Favorite Accent Paint Colors
Choosing paint colors for your home can be stressful and tedious, so I’m happy to offer advice on paint colors that I’ve seen look good on walls over and over and that in my mind “stand the test of time.” So, without further ado, here are some my favorite accent paint colors:
Dark Browns/Chocolates
I simply love these chocolatey browns that can instantly warm up a space. These are great accent colors for any room. Adding a chocolate brown accent wall to a Master Bedroom (on the wall with your headboard, for instance), can add coziness and a sweet pop against the other walls.
I have also seen Media Rooms done with all dark brown walls that help give the room a “movie theater” feel without it being too dark or overwhelming. I have literally used Rookwood Dark Brown in my designs so many times that I would recognize it anywhere!
- *French Roast SW 6069
- *Turkish Coffee SW 6079
- *Black Bean SW 6006
- *Sable SW 6083
- *Rookwood Dark Brown SW 2808
KuprynenkoAndrii/shutterstock.com
Grays/Taupe Grays
Tried and true, these are by far my favorite grays/taupe grays for accent walls. They look gorgeous anywhere. I love them popped out against trim (especially white). These grays come off feeling warmer than some grays that can look “cold.”
My personal favorite is Virtual Taupe. It has never disappointed me! I covered some of these in a previous post on my favorite neutral paint colors. Here is the link: Favorite Neutral Paint Colors
- *Griffin SW 7026
- *Virtual Taupe SW 7039
- *Mega Greige SW 7031 & Warm Stone SW 7032
- *Dovetail SW 7018
- *Colannade Gray SW 7641
Jodie Johnson/shutterstock.com
Reds/Corals/Clays
Red may not be my favorite wall color (I tend to be more drawn to cool colors), but with the right shade and the right space, it can give a great pop of color. For a wine colored red, try Cordovan. If you are looking for more of a bright, true red, Red Bay is one of my favorites. If you are looking for some coral and clay colors to spice up your space, these are wonderful.
I am especially partial to the lovely clay colors that accomplish the orange look without the room feeling like the inside of a pumpkin. Armagnac and Autumnal are two of those colors. I’ve seen these in many model homes that I’ve helped design and they look gorgeous.
Yellows/Goldens
Yellows can be tricky and the paint colors I’ve listed below are by far some of the best yellow paint colors I’ve seen. They come out looking more subtle instead of too overwhelmingly sunshine yellow. One of my clients used Anjou Pear in her Entry and for some accent walls in her Breakfast Nook and it turned out looking so warm and happy! Compatible Cream is another one of my favorites that I recommend for a gorgeous soft yellow.
PlusONE/shutterstock.com
Yellow-Greens/Greens
Okay, if yellows are tricky, then greens are even more tricky. I personally love green. It really is one of my favorite colors (if designers can even have a favorite?!). These greens are a mix of different shades that I’ve seen several times that come out looking gorgeous, especially against white trim. Cilantro and Arugula are two saturated colors that I’ve not seen, but am really dying to try out!
Ryegrass and Shagreen are two of my favorites and look so fresh in places like the Kitchen or for an accent wall in a bedroom. Koi Pond is another perfect green choice. My sister in law has this color in her home and it looks so soothing and serene. For a more detailed breakdown of some of my other favorite greens, see my recent post, “The Grass is Always Greener.”
- *Cilantro SW 6453 & Arugula SW 6446 (dying to try!)
- *Edgy Gold SW 6409 & Wheat Grass SW 6408
- *Hearts of Palm SW 6415
- *Ryegrass SW 6423 & Shagreen SW 6422
- *Great Green SW 6430
- *Koi Pond SW 7727
- *Svelte Sage SW 6164
Ira Shumejko/shutterstock.com
Blues/Purples
Last, but certainly not least are the blues/purples. If green is my favorite color, then blue is my second favorite color…maybe even my first favorite some days! I love these soft blues and subtle purples and have seen them on walls dozens of times. The purples mentioned are beautiful and look so amazing on walls just like the picture above against the bright white trim.
I did a model home with a Navy and Plum color scheme once and it seriously looked gorgeous! We used Naval and Imagine for most of the paint colors.
Sea Salt, Comfort Gray & Oyster Bay continue to be some of my top go-to soft blues that can quickly transform your space from blah to spa. My Houston client has these 3 colors all over her home and I just love how it turned out. She used Kilim Beige for her all-over wall color and Antique White for her trim.
- *Naval SW 6244
- *Imagine SW 6009
- Flexible Gray SW 6010 & Chinchilla SW 6011
- *Halcyon Green SW 6213 & Quietude SW 6212
- *Tradewind SW 6218
- *Oyster Bay SW 6206
- Comfort Gray SW 6205 & Sea Salt SW 6204
- *Jubilee SW 6248
- *Foggy Day SW 6235
- *Intuitive SW 6017
Anna Marynenko/shutterstock.com
Also…
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. These are just some of my favorites that I have seen on walls and in many homes and know that they look amazing. I am also partial to Sherwin-Williams, but a little trick of trade is that you can get it color matched at any Lowe’s or Home Depot.
Make sure and get samples of your paint colors and look at the color in all lights of the day before you commit. Paint colors really do look different in different homes and in certain times of the day. I always suggest this so that you don’t spend a ton of money on gallons of paint that may not accomplish the look that you had in mind. You’ll be surprised at how paint can change colors once the sun goes down!
Have fun and message me with any questions or comments on any colors that you tried and liked!
We recently remodeled a log home. I used macadamia and softer tan for the main colors. The remainder of the finishes are in warm tones including the logs, flooring, cabinetry, and granite. Would you have suggestions for an accent green color?
Hi there,
Green would be a great accent color! One of my favorites is Svelte Sage and it would look great next to Macadamia and Softer Tan. It is still neutral, but would give some color to break up some of the wood tones and beige paint. Techno Gray would be another one to try. Let me know how it works out!
Thank you so much. Svelte Sage was one that I had considered!
I’ve just painted my dads dining room kiln beige, den nomadic dessert. It’s an open floor plan and I would like some kind of coastal blue for the kitchen walls. The kitchen has white cabinets and appliances. I’ve tried manitou (she twin Williams) as well as a couple others but feel they are too intense.
I wanted the feel of sea and sand (kiln beige).
Any blue color and sheen suggestions?
Hi there,
I love the “sea and sand” coastal look! Try Comfort Gray or Sea Salt for a gorgeous soft blue. I have seen both of those blues next to Kilim Beige and Nomadic Desert and they are a great complement. Quietude, Rainwashed or Rain are also a few to try. Let me know if any of those work out!
I suggest you try a sample of “Sea Salt” or the darker shade, “Comfort Gray” before you go whole hog. It looked very green on our bathroom walls and we didn’t like it. We re-painted the bathroom “SW Interesting Aqua”, a beautiful light blue with teal undertones, and we LOVE it.
Definitely always a good idea to sample first. Lighting is different in every home! Interesting Aqua is a gorgeous color too. Thanks for your comment!
I painted my kitchen Tansy Green and you can see thru to my living room, walls are somewhat attached… Trying to find a tanish color or something that will compliment the green without over power it!! Any suggestions?? ( my house is so choppy)
Hi Samantha,
I might try Balanced Beige or Nomadic Desert for a warmer neutral that will help tone down the Tansy Green. What a fun kitchen! If you would like further design help, I offer remote paint consultations. You can visit my Color Consultation for more information. Thanks so much!
Thank you so much!! Can’t wait to get started on my living room!!
What’s a good wall accent color to use with Requisite Gray? Painting downstairs in gray and want a nice color for my 2-story wall with the fireplace and windows on it.
I have Accessible Beige and Balanced Beige as overall neutral colors in my home. I would like to carry the Accessible Beige into my office but I wanted an accent wall in an orange tone (this is an accent color in other rooms). I am considering one of the colors you recommended (Armagnac, Autumnal or Baked Clay). I don’t want the color to be too bright or too dark but wanted it to provide a nice contrast to a picture that I have on that wall. The picture has teal flowers. What would you recommend with the Accessible Beige and the artwork?
Hi Felicia,
Sounds like a fun project! I would try Baked Clay with Accessible Beige. It will also go well with the teal flowers in your picture. It’s actually perfect, since orange tones and blues are complementary colors! I would definitely suggest getting a sample first to make sure Baked Clay works in your lighting. Please feel free to contact me for a Color Consultation if you need further help. Thank you for reaching out and have a great rest of your week!
Laura
Forget accent wall, my entire bedroom is painted in SW Griffin… I love it!
Love it, Dee!! Thanks for sharing!
Laura