Sherwin Williams Neutral Ground: Paint Color Review
WHAT MAKES THIS WARM NEUTRAL SO DARN GOOD?
Are you looking for a popular neutral paint color? One with subtle undertones, a quiet warmth, and massive appeal? Well, you’ve come to the right place.
Not only do I have a whole WHACK of those up my colorful little sleeves, but today, we’re hitting one in particular: Sherwin Williams Neutral Ground SW 7568
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WHAT TYPE OF COLOR IS NEUTRAL GROUND 7568?
Neutral Ground is a tan paint color, which means it’s a warm neutral. If you don’t know the difference between beige and tan, keep reading for some interesting tips!
In my crazy, colorful world, beige paint colors have an orange undertone, and tan paint colors have a yellow hue. Now, Neutral Ground has a bit more than just a yellow undertone (which we’ll get to shortly), but that explains why it’s a ‘tan’ paint color.
You might be surprised to hear that more interior finishes suit beiges (orange undertone) than tans (yellow undertone).
If you have a dark room, being a neutral, Neutral Ground is naturally a bit dirty. This means that it can look a bit flat and drab. Color needs LIGHT to come to LIFE!
This said, if you have a crazy bright wall or room, any color with an LRV of 70 will wash out (nature o’ the beast).
WHAT’S THE LRV OF SHERWIN WILLIAMS NEUTRAL GROUND?
LRV (Light Reflectance Value) is a number every paint color has, that tells you how light or dark it is (the scale is 0-100). That’s the short n’ curly of it. If you want the long and braided, read this.
Neutral Ground is in the room closest to you, BM Natural Wicker is in the sunroom
Neutral Ground’s LRV is 70, which is a great place for a soft, warm neutral to land in. Some colors that are like Neutral Ground but DARKER can look a bit drab and heavy. With an LRV of 70, Neutral Ground will always have a dirty look (being a tan), but its light depth keeps it a bit fresher-looking than some other popular shades.
Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Neutral Ground…
WHAT ARE NEUTRAL GROUND’S UNDERTONES?
Ahhh, the moment of truth, where all is revealed! YES, this is my natural hair color! Oh, that’s not what you were wondering. Okay.
Neutral Ground is a tan, so it has a very (very) subtle yellow undertone.
Now for the fun part…
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Yellow undertones can be yellow-green or yellow-orange. Neutral Ground’s undertone is yellow-green. It’s MASSIVELY subtle – this neutral really is neutral, it just has a subtle undercurrent.
All the photos in my blog are from my Online Color Consulting clients, readers, & friends— because real homes deserve to be celebrated (dirty laundry & all!) While not magazine-perfect, they’re packed with ideas & proven color choices to help you create a home you’ll love.
In some homes, you won’t need to worry about this. However, if you have finishes that cater to purple (warm grays can) or purple-pink (taupes can), Neutral Ground can hit a funny spot.
In the above room (my Online Color Consulting client’s BEFORE photo), Neutral Ground’s undertones a touch off with the taupe (purple-pink) of the brick fireplace (close though).
Here’s the same room, but a close-up of the sofa that’s by the fireplace. This sofa has subtle taupe undertones and isn’t 100% happy with Neutral Ground (close, but no cigar)…
Again, it’s DARN CLOSE, but realistically, the sofa would prefer a warm neutral with a more subtle taupe look.
And now, both the fireplace and sofa are happy!
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WHAT WHITE TRIM COLORS GO WITH NEUTRAL GROUND?
Neutral Ground can be a bit fussy, but not too bad. I’d start with…
- Sherwin Williams Pure White is a soft, simpler white
- Sherwin Williams Alabaster offers a bit more warmth and softness
- And I also love Benjamin Moore White Dove
Sherwin Williams Best Warm White Paint Colors
WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO NEUTRAL GROUND?
While there will never be an exact match, there are several colors worth sampling and comparing…
SHERWIN WILLIAMS NEUTRAL GROUND VS. CANVAS TAN
It’s a good idea to compare these two colors, as they come at tan with similar intentions.
Neutral Ground and Canvas Tan both approach their tan undertones pretty passively. Sure, they’re there, but you won’t always see them.
Where you see a noticeable difference is in depth. Neutral Ground’s LRV of 70 puts it at the higher end of the light range (winking at the warm off-white world). Canvas Tan’s LRV of 64 makes it a more moderate light depth neutral. If you want a bit more contrast with white trim, Canvas Tan is the better choice.
NEUTRAL GROUND VS. SHERWIN WILLIAMS NATURAL CHOICE
Natural Choice and Neutral Ground are similar in all the ways that matter.
Both colors are light and soft with subtle warmths – they’re not remotely overbearing. Where you’ll see shifts are a) in depth, as Natural Choice has an LRV of 75 which puts it in the off-white range, and b) its undertones are a bit less ‘tan’ looking and pick up a tiny wink of cream (in comparison).
The Best Warm Neutral Paint Colors That AREN’T BEIGE!
Of the two, I’m more likely to cater to Neutral Ground. Sure, they’re similar, but with Natural Choice’s higher LRV, in some spaces it’s slighlty tan backdrop can look a bit murky vs ‘soft and warm’.
NEUTRAL GROUND VS. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ACCESSIBLE BEIGE
I don’t know why y’all are comparing these two so much, as they approach ‘warm neutral’ quite differently.
Why does this matter?
Accessible Beige kitchen cabinets with dark greige island
Well, if your room suits Neutral Ground, it’s not as likely to suit Accessible Beige – and vice versa.
To look at the meat n’ potatoes of it, Neutral Ground has an LRV of 70 (high end of the light range), Accessible Beige has an LRV of 58 (low end of the light range).
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As for undertones and overall warmth, Accessible Beige generally looks and acts more like a ‘beige’ without having an overt orange undertone – it’s pretty flexible. However, Neutral Ground doesn’t pick up any beige inclinations, as it’s well seated in tan.
Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige: IMAGES, Info, & More!
WHAT BENJAMIN MOORE COLORS ARE SIMILAR?
While no color will be a perfect match, there are several worth sampling and comparing…
NEUTRAL GROUND VS. SHERWIN WILLIAMS CANVAS TAN
These two are great to compare with each other, as while Neutral Ground is a bit more popular (likely becuase of its higher LRV), they approach ‘warm neutral’ in similar ways.
Canvas Tan with a warm, creamy white interior door.
As far as undertones go, Neutral Ground and Canvas Tan are quite muted and subtle in their approach. While the odd time, a flash of green shows up at the party, it’s rare (and more likely if you partner them with more beige-inclined finishes).
Where you see more of a difference is in depth. Canvas Tan has an LRV of 64, parking it in the middle of my happy place. Neutral Ground’s LRV of 70 puts it closer to the off-white range.
Sherwin Williams Canvas Tan: IMAGES, Info, & More!
NEUTRAL GROUND VS. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ACCESSIBLE BEIGE
Compared to the other colors mentioned, Accessible Beige is a bit different.
If you place Neutral Ground and Accessible Beige next to each other, you’ll see how one seems a bit more…well…beige. That’s because Accessible Beige has a bit more of a dusky beige backdrop compared to the more tan-centric look of Neutral Ground.
You’ll also see a shift in depth. Neutral Ground’s LRV of 70 is reasonably high, whereas Accessible Beige’s LRV of 58 parks it deep in the bosum of the light range.
If your room has warm interior finishes CHANCES ARE, it will prefer one of these over the other (more finishes suit Accessible Beige).
Of the two, Accessible Beige is drastically more popular.
Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige: IMAGES, Info, & More
NEUTRAL GROUND VS NATURAL CHOICE
Neutral Ground and Natural Choice are awesome comparables, as right off the get-go, their depths are comparable. Natural Choice’s LRV of 73 makes it about 25% lighter than Neutral Ground’s 70 – 25% is more subtle than it sounds.
These two are almost EQUALLY as popular.
Here’s a Peel & Stick sample of Natural Choice…
But, this shift in LRV can make Natural Choice come off a wink creamier in comparison to the softer tan base of Neutral Ground.
WHAT BENJAMIN MOORE COLORS ARE SIMILAR?
If you’re looking for an alternative from Benjamin Moore, I highly recommend…
- Benjamin Moore Ballet White (here’s it’s KYLIE M. REVIEW)
- Benjamin Moore Wind’s Breath, for a duskier, slightly grayer approach (here’s it’s REVIEW)
- Benjamin Moore Sail Cloth, to pick up a wee touch of beige.
Here’s Ballet White in action…
Benjamin Moore Ballet White, White Dove, Sherwin Williams Worldly Gray
WHERE DOES NEUTRAL GROUND LOOK BEST?
Just because a color is neutral doesn’t mean it’s foolproof. Let’s see where Neutral Ground does its best work…
NEUTRAL GROUND ON THE EXTERIOR OF YOUR HOME
Neutral Ground can be a beautiful exterior paint color, so long as it suits your exterior finishes.
You might be surprised to read that many exterior stones prefer beiges with an orange-pink undertone rather than tan paint colors. For this reason, Neutral Ground is often better suited to homes with no stone.
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It can be an interesting choice with some brick exteriors and beige/tan/almond windows.
NEUTRAL GROUND WITH WOOD TRIMS & CABINETS
Neutral Ground can be so pretty with a range of wood finishes, in particular, woods with a yellow hue.
However, as long as your wood doesn’t skew too pink, it can also handle some orange stains…
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Not a speck of yellow-green undertone in sight…until you look at it in the lighting on the stairs.
I would be lightly cautious with woods that have a red or pink undertone, as they could sit a bit funny with Neutral Ground’s undertones. Red, pink, and pickled woods more often lean into taupe paint colors.
ON CABINETS…
If you follow my blog (drink the Kool-Aid, it’s gooooood), you might know how I feel about off-white and light-depth cabinets. And because that opinion hasn’t changed, Neutral Ground’s LRV is a bit of a red flag.
Second, there aren’t as many countertops that suit Neutral Ground’s undertones. There are SOME, but sample carefully to make sure your finishes connect!
WITH CREAM CABINETS & TRIM…
Ooof, this is a tough one. Cream trims and cabinets are always a challenge.
- It depends on the depth of your cream color
- It depends on HOW CREAM your color is (a little yellow undertone or a LOT)
- Lastly, does it have a glaze on it?
Long story short, the lighter and more subtle your cream cabinets or trim are, the better chance you have of Neutral Ground working…but don’t get your hopes up, Buttercup.
The Best Paint Colors to Update Cream Cabinets & Trims
WHAT COLORS GO WITH NEUTRAL GROUND?
Neutral Ground has some flexibility, but it depends on whether you need a color palette for your walls and cabinets, an accent wall that goes with Neutral Ground, or a color for an adjoining room, etc. Here are some shades to get you started…
- Some super muted off-whites with similar undertone profiles.
- Any number of gorgeous greige paint colors, especially those with LRVs approx. 60 and lower.
- It loves darker green accents, so long as they aren’t overly colorful. You’ll find a ton to sample and compare here: The Best Medium to Dark Green Paint Colors
- It can be fussy with some blue paint colors. I recommend starting with grays with a blue-green undertone.
- It loves a tan paint color with a bit more depth and body.
- Dark greige paint colors are gorgeous accents to Neutral Ground.
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I saw another paint reviewer recommend Neutral Ground as a companion (other room) color with Agreeable Gray. Have any thoughts about that idea?
In an adjoining room it’s okay, but not my FAVORITE combo. I prefer a more muted off-white with Agreeable Gray – Neutral Ground has a bit too much color for me :).
What are your thoughts on painting a room neutral ground but then trimming (including some wainscoting) in snowbound?
Oooo, I wouldn’t. Neutral Ground is too creamy warm for Snowbound :).
neutral ground walls and greek cilla trim and doors? Or with Alabaster?
Oooo, I’d do SW Pure White!
What do you think about Neutral ground on the stucco part of a 100 year old red tapestry brick Tudor home with Turkish Brown trim and windows? If you wouldn’t, do you have any suggestions? Oh, the house faces South so full sun all day.
PS. I love your sense of humor.