Sherwin Williams Balanced Beige: Undertones, LRV, & Real-Home Results
By Kylie
September 14, 2024
Sherwin Williams Balanced Beige is a light-medium, warm beige paint color. It works well on interior walls, especially in whole homes and open-concept spaces.
Like many beige paint colors, Balanced Beige can look different depending on lighting and surrounding finishes.
However, if you’re looking for a beige with a bit more meat on its bones, Balanced Beige has you covered. This and super subtle undertones are just a few reasons why Balanced Beige might be your new best friend, as it bridges the gap between icy, cool colors and overly golden, warm colors. It’s also WAY beyond your standard builder beige.
Let’s find out why…
WHAT TYPE OF COLOR IS BALANCED BEIGE?
Balanced Beige is a beige, which means it’s a warm paint color. However, it’s atypical as it doesn’t have the usual golden undertone that can be found in some of the more popular, older beige paint colors. In fact, it leans slightly into gray, but this doesn’t make it a taupe or a greige—it’s definitely beige.
If you have north-facing light, you may find Balanced Beige leaning a bit more into that subtle gray, while still holding a soft, passive warmth, which can be a nice balance to cooler northern or afternoon eastern light. However, with south-facing or afternoon western light, Balanced Beige will be in its full glory, leaning that wink warmer without going TOASTY warm.
North, East, South, West – Which Paint Color is the Best?
WHAT’S THE LRV OF BALANCED BEIGE?
Balanced Beige has an LRV of 46. This puts it on the light-medium end of things—not as fresh and bright as its lighter version, Accessible Beige, but also not heavily weighed down or as dark as its cousin, Tony Taupe.
With this kind of depth and gray backdrop, Balanced Beige can look a bit heavy in a low-light room, especially if that room also has northern light. Balanced Beige is at its best in reasonably well-lit rooms.
Not sure what LRV is? It could save your paint-lovin’ life – read all about it HERE.
WHAT ARE BALANCED BEIGE’S UNDERTONES?
Balanced Beige can have very passive undertones. Most definitely, a bit of gray, but on the odd occasion, you might see Balanced Beige pick up a flash or green or pink. It’s not super inclined either way, but being so non-committal, it’s super subjective to its environment. For example, putting it with finishes that need a pink undertone could seem a bit too green ‘in comparison.’ On the other hand, if you have finishes that cater to green, it might seem a bit too taupe!
While this makes Balanced Beige flexible, it can also be a bit unpredictable, which is why sampling is SO IMPORTANT!
Paint sampling just got a whole lot easier…
Get your Peel & Stick sample of Balanced Beige HERE!
WHAT’S THE BEST WHITE TRIM COLOR WITH BALANCED BEIGE?
Balanced Beige is reasonably easy to please as long as your trim isn’t overly yellow. Here are a few of my favorites!
- Sherwin Williams Pure White
- Benjamin Moore White Dove
- Sherwin Williams Alabaster, although the first two are the best
Balanced Beige also looks gorgeous with darker wood trim…
SHOULD I Paint My Wood Cabinets White? A QUESTIONNAIRE
The 4 Best White Paint Colors from Sherwin Williams
IS BALANCED BEIGE A GOOD EXTERIOR PAINT COLOR?
If you want a warm paint color that isn’t traditionally golden, Balanced Beige could work well on the exterior of your home. It suits a wide variety of brick and roof colors but doesn’t suit as many stone surfaces. Sample and compare it with similar shades to see which works best with your finishes.
Notice how different Balanced Beige looks depending on your type and amount of natural light (above and below).
5 Tips for Choosing an Exterior Paint Color
WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO BALANCED BEIGE?
There are a ton of paint colors I like to compare with Balanced Beige. But to narrow it down to my favorites, hmmm…
- Benjamin Moore Stone Hearth
- Benjamin Moore Smokey Taupe
- Sherwin Williams Shittake & Loggia
- Even better, compare it to my TOP SHADES OF BEIGE
WHAT COLORS GO WITH BALANCED BEIGE?
- Balanced Beige doesn’t like to be partnered with gray or greige paint colors that are lighter than it (so LRV higher than 46)
- Balanced Beige LOVES earth tones as long as they have a solid neutral base to calm them down (Sherwin Williams Argos and Sherwin Williams Dovetail)
- Balanced Beige looks especially nice with cooler colors, such as Sherwin Williams Gray Matters, Magnetic Gray, and many more. But remember, just because a color suits Balanced Beige, doesn’t mean it will suit the room it’s going in and its exposures, so be sure to do your research!
- If you love medium to dark shades of green, you and Balanced Beige have something in common!
The Best Gray and Greige Paint Colors from Sherwin Williams
READ MORE
The Best Medium, Stone-Inspired Beige, Taupe, & Greige Paint Colors
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Shittake & Loggia
The Best Paint Colors for Cream Kitchen Cabinets & Trim
Paint Color Review – Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige
Paint Color Review – Sherwin Williams Anew Gray
Not sure which paint color is best for YOUR home?
Check out my Online Paint Color Consulting – I’d love to help!
ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2021, UPDATED IN 2024!
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Meet Kylie
Do you need help, but aren’t quite sure what ‘help’ looks like? Are you drowning in paint samples and decision fatigue?
Does every color you like at the paint store look terrible in your lighting or pick up a funky undertone? I’d love to help.
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For over 24 years I’ve helped 12,000+ homeowners and renters make more confident decisions on paint colors and affordable home updates using real home examples and practical, experience-based advice. My goal is simple: help you love the home you have.
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Homeowner’s Guide: White Kitchen Cabinets
This isn’t another ’10 Best Cabinet Colors’ list, because there is no SINGLE best white for every home and every kitchen.
Learn how to choose a white cabinet paint color that works with your countertops, backsplash, flooring, trim, lighting, and home—so you can rule out the wrong whites, sample fewer colors, and choose with confidence.
158-page PDF – Instant Download
$34.95Accent Colors – And How to Use Them
This isn’t about plastering your home in the ‘Color of the Year’ or following the latest trends (unless you really want to).
It’s about finding accent colors that work with YOUR home, YOUR style, and YOUR comfort level.
Because the best accent color isn’t one you love on a paint chip, it’s one that makes everything around it look better.
118-Page PDF – Instant Download
$34.95
Homeowner’s Guide: Exterior Paint Colors
Painting your home’s exterior is a BIG investment and choosing a color based on a tiny paint chip, a trend or the house down the street can be an expensive mistake.
Learn how to look at YOUR roof, YOUR windows, YOUR brick (or stone) and YOUR home as a whole so you can understand what colors make sense.
The goal? Less guessing, fewer samples and a lot more confidence before gallons of paint go on your home.
206-page PDF – Digital Download
$44.95Exterior Trim Paint Colors
This isn’t a list of ‘the best trim colors’, although you’ll get a ton of links to great shades!
You’ll learn how to look at your home and understand whether it needs contrast, repetition, connection, or a little visual peacekeeping to pull it all together.
Because trim might seem like a small detail…but spread it around all four sides of your home on multiple surfaces and it suddenly has a pretty big job.
118-page PDF – Instant Download
$24.95
Comments
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Kylie, thankyou.You are incrediable, informative and awesome.Witty as all get out.If i ever get to meet you, Id be shaking🙈🙊🙉😄😁
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Oh Kim, I love you ;). Thank you for this comment, I hope we get to meet someday – and don’t worry, I’ll be blushing!
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Could you tell me your thoughts on pairing this with a mid toned stained wood trim that leans ever so lightly into red/orange undertones?
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Hi Rachel! It could depend on how strong it is. My first thought wasn’t NO, it was just wondering if it will seem a bit taupeish in comparison?
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I would so much love an opinion on this one. Balanced beige or perfect greige in this very sunny family room with red oriental, cherry trim and oak flooring.
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Oooo, from the sounds of this I would lean into Perfect Greige 🙂
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My home has Alabaster walls with Utterly Beige trim and doors, which I liked until I recently replaced the flooring with a very warm pecan hardwood. The Utterly Beige is much too pink. Would Balanced Beige be a better choice?
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Hi! Without seeing your space it’s hard to say, but Balanced Beige is a FAAAR more livable color with Alabaster 🙂
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What is best carpet color to go with warm gray walls?
We painted our family room with accessible beige on top balanced beige on bottom. Top looks yellow blah. We like the balanced beige but not sure if we should do both up and down. The room looks similar to the picture with chair rail. Ours is same tone of wood. It has a lot oh windows and faces southwest. What are the colors used in that room. Thanks for your help. Also I have left several comments trying to reach you because I bought you e book but can’t get back in to review it. It won’t take my password or allow to reset. It comes up 520 or 502 error on your end. Thanks
What color hardwood floors go best with Sherwin-Williams balanced beige walls
Thx
What trim color would you recommend with Balanced Beige – Sherwin Williams Pure White, Alabaster, and/or High Reflective White
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Oooo, it would have to be Pure White for me!
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I am struggling trying to find a light tan brown color for the exterior of our home. I have read every article you have written. We live in AZ. We currently have Utterly Beige which was on the home when purchased. We don’t care for this color at all. I have ordered Dhurrie Beige, Shitake, Gravelstone, Accessible, Wool Skein and the list goes on and on. Seems like every one looks to have a yellow undertone. Looking for an LRV of about 50 give or take with a neutral undertone. Could you please suggest options?
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Hi Kylie! We did a color consultation with you for our kitchen about 3 years ago and just wanted you to know how much we love it!!! We should have done it sooner but I kept changing my mind about painting our wood cabinets and then it took several months to convince my husband. You gave us many great suggestions and we decided on White Dove. Our walls were already painted something similar to Balanced beige. It turned out great and we got a new floor last year so it feels like a new kitchen. Thanks again! I like the suggestion of adding dark gray and this may help our all beige family room next to the kitchen.
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Oh Liz, i’m JUST catching up on my comments – THANK you for this, I’m so glad you’re happy! Of course, I would LOVE to see photos ;).
I painted our home inside balanced beige. I love it!! Having a hard time picking a wood floor color . Any suggestions 🤔
We are painting our kitchen Balanced Beige, what color do you suggest for cabinets? We want to go light
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It actually matters less what suits Balanced Beige and WAY MORE what suits your backsplash and countertop, specifically. I could throw colors at you that look good with Balanced Beige, but there’s no saying they’ll suit your main hard finishes!
While searching for new exterior paint I found a sample of Balanced Beige next to Evergreen Fog. All the posts I see about Evergreen Fog mention pairing with Accessibile Beige – so it’s causing me pause pairing the two. What are your thoughts on this? Thinking of doing Shoji White trim and a pretty Blustery Sky or Refuge blue door. 🤔
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Hey Jami, I LOVE this and wouldn’t worry about it, as long as you’re going for a moodier room. As for trim, I’d stay away from Shoji White as it’s a tricky off-white that isn’t best for trim, and not with Balanced Beige. If you REALLY want off-white trim, hit Aesthetic White, but otherwise, I’d head into SW Pure White for long term flexiblity, should you want to change your wall colors down the road!
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Awesome! Thanks so much for your response. This is my first big project without a wingman to bounce ideas and thoughts off of. I’m doing it though!
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I am thinking of using balanced beige on the siding of my modern architecture home I’m building. I will have stucco next to it. What would be a good complimentary color for the stucco? The window frames are black. thank you.
Hi Kylie,
My open floor family room is balanced beige with med stained oak trim and dark walnut floors lit by french doors and windows facing north so the room is a bit darker even with sky lights. I want to paint an armoire in the room a shade of green, I love the moody shade of Vintage Vogue BM but am worried it will be too dark. What are your thoughts or alternate green options? Thanks!
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Hey Susan, it’s SO hard to say without seeing your home, and I’m a HUUUUGE fan of dark colors. One thing to note is that the sheen of cabinet paint, often satin, can make a color look a bit lighter than you might expect. Of the top of my head, Vintage Vogue doesn’t make me at all nervous (it’s VERY similar to SW Pewter Green, which is HUGELY popular, too).
Hello Kylie, I am torn between amazing gray and balanced beige for my open concept kitchen and living room with pure white cabinets. I have the east sun, the amazing gray is looking a little blue on some walls and the balanced beige has a bit of a pink tone. I really like the balanced beige, but I want a bit of a grayer tint. Any suggestions would be amazing!
I have sw balanced beige as my wall color. I’m having a hard time choosing a floor color. I would like to go lighter on floor color because my furniture is medium color to honey oak. Any suggestions? Thank you
Hello really could use some help. I been going crazy with Tony taupe but really really Looking for some help on a colors for a room. I’m not sure if Tony taupe maybe not the right color and mixture. Thx
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Hi! It sounds like you might need my Online Consulting? It’s hard to know without seeing photos! https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/hire-kylie/
Having a hard time picking a color for my basement bathroom. It about 7×12 with travertine floor and shower. The tile has allot of colors in it. Also have oak trim. I have tried Shoji White and is way to light I thought Accessible grey but seems to have to show green undertones. I thought maybe Balanced Beige but that may be to dark or to much taupe. There is allot artificial light. any suggestions
Would Balance Beige be a good accent color on a south wall with Benjamin Moore Ballet White being on the other three walls? There are two windows one on the east wall and one on the south wall, but they are shaded by a wraparound porch. Thank you so much, Kim
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Hmmm, it’s not my favorite combo, as Ballet White reads more creamy against Balanced Beige’s type of ‘beige’ warmth 😉
I have my whole house painted BM Edgecomb Grey with White Dove trim and was thinking of painting the one wall where my fireplace is SW Balanced Beige, to create some interest or personality. The mantle is stained a very dark brown color, with light colored tile surrounding the fire box. What are your thoughts on this pairing of Edgecomb Grey and Balanced Beige? Thanks!
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Mmmm, I’m not a huge fan of Edgecomb Gray with Balanced Beige. Take a look at something like BM Pashimna and see how that feels :). SW Amazing Gray is lovely, too.
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