If you’re after gentle, tranquil neutral paint colors to consider for your walls, trim, cabinets, furniture, doors or windows, maybe this will help. We’ll explore a range of calm hues in this photo gallery of zen neutral colors for interiors and exteriors to inspire.
Zen Neutral Colors to Sample Now!
Benjamin Moore Cape May Cobblestone 1474
When I researched the topic of designer picks for tranquil paint colors, this paint color from Benjamin Moore kept popping up: CAPE MAY COBBLESTONE.
“This classic, elegant gray confers a sense of spaciousness that makes it ideal for small bedrooms and areas like hallways and mudrooms.
It seems like a popular choice for painted furniture like bookshelves:
Different lighting, photography editing, filters, and time of day affect how a color conveys in photos. Notice above and below.
Benjamin Moore defines this cool, tranquil neutral color as understatedly elegant and endlessly versatile. Its light reflectance value of 40.14 (LRV) means it is on the darker side of the spectrum in terms of how much light it reflects. It isn’t going to reflect as much light as my favorite Sherwin-Williams Respose Gray (LRV:58) and is similar to BM Stone Harbor, Fieldstone, and Gray Huskie.
Farrow & Ball Wimborne White
WIMBORNE WHITE…Farrow & Ball. This just off white is named after the market town of Wimborne in Dorset and home to Farrow & Ball.
Only a shade away from a pure white, the addition of the smallest amount of warm yellow pigment creates a very versatile shade which is just a little softer than All White.
Farrow & Ball: Ball Green No. 75
BALL GREEN…Farrow & Ball is a muted green and a tribute to Richard Ball, the paint pioneer who first founded F&B in Dorset, England with John Farrow.
It is an old distemper colour with a more sober, established feel than fresh Cooking Apple Green. It has a magical quality of appearing almost silver in candlelight, so is great for use in dining rooms.
Farrow & Ball Stony Ground No. 211
STONY GROUND…Farrow & Ball. This strong neutral is one of their most popular wallpaper background colours, so they couldn’t resist adding it to a collection of richly pigmented paints.
A classic stone colour, Stony Ground has a slight underlying red which adds warmth and creates a soft beige finish. It pairs incredibly well with the lighter
Shaded White or stronger Mouse’s Back for a quietly cohesive scheme.
Benjamin Moore Alaskan Husky 1479
ALASKAN HUSKY 1479…is part of the Classic Color Collection. These timeless, elegant, Classic Colors guarantee beautiful, usable color all the time, every time.
This light, cool gray with a sense of calm and ease has a light reflectance of 66.52.
It is going to reflect a lot more light than Cape May Cobblestone (explored above), but it’s still going to provide nice contrast with white trim.
It matches colors such as Dune White and Vanilla Milkshake.
Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray
From Benjamin Moore’s historical collection, Edgecomb Gray has a LRV of 63.09 and is described as:
A go-to gray that’s timeless with a modern edge. This earthy, organic neutral is soft and stylish, creating a setting that feels distinctly personal.
EDGECOMB GRAY…sample this tranquil neutral paint color here.
Benjamin Moore Hollingsworth Green
HOLLINGSWORTH GREEN is a Benjamin Moore color is part of the Historic Color collection.
Steeped in tradition, the refined, elegant colors of the Historical Collection deliver timeless color that can be used in traditional as well as contemporary spaces.
Unveiled in 1976 to celebrate the US bicentennial, a collection of 191 colors inspired by America’s historic landmarks.
Benjamin Moore Glass Slipper
GLASS SLIPPER with its LRV of 70.2 is a pale powder blue.
If just the mention of “powder blue” makes you nervous, join the club.
Light blues can be so tricky, and for any blue paint color I prefer looking through gray swatches with blue undertones.
However, plenty of designers love Glass Slipper for an elegant option that feels tranquil and cool.
Sherwin-Williams Alabaster 7008
Such a great creamy white for a bedroom!
Sherwin Williams says, “When you want the brightness of a white without sacrificing a warm coziness, try this soft, warm but balanced white. And turn up the peaceful.”
Like BM White Dove, Alabaster is wildly popular for cabinetry, ceilings, trim, windows, doors, and walls.
Bear in mind that it is going to look much different in natural light when it is warmed by sunlight.
That’s why it is so important to sample at least three whites in an interior or exterior space to see the interplay with light and your unique exposure.
Benjamin Moore Collingwood OC-28
If a widely appealing shade of gray with lightly cool undertones sounds serene and calm, you’ll probably love BM Collingwood.
The LRV of 61.52 means more than half of the light will be reflected back when it is illuminated by a light source.
Putty colors may come in and out of fashion in terms of trending paint colors or momentary marketing campaigns, but no need to worry about trends when you’re seeking a neutral shade that works with the other elements in a space.
There aren’t rules for such matters, and neutral tones appeal to a broad number of people so they are smart choice in terms of resale, and you will probably not grow tired of them as quickly as more saturated non-neutrals.
Benjamin Moore White Dove OC-17
BM White Dove is an off white with a LRV (light reflectance value) of 83.16. That is such a sweet spot for white paints!
Who can say why this color delivers such a calm feel. I suppose it has to do with the balance of undertones and its ability to not change too much throughout the day as lighting conditions change.
So if you’re seeking a safe white color for kitchen cabinets where you’re after a serene mood, this may be your hue!
White Dove is also a wildly popular color for tranquil house exteriors:
It is surprising how many folks choose BM White Dove for painted brick:
Easiest way to see if a color is right? Order samples to be delivered to your door with Samplize (a peel and stick sheet of “paint” to stick on your wall and easily move around to other walls!).
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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