4 Beautiful Benjamin Moore Warm Neutral Paint Colours

The Top 4 Warm Neutral Paint Colours

With the gray trend on the downward slope, I’m not surprised to see many of my Online Paint Color Consulting clients asking for warm colors.

But warm neutrals can be tricky as the undertones aren’t always noticeable at first glance. Sometimes it’s not until you get your walls painted that you discover your neutral…ain’t so neutral!

WHAT ROOMS ARE WARM NEUTRALS GOOD FOR?

While the right warm neutral can suit almost ANY room, some spaces benefit more from warm shades.

NORTH-FACING ROOMS

Warm neutrals can help balance out the visual temperature of a cool, north-facing room, and some can work well for particularly dark and heavy rooms.

Shown above, BM Standish White

However, keep in mind that north-facing rooms have a cool, gray-blue natural light that can react with warm tones with a lot of yellow. When mixed, this can sometimes create a vague green (which is why your warm neutral should be well-balanced regarding its undertones).

ROOMS WITH OAK CABINETS OR FLOORS (or really any warm-toned wood)  

If you are looking to blend in your wood rather than accent it, warm neutrals can be a great choice. Cool colors will accent and highlight wood finishes.

ROOMS WITH TRAVERTINE TILE

Travertine tile was a popular finish in the early 2000s. And while some beiges are too heavy to be modern, there’s a whole new world of beiges that can update the look of travertine tile.

ROOMS WITH A LOT OF GREENERY OUTSIDE

If you have excessive greenery that reflects green into your space, warm neutrals can help to balance the visual temperature but keep in mind; your walls can reflect some of that green back!

And here they are…

1. BENJAMIN MOORE LENOX TAN HC 44

Lenox Tan is a warm neutral that I refer to often in my Online Paint Colour Consulting. Its visual weight and warmth seem to work well in so many rooms – light, dark, big, and small; it just depends on the look you’re going for!

The lighting has enhanced the yellow in Lenox Tan, in most rooms, it will not be this yellow

A bit more about Lenox Tan

• It’s beautiful with most wood tones
• With an LRV of 43, it’s slightly heavier than the average paint colour
• It looks good with many travertine tiles (there are only a few exceptions)
• It doesn’t look good with primary colors, pastels, and pink undertones
• Compare it to Palm Desert Tan below to see the balanced look of Lenox Tan compared to the slightly more orange undertone of PDT

Read more:  The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Paint Colours with LRV

2. BENJAMIN MOORE MONROE BISQUE HC 26

Monroe Bisque is a warm beige with a subtle yellow undertone. It is a pretty typical beige – or what people expect beige to look like with regard to overall colour and depth. 

A bit more about Monroe Bisque

• If you are nervous about yellow undertones, this is NOT the neutral for you. While the yellow isn’t dominant, it is definitely there.
• If you place Monroe Bisque next to blue or green, the yellow undertone will show up a bit more. This can also happen in a north-facing room.
• Monroe Bisque is NOT happy when placed near orange or pink colors
• Monroe Bisque will EASILY pick up green from exterior landscaping/trees and can sometimes lean slightly into a green undertone all on its own
• With an LRV of 59, Monroe Bisque is a light depth colour but kind of a ‘heavy light.’

Let’s take a quick break to talk about paint samples…

Undoubtedly, you’ll be heading out in the near future to grab paint samples – stop right there! I want you to check out SAMPLIZE. Samplize offers peel-and-stick paint samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER, and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots. Here are just a few reasons why I recommend Samplize to my clients…

• Samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1-3 business days, depending on the location.
• At $6.99, they’re more affordable than the sample pots/rollers/foam boards that are needed for traditional paint sampling.
• You can move the samples around the room if you keep them on their white paper.

Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE

3. BENJAMIN MOORE PALM DESERT TAN 1123

Palm Desert Tan has a bit more depth than the others – and I LIKE it. It has a nice blend of warm undertones, leaning more into the orange than the yellow/red.

A bit more about Palm Desert Tan 

• It’s a richer, denser beige compared to the others
• It will give you a cozier look, not a fresh warm one
• With an LRV of 43, it has depth, but not so much that it becomes brown
• Compare it to Lenox Tan to see what a golden undertone vs. an orange undertone looks like

4. BENJAMIN MOORE THOUSAND ISLAND CC 308

If you want a warmer beige WITHOUT yellow, then this one could do the trick!

Thousand Islands is a warm beige without the strong yellow you’ll find in Monroe Bisque. But keep in mind that means your undertone options are orange or red – and you’re looking at a preference for orange with this bad boy!

A bit more about Thousand Islands

• if you aren’t a fan of orange/peach, then you’ll want to avoid this colour
• if you want warm but not yellow – this could be a great option!
• Thousand Islands has an LRV of 61, so it’s right up there with Monroe Bisque as a very ‘liveable’ depth

Not sure which beige is best for you? 

Check out my Online Color Consulting and Design Services!

Chat soon,

READ MORE

Benjamin Moore 5 Best Beige and Tan Paint Colours

The 5 Best TAN Paint Colours: Benjamin and Sherwin