The Best Paint ‘COLORS’ to Sell Your Home (Blue, Green, & More)
I’m not a Color Consultant who believes all homes sell better when painted in light, neutral colors. However, some homes sell faster and for more money because their colors resonate emotionally with buyers, whether because they have more COLOR (chroma) or more DEPTH than the average light-neutral paint color.
But this doesn’t mean you can toss any color on your walls—just because you love it doesn’t mean everyone will. Colors for home staging and selling need to be chosen very carefully, usually by a professional (insert me, HERE).
I’m here to share my Kylie M recommended paint COLORS; colors my Online Paint Color Consulting clients (and home buyers) seem to fall in love with at first sight. Colors that might help YOU add some emotional and actual value to your home.
But with having more personality, these colors can’t go everywhere (kind of like me, I’m a bit much for some public spaces). Here are the rooms/places these colors are most commonly used (assuming they coordinate with surrounding finishes)…
- Bedrooms (not all the dark colors, though)
- Bathrooms (not the dark ones)
- Accent walls
- Some family room, dens, or offices
- Kitchen islands or bathroom vanities
Most of these colors are rarely used in multiple rooms (more than 2) or in open-concept spaces.
In this blog post, you’ll see a commitment to blue and green (with variations of gray mixed in). Blue and green are BY FAR, the most popular ‘colors’ for home selling – purple, yellow, orange, and red don’t even hit any kind of radar (with rare exceptions).
In other words, sure, some homes suit a striking shade of burgundy or oxblood red. Others can handle a brighter teal. This blog post is for the ‘average home’, in which blue and green are the bosses.
1. SHERWIN WILLIAMS SEA SALT SW 6204
Sea Salt is one of the more popular green-blue-inspired paint colors on the market! With a beautiful light green base and a decent gray backdrop, Sea Salt is a HUGE hit. But be warned: it also loves to flex into blue because of its particular blend!
Sea Salt has an LRV of 63, a gorgeous depth for the average room (read more about that HERE). It handles itself reasonably well in low light and bright light, but, like I always say, ‘if you don’t have enough artificial or natural light, no paint color will save you.’
Sea Salt is great if your home has a beachy vibe – it’s purposeful, but not too ‘try hard’.
SIMILAR COLORS TO SAMPLE & COMPARE
Never pick a paint color (or husband) without exploring alternatives…
- Sherwin Williams Rainwashed resembles Sea Salt but leans harder into a blue undertone.
- Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue is super comparable if you prefer one brand over another.
- You’ll also see Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray coming up shortly (mad love).
Paint Color Review: Sherwin Williams Sea Salt
The Best Light Green Paint Colors
2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS EVERGREEN FOG
Evergreen Fog is currently the darling of the green world and one of the best paint COLORS to sell your home. Found on accent walls, doors, and single rooms, this popular shade of green appeals to a wide range of buyers.
SIMILAR SHADES TO SAMPLE & COMPARE
- OH, you have to check out Benjamin Moore October Mist, for sure.
- Bump up to Sherwin Williams Escape Gray for a lighter, softer look.
- While warmer greens like Sherwin Williams Grassland are gorgeous, they don’t have nearly as much popularity as the recommended shades.
The Best Green-Gray Paint Colors
3. BENJAMIN MOORE GIBRALTAR CLIFFS 1587
Gibraltar Cliffs is hands-down, one of the prettiest gray-blue-green paint colors, with just the right depth to envelop an entire room or serve as a feature wall with a light neutral paint color.
Sherwin Williams Anonymous on the left, Gibraltar Cliffs, and Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray on the right
Gibraltar Cliffs has a reasonable depth with an LRV of 30. If you want it for an entire room, make sure you have good lighting!
Paint Color Review for Benjamin Moore Gibraltar Cliffs
SIMILAR COLORS TO SAMPLE & COMPARE
I highly recommend you check out this blog post, The Best Light to Medium Gray-Blue Paint Colors. There’s a whole range of blue-gray blends to check out.
4. BENJAMIN MOORE REVERE PEWTER HC-172
Admittedly, Revere Pewter isn’t a ‘color’, it’s a neutral – a warm gray-greige paint color. However, with its ‘bit more depth’ (LRV 55.05) some are hesitant to use it on a large scale.
Revere Pewter board and batten with a warm, off-white paint color
And while it easily handles a wide range of homes, if you’re feeling nervous, consider Revere Pewter on a smaller scale (bedroom/bathroom).
Many grays pick up a blue or purple undertone, Revere Pewter is likelier to pick up a faint earthy green that looks warmer than the average gray. And because it’s likely to pick up a bit more undertone than many grays, I’ve included it in both the ‘best light NEUTRAL paint colors for staging‘ and this more COLORFUL blog post.
With an LRV of 55, Revere Pewter has more depth and undertone than the average ‘home staging paint color.’ But let me tell you, it has huge mass appeal and suits many styles of homes.
All About Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter
SIMILAR SHADES TO SAMPLE & COMPARE
- Benjamin Moore Rodeo is great if you want a slightly lighter color.
- Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray is a bit grayer and less green. Sherwin Williams Amazing Gray is a shade similar to Revere Pewter but with more depth and undertone.
Just keep in mind that these colors need to really make sense and SPEAK to your home, it’s lighting, and its finishes. While they’re gorgeous, grays aren’t always trendy!
In fact, Revere Pewter is one of the few grays that holds up throughout the trend cycles.
Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter Color Review
5. BENJAMIN MOORE ANCHOR GRAY 2126-30
Anchor Gray is stunning. While not every home can handle a strong navy blue, Anchor Gray is a great way to get the navy look without going overboard (get it?).
COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO ANCHOR GRAY
- Of course, there’s always Benjamin Moore Hale Navy, a navy blue with more depth and color than Anchor Gray.
- I also love the more muted approach of Benjamin Moore Trout Gray, a super popular medium-toned gray with violet-blue undertones.
The Best DARK GRAY Paint Colors from Benjamin Moore
6. BENJAMIN MOORE WOODLAWN BLUE HC-147
Woodlawn Blue is a wickedly gorgeous green-blue paint color with just the right shade of gray to calm it down. While it commonly has a bias towards blue, sample it in your space to see how it levels out.
SIMILAR COLORS TO EXPLORE…
- If you add a wink of green to Woodlawn Blue, you’ll end up with a color like Sherwin Williams Rainwashed, which is equally as pretty.
The Best Blue-Green Blend Paint Colors
The Best Blue-Gray Blend Paint Colors
7. SHERWIN WILLIAMS COMFORT GRAY
There’s no doubt that blue-green leads the pack when it comes to popular ‘colors’. So it makes sense this page would be loaded with them.
Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Comfort Gray…
Comfort Gray is one of my favorite green-gray blends with a lovely dose of coastal blue, so it doesn’t look overly organic.
Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray Color Review
8. SHERWIN WILLIAMS PEWTER GREEN
This color is hotter than hotcakes! Pewter Green is a huge hit on a range of surfaces, but especially on accent walls, front doors, and kitchen islands.
The Best Colors for the INSIDE of Your Front Door
SIMILAR SHADES TO SAMPLE & COMPARE
- For a lighter look (that’s still quite popular) compare Pewter Green with Sherwin Williams Retreat.
- For a bit more warmth but similar depth, check out Sherwin Williams Thunderous.
- I have a buttload more beautiful greens here: The Best Medium to Dark Green Paint Colors.
Sherwin Williams Pewter Green Color Review
SUMMARY (TL;DR)
- Light neutrals are traditionally, the best color for home staging/home selling as they have more mass appeal and suit more finishes/lighting situations.
- Colors are often best kept to single rooms, accent walls, accent doors, or small cabinetry areas.
- Blue and green are the most popular colors for home staging, by far.
READ MORE
Home Staging Tips – 5 Key Rooms
The Best Light, Neutral Paint Colors for Home Staging
The Best Whole Home Off-White Paint Colors
Get the best paint color & home udpate advice with Kylie M’s Online Consulting and Paint Color services!
Originally written in 2015, updated with new info and photos for 2026!
Hi Lanie, check out Navajo White and Gentle Cream – both would look fab with white beadboard for a fresh and warm space! For the bathroom you HAVE to check out Stonington Gray by Ben Moore – loooove this colour!
Hope those colours help you out – they are some of my go-to’s!!
~Kylie
Hi Sharon, you are totally on the right track with looking towards a more Neutral colour for your walls – your space sounds lovely by the way – I love colour!
First off, because I’ll probably forget to mention otherwise, use Eggshell finish for your walls or something like an Ulti-Matte (Regal Benjamin Moore) which is a wipeable flat.
Okay, so back to colour. Lenox Tan I think would be too heavy and just kind of a weird colour when placed next to all of your colourful things.
However, on the same lines, I’d love for you to check out these ones…
1. Monroe Bisque – a bit lighter and more neutral option – but still with nice warm undertones
2. Stone House – similar idea to Monroe Bisque, just a little bit less warmth.
3. Cable Knit – quite different from the other 2. It’s more of a ‘colour’ rather than a Neutral. I had this in my home for a while and it was very versatile as I could change any accents/accessories/colours around it and it always looked great. In some lights it looked more yellowish and other lights it would go a wee bit more neutral.
Let me know what you think of those Sharon, hope it helps!
~Kylie
Hi Kylie!
I’m struggling with trying to find a paint color for,my boys bedroom (ages 4 &6). They have PB sun valley espresso finished bunk beds and PB navy window panels. The carpet in the room is wall to wall beige. I went into my neighborhood hardware store today and the “color consultant” there said gray would not go well with the beige carpet. It is a small room and doesn’t get all that much light. I don’t want it to be depressing for them and I’m stuck with the carpet and navy blue panels due to $$$. Any suggestions? Thanks, Kylie!
Help. Painters coming and I still can’t decide on interior wall colors. Our open plan includes entry foyer, dining room, 2 hallways and kitchen/family room/eat in kitchen with cherry cabinetry and red oak floors that have aged to honeyed tones. The countertops in kitchen are a neutral laminate of dark brown, warm grey and tan. I was thinking of using shaker beige in these areas. The office faces north with a palladium window and thought lenox tan. Guest bedroom has little natural light and thought to keep shaker beige. Guest bath is off hall across from office and next to guest bedroom. It has cherry cabinets and “dirty” brown/gray/beige tile. The master bedroom has a neutral tan carpet faces south and bath is the same as guest. The laundry room is off hall next to master and has pinky,taupe brown gray tile facing south. Confused. Any thoughts. Please. Thank you.
Why do you advise not using BM Sandy Hook Gray as an all over color?
I do loooove Sandy Hook Gray and I love it as an all over colour in a room, but in an entire home Sandy Hook Gray is best suited to South facing, or warmer exposure rooms because it’s a cool colour. In North Facing rooms, particularly ones with smaller windows or a patio overhang it can feel very cool and you can lose the beauty of the colour. I love the balance it offers to a warm exposure room.
In a Northern (cool) exposure room it would need to be accommodate by a lot of cream and chocolate brown to help add some visual warmth back to the space.
I hope that answers your question and thank you for asking it. I like it when I need to ‘think’ 🙂
~Kylie
I am stuggling to find a color for our bedroom. We have a large master bedroom with a sitting room off to the side which will be the closet area. We are installing hardwood floors as well, color and wood to TBD. The room is not a very bright room. We have sampled so many colors. Our furniture is cherry wood. We have greens in so many rooms in the house that we are leaning away from greens. We painted the room Thunder but hate it with the furniture. We have Thunder in our dining room which looks great. Any suggestions with the cherry furniture would be great. We have spent a ton on samples thus far.
Thank you!
Hi Robyn, I’m so sorry for my delayed reply! I’m just been crazy with Online Consultations and my day-to-day work that I’ve been directing a lot of questions towards my Online Consulting. https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/online-decorating-design-consultation/
But, you’ve been waiting so long and maybe I can help you with a few quick ideas. If they don’t work you might want to consider an online consult ($30 for this question) as you then you can send me some photos and we can really hit it!
Okay, so here’s a few thoughts for you.
Anything in the greens/yellows would accent your furniture, so while yellows would be brighter, I’m not sure that’s where we want to go. Blue tones, purple tones and neutrals is probably a better bet (which is probably what led you to Thunder so you ARE on the right track!)
(and keep in mind that if these are too dark for you, you can get the lightened)
So, I did have a client with Cherry cabinets and we tried Elephant Gray and it was ‘beautiful!!!’ It’s light enough to not feel heavy, gray enough to not be ‘too’ purple – and just gorgeous with the cherry cabinets.
If you want safe and neutral, then Grant Beige is a safe bet. It’s not necessarily as ‘interesting’ as the other colours, but it would allow you to do any number of accent colours with your toss cushions/drapes/etc…
If you like that idea but want something slightly warmer, the Muslin would give you the similar effect, just on the warmer end of things.
Okay, I hope that helps Robyn, let me know!
~Kylie
Sandlot Gray is very similar but a bit warmer
Hi Kylie,
I enjoy reading your posts and while I always agree with your suggestions, I rarely come up with any on my own, without a million trips to the paint store. The guys there don’t quite dread seeing me coming in but know they are in for a million questions.
Most recent paint color selection dilemma is for our living room:
– three large windows and and side windows around front door but has a NE exposure and front yard is completely shaded
– white plantation shutters over windows are always kept open (slats, not the actual shutters)
– medium brown oak floors
– entry way is someone separate from living area but not closed in
– leather sofa, love seat and chair are cocoa brown + brown rocking chair – already had these pieces before we bought this house…
– got a bright orange/blue – jewel tones – rug which lightens things up + multi colored/patterns pillows
– tables are antique oak + a table painted light taupey color and one that is orange (not ugly, just colorful)
– connects to dining room with a medium oak dining set – again, had before we bought this house
Have been looking at grays but they seem so cold. Previously taupey color but also too dark. After that, pastel yellow. Right now it is a blah very light off-white with a bit of yellow in it. Boring.
Benjamin Moore is our paint store. Have ‘fan book’ of colors which is 15 years old + a ton of sample color strips + Web site which I pour over and now I have discovered your site.
We typically get a color and end up cutting it by 1/4 or 1/2 white.
Gentle Cream and Cable Knit seem to goldy/yellow. Rocky Road a little too purpley. See what I mean about driving paint store guys crazy? What do you think of Ranchwood? Maybe cut 1/3 white?
Thanks!
Rebecca Gunder
Hi Rebecca, I would LOVE to help you out but lately I’ve been inundated with questions as well as my busy ‘everyday’ decorating work. I’m directing people toward my Online Consulting https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/online-decorating-design-consultation/ which I’ve priced to be AS affordable as possible for those in need!
I can see that your question would just be a 1 hr consult at $30.
I do hope I’ll get the chance to help you out! Otherwise I’m happy to include your questions on my list of questions to answer, but I have to give priority to my Online/In-home consults and can’t guarantee when I’ll get to your question….
Thanks Rebecca!
~Kylie
Hi Rebecca, I’m happy to give you a quick tip or 2, but I’m been just SWAMPED with questions on my Online Consulting as well as my day-to-day decorating that I’ve had to direct most questions to my Online Consulting https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/online-decorating-design-consultation/ (as you can send me photos of your room then which helps ALOT!)
But to give you a foot forward here’s a few thoughts for you 🙂
#1 – Have you looked at Muslin? It is similar to Gentle Cream, but takes the yellow out of it – making it a bit more ‘neutral’ (without being cold)
I also like Stone House, but sounds like it might be just a touch heavy for your space
#2 – Sounds like Ranchwood would be too cool toned for your space with your exposure
Sounds like you have some great neutrals with your couches/flooring and some fun accent colours. I guess it’s whether you want to play off of one of those colours or make things ‘neutral’ so that you have flexibility. Seems to me like flexibility would work well and then if your entryway is set up right you could put one of the accent colour (jewel tones from your rug) in that space to link the 2 spaces visually.
I hope that helps Rebecca!!!!
~Kylie
Hi Kylie,
I’m trying to paint our kitchen and family room which has no divider in between. Our kitchen has off-white (a little bit yellow) cabinets with hazelnut glaze. The countertop is black galaxy granite. The kitchen and family room are facing southeast. Besides, we have green/light green blinds in both kitchen and family room. I used BM Powell Puff but the color came out lighter during daytime but became more yellow under yellow light bulks. I don’t want to use darker color because it will go to the family room. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Christina
HI, would Revere Pewter work with orange accents? I am looking for a stone color color that is warm and will of well with orange accents. I now have french white on the walls and it is too creamy I would like to brighten up the room.
Revere Pewter would be beautiful with orange, particulary a more grounded kind of pumpkin orange!
I have more of a burnt orange couch and oversized chair. The rug has Burgundy and orange and little pops of turquoise but is mostly dark feeling. I have purchased Accessible Beige for that room, but now I’m second guessing my choice. I feel like it needs something a bit heavier/cozier? It’s 15 ft ceilings and lots of windows and south facing. Would Revere Pewter be better? I also considered Edgecomb Gray. Painters will be here in the morning–any help or opinions would be so appreciated!!
I recently found your website and love it!
We purchased our house a year ago. It has cathedral ceilings and big windows facing south. So lots of light. The previous owners painted the trim cream and the walls a pea green (or diarrhea green) , peachy orange, and the kitchen (open concept) a warm dark orange. Horrible!! The cabinets are 90’s yucky oak.
After reading numerous of your posts, I settled on Lenox Tan for the main body of the living room with Whitall Brown as an accent wall. It looks amazing.
I am so glad I found your website, I never would have thought of those colors before.
I painted a sample of Lenox Tan on one of the kitchen walls, and it looks green. So wierd because the lighting is about the same, the kitchen gets south and west sun.
I tried some BM Fennel Seed, certainly more yellow (which I love) and it looks better and goes well with the cream trim and Lenox Tan and Whitall Brown. Yet, I am not convinced. The counter tops are very dark, black with brown, same with the tile and stainless and black appliances. The island is a dark brown, almost black.
Do you have any ideas on a wall color that would be better than Fennel Seed?
Hi Hillary! There is NOTHING like Diarrhea Green to warm up a room! Now, I do try to give as much helpful info on my blog, and if that doesn’t work, you might like to check out my E-design it is affordable and fun – this way I can look at photos of your space and spend some time with it! There’s more to consider, such as exposure, amount of natural light, furnishings, etc…and I don’t like to just guess! https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/online-decorating-design-services/
~Kylie
Kylie – would Sherwin Williams Sea Salt go with a small kitchen with cherry cabinets, brown and beige granite countertops and a light beige stone backsplash. My living, dining, and kitchen are all one open space. I need a paint color that will be light , airy, and go with the beachy, cottage feeling he rest of the house has.
Hi Susan, I do worry that Sea Salt could be a touch too gray/green/blue for the more beige/warm/reds of your kitchen – it could be just a touch too much colour/cool for the space! If you’d like me to take a look, I do have affordable E-design consulting – and it’s fun! https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/online-decorating-design-services/
How do you feel about comfort gray? I’m deciding between that and agreeable gray. Leaning toward comfort gray but afraid may be too dark. North facing living room. Both s Williams paint
Hi Judy! Well, they are so different it’s hard to compare! Comfort Gray will have a bit more personality but does have that bit of depth to it. Both can flash a bit cool in a north facing room, but Agreeable is a softer look… 🙂
I love the blue room and the sea salt bathroom. The potato chip joke was hilarious when I finally got it lol
Oh good, I’m glad someone likes my cheesy humour 😉