Sherwin Williams Tony Taupe: Undertones, Best Uses, & Lighting
By Kylie
August 3, 2024
Is Tony Taupe Beige, Taupe or Greige? You’ll find out!
With beige making its way back into the average home, it’s time to spend some time with Tony Taupe. Whether for walls, cabinets, or exteriors, Tony is the talk of the town. Just joking. I typed that because it sounded good. Tony Taupe isn’t remotely popular, but it still might be the best color for your home. Let’s see what it’s got up its colorful little sleeves…
IS TONY TAUPE MORE BEIGE OR GRAY?
Don’t let its name fool you; Tony Taupe is a beige paint color – not gray, taupe, or greige. Being beige means it’s also a warm paint color; it’s just not as traditionally golden as some of the popular beige colors.
If you have northern or eastern light, Tony Taupe could be more muted while retaining a nice, passive warmth. It can be a bit warmer if you have southern light or warm afternoon sunshine. However, it won’t look overly golden or suffocating because it’s a more muted shade of dark beige (some might call it a light brown—I wouldn’t).
North, East, South, West – Which Paint Color is the Best?
WHAT’S THE LRV OF TONY TAUPE?
Tony Taupe has an LRV of 37, which puts it in the softer (lighter) medium-depth range. A color with this type of depth can look heavy in a room without enough natural light. Then again, some people enjoy the more moody look of Tony Taupe, no matter their lighting situation.
This depth also makes Tony Taupe a great option for exteriors (as it won’t wash out as much as lighter colors) and kitchen cabinets (for those digging the mushroom/beige look).
Not sure what LRV is? It could save your paint lovin’ life – read all about it HERE.
WHAT ARE TONY TAUPE’S UNDERTONES?
One great thing about Tony Taupe is that its undertones are less than passive—they’re virtually unnoticeable. The odd time, I’ve seen it pick up a flash of green (a weeee tiny bit), but then I’ve also seen it grab a flash to pink (as it can lean that bit taupe). If you want a noticeable taupe, you might want to shift over to something like Sherwin Williams Perfect Greige (which we’ll look at shortly).
Long story short, Tony Taupe is flexible, but if you NEED noticeable undertones, you might need a different color.
Before, the green paint color was contrasting too hard with the beautiful stone fireplace…
After, Tony Taupe offers a much SMOOTHER transition…
Thank you to my E-Design clients for sending in their photos!
Paint sampling just got a WHOLE LOT EASIER (and more fun, too!)
Get your Peel & Stick paint sample of Tony Taupe HERE!
WHAT’S THE BEST WHITE TRIM COLOR WITH TONY TAUPE?
Being a warm paint color with a bit more depth, Tony Taupe loves to be partnered with a soft, warm white paint color, something like Sherwin Williams Pure White or Benjamin Moore White Dove. Tony Taupe is also a beautiful choice with wood trim for a more subtle contrast.
The 4 Best White Paint Colors from Sherwin Williams
IS TONY TAUPE A GOOD EXTERIOR PAINT COLOR?
Tony Taupe can be awesome on an exterior as its LRV helps it not wash out as much as lighter colors can. However, expect it to lean warmer than expected, especially if your home gets hit with south-facing sun or afternoon western light.
5 Tips for Choosing an Exterior Paint Color
WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO TONY TAUPE?
Every paint color has its own particular nuances, and there will be no perfect match. When trying to mimic paint colors, you’ll see shifts in undertones, temperature, and depths. However, comparison is one of the most important parts of sampling and choosing your best paint color. Here are a few to compare with Tony.
- Benjamin Moore Indian River (also known as Ranchwood) is a great comparable if you’re looking to switch brands.
- Sherwin Williams Moth Wing is gorgeous and like a darker take on Tony Taupe.
- If Tony Taupe seems too dark, bump to Sherwin Williams Balanced Beige.
- Sherwin Williams Perfect Greige is a great option to see what a bit more taupe looks like compared to Tony Taupe. Sherwin Williams Taupe Tone is another great one.
- Sometimes a finish needs a touch more green than Tony potentially offers. Grab a sample of
By the way, I rarely recommend color matching. If you’re thinking about it, you might want to read THIS first.
WHAT COLORS GO WITH TONY TAUPE?
Tony is a BIT of a finicky fellow, but as long as you follow a few rules, you should get along just fine!
- Some grays that are the same depth or DARKER
- a range of warm, flexible off-white paint colors
- Lighter beige paint colors with similar undertone profiles
- Some darker green colors as well as darker blue-green-gray blends
READ MORE
The Best Mushroom-Inspired Paint Colors
Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Pashmina
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Balanced Beige
Sherwin Williams Natural Tan Paint Color Review
NEED HELP?
Check out my Online Paint Color Consulting – I’d love to help!
ORIGINALLY WRITTEN OCTOBER 2020, UPDATED JUST FOR YOU IN 2024
Share this!
Tagged with:
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 colour you like at the paint store look terrible in your lighting or pick up a funky undertone? I’d love to help.
Hi, I’m Kylie
For over 24 years I’ve helped 12,000+ homeowners and renters make more confident decisions on paint colours and affordable home updates using real home examples and practical, experience-based advice. My goal is simple: help you love the home you have.
Do-it-yourself, the smart way
Grab one of Kylie’s guides
Affordable, downloadable shortcuts to the colors and combos I’d pick for you. Yours to keep, forever.
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.
The best white cabinet color is the one that goes with your home, your finishes, your lighting, and your style.
Stop second-guessing every paint chip and choose your cabinet color with less guessing, fewer samples, and a whole lot more color confidence.
$34.95Accent Colors
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.
$34.95
Homeowner’s Guide: Exterior Paint Colors
This isn’t a list of the ‘best exterior paint colors’, as the best color is the one that suits your home. Instead, you’ll 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, and confidently throw the others in the burn pile.
Whether you’re repainting an outdated exterior, working around finishes you can’t change, or creating a color palette from scratch, the goal is the same: less guessing, fewer samples, and a lot more confidence before gallons of paint go on your home.
$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.
$24.95
Comments
-
Hi Kylie!
I am considering Tony Taupe for kitchen cabinets. I have Modern Gray walls and Pure White trim and wainscoting in the adjacent breakfast area. Any thoughts? Thanks for your help!
-
Hmmm, it’s just a BIT too warm for Modern Gray. Modern Gray doesn’t need a COOL gray necessarily, but Tony is too warm/beige/brown 🙂
-
-
I used a color a shade darker than Tony Taupe—SWMoth Wing for my living room. It get a ton of light. What color furniture would you pair with it? Trying to buy 2 sofas. Purchased in what looked like a dark gray but with so much light, they look very light and they don’t coordinate with wall color. Any thoughts? Thank you
-
I was looking for exterior trim color to go with shoji white and Terra cotte tile roof. I chose Tony taupe but it is too beige. I was seeking more of a griege and more contemporary look with a bit of gray but not cool gray. Your thoughts and suggestions are appreciated!!
-
Check out the likes of SW Porpoise and see how it feels 🙂
-
We just redid our home exterior and have Egret White for our main color. We are repainting our main Entry door and I am wanting to do a Greige. Something not too dark, but that will give a contrast to the Egret White. Wondering if Tony Taupe would be a good color? Or what you would suggest.
-
Ooo, I’m not so sure Tony is the right guy for the job. You might pick up just a bit more gray-taupe, like SW Perfect Greige, perhaps? It’s tough to say for sure without seeing your home and its specific needs!
-
Wow! Thank you for responding. Is there a way for me to send photos?
-
Hey Alisha! When it comes to that, I have a service I offer – for choosing colors! They’re out of stock right now, as I’m taking a bit of time off, but they’ll come back!~ https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/hire-kylie/
-
-
-
-
-
Considering Tony Taupe on kitchen walls … I have darker creamy cabinets with yellow and pink undertones ….also backsplash and countertops are porcelain marble look with taupes and grey marbling on milky white … Wondering if this can work and look good! Thank you!!
-
Ooooo, nope, compared to finishes that have more yellow-pink, Tony Taupe could look a bit off/murky/greenish.You might look for somethign with a bit more taupe in it, ie. Threshold Taupe or the like.
-
-
We have a North facing TV room with Tony Taupe molding/baseboards and Accessible Beige walls – which tends to look greenish in the morning. We are changing that up now because we need the room to be lighter. For the walls we are thinking about SW Sanctuary or SW Eider White. What would you suggest? Thanks!
-
Hey Teri! I would 100% be shooting in the dark without seeing your flooring, any hard finishes (i.e. fireplace), and furnishings!
-
-
I am trying to choose a color for our den that adjoins a guest bedroom and an office. The bedroom and office were painted accessible beige with creamy trim. In hindsight I should have chosen a whiter white but the creamy doesn’t look overly yellow in these rooms. For the den, I am considering aesthetic white walls but am having trouble selecting a trim and mantle color. Debating on possibly Tony taupe. Wound this work for a color palate? Other suggestions? Thank you!!
-
We just painted the exterior of our house Egret White. Trying to find a nice griege to paint the front door. Would Tony Taupe be a good color?
-
Hi Kylie, I painted Tony Taupe in my Living room and dining with Accessible Beige painted on the shiplap focal walls. Looks sweet! The hallway off of the LR going upstairs is also painted Tony Taupe. A bedroom visible from living room is in need of painting. The bedroom gets a ton of natural light, southern exposure. Looking for calm and peaceful. What coordinating color/or color that looks nice off of Tony Taupe? I am open to any suggestions.. Thank you, Kim
-
We have this throughout our house with PPG Grey Beige trim/ceiling, dark hardwood floors, & cabinets that are slight lighter & more grey than the Tony Taupe & can not figure out what to replace it with and not repaint the ceilings & trim (sigh).
Leave a Reply