. Although, it’s not very dominant!
You might want to read my color review on Sherwin Williams Drift of Mist here!
This color pairs beautifully with SW Pure White on the ceiling, trims, and moldings. Moreover, it may look slightly gray in the north-facing rooms and beige/greige in the south-facing rooms. Don’t forget to check the ‘Samplize with Samplize’ on the checklist!
Click here to get a 12” x 12” peel-and-stick sample of Sherwin Williams Drift of Mist
Conclusion – Whole House Paint Colors
Now here’s a disclaimer for all you readers! It’s important that you don’t restrict yourself to the above-mentioned paint colors on every corner of your house. Yes, these colors are specific only to the common walls and common areas but not the personal spaces. For instance, don’t hold back from adding the pop of hues as accents on the vanity, shelves, cabinets, and focal walls of your bedrooms and other rooms.
These neutral whole-house color palette schemes are to bind all the other accent colors and materials in place to make your home feel versatile, connected, and timeless. So, are you particularly intrigued by any above-mentioned paint colors? Well, do let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
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[…] Sherwin Williams Canvas Tan is an off-white color with deep creamy beige undertones. Some people like to call this color a beige or tan – but in my books, it’s clearly an off-white color with ‘notable’ tan or beige undertones. When observed closely, this lightest beige paint can also showcase a tinge of yellow in a room with excessive warm natural light. This color has an LRV of 64 – and can definitely be used as a Whole House Color Palette! […]
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[…] use of this warmer color. This Alabaster white color is also definitely to go in the case of a ‘whole house scheme’! Don’t worry – we will discuss it slightly later in the […]
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[…] One of my favorite Sherwin Williams’ off-white colors, Snowbound is a neutral, cool-toned white color that pairs beautifully with grays and blues. When placed opposite other Sherwin Williams warm white paint colors, you’d observe the ‘cool’ and crispness of this color. On the other hand, this Sherwin Williams white is not too ‘icy’ cool with any notable gray or blue undertones – hence, can also be used as a WHOLE House color scheme. […]
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[…] With a subtle touch of creaminess, this warm off-white paint color can truly do wonders as a “whole house color scheme” or even living and […]
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[…] wouldn’t recommend choosing these blue green colors as a whole house color scheme because it can feel monotonous in the long […]
[…] If you have a blend of both warm and cool in your space (whether in the form of existing architectural elements or existing furnishings), it’s generally best to pick this grayish paint color. This paint color is also a great option for WHOLE HOUSE paint colors! […]