What is the most popular wall color in a house? Here’s a list of the BEST paint colors for the whole house including popular whites, off-whites, grays, and neutrals. Consider choosing one of these whole house interior paint colors.
The best whole house paint colors are bright & beautiful, making your home feel fresh and inviting. A good paint color works well in multiple lighting situations and can create a light & airy feel throughout each of the rooms in your home.
When it comes to choosing a whole house interior paint color, medium to bright paint colors are a good place to start (we’ll get into the best options below), however darker colors should be avoided.
In addition to being bright and versatile, your whole house paint color should also be neutral (which means without color) to create a cohesive look throughout your home.
Neutral paint colors easily coordinate with other finishes and colors in your home which is why they make the best whole house paint colors.
A whole house paint color will serve as the foundation of your overall home color palette, and it’s the first step to creating a cohesive interior design plan!
Before we dive into the list of 18 best paint colors for the whole house (including pictures of each color in real spaces), here’s a quick breakdown on how I’ve organized this list of Best Whole House Paint Colors for 2024.
What is the Best Color for the Whole House?
When choosing a whole house interior paint color, it’s important to consider these 4 things:
brightness
neutrality
undertones
color temperature
Whole house paint colors usually need to look good in both cool Northern light and warm Southern light.
Similarly, it’s also important for the paint color to look good in areas with lots of natural light, but also in rooms with very little or no natural light.
With that said, it’s a good idea to choose a whole home paint color that isn’t overly warm or cool.
Without knowing your personal style, and specific details about your home – it’s impossible to give you a one size fits all perfect color.
But I can steer you in the right direction!
I’ve rounded up 18 of the best paint colors for the whole house, including pictures of each color in real spaces.
In this article, I’ll show you a few of my top recommendations from each paint color family.
All of these paint colors are excellent whole-home options, but by breaking them down into 6 color categories (listed below), my hope is that you’ll be able to easily narrow your decision making process down to 1-3 favorite colors.
Then, all you have to do is grab some samples and test them in your home to figure out which color is best for your space. (Keep reading for my favorite hack for sampling paint colors!)
This Ultimate Guide of Popular Whole House Paint Colors is broken down into the following categories:
Click the links above to jump to that paint color family, or continue reading to browse through all the best whole house paint colors of 2024.
The Best Whole House Interior Paint Colors (with pictures!)
Choosing a whole home color palette can be intimidating, I get it.
Here’s a list of 18 tried & true paint colors that would make excellent whole house paint colors. We’ll cover everything you need to know like undertones and brightness, as well as pictures of each interior paint color in real homes.
Let’s get started!
Best White Paint Colors for the Whole House
White is the most obvious choice for a whole home paint color. This paint color family has the lightest, brightest colors. They also have the least undertones, and are easiest to pair with other colors.
These are the best white paint colors for the whole house. They’re all very subtle yet will create a sharp contrast with other darker accent colors.
Did you know? All white paint colors have a LRV* rating of 82 and above.
*light reflectance value
Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore
Chantilly Lace (OC-65) – LRV: 90.04 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Also known as Benjamin Moore – 2121-70
Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore is a very bright, true white paint color. With a LRV of 90.04, it’s brighter than most other white paint colors, yet not too bright.
This extremely popular Benjamin Moore color is slightly cool, and lacks any strong undertones making it one of the best paint colors for the whole house.
If you’re planning to embrace cooler colors in your color palette, Chantilly Lace is perfect. However, if you’re after a cozy-warm vibe, the next two white paint colors will be better options.
“A classic go-to white that elicits images of fresh cotton and pure silk.”
White Dove (OC-17) – LRV: 83.16 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Also known as Benjamin Moore – PM-19
White Dove is Benjamin Moore’s #1 most popular color. It’s is a spectacular whole home paint color, and it looks good with most other colors and finishes.
This makes it one of the best white paint colors for the whole house.
Compared to the previous color (Chantilly Lace), this paint color is warmer and less bright. By giving up a little bit of brightness, BM White Dove gains depth-of-color, and complexity. This makes it more of a relaxing, cozy color.
We painted our entire first home with White Dove and I would definitely do it again! (You can see tons of interior photos of White Dove in real spaces in this post I wrote: White Dove Paint Color Review.)
White Dove has a LRV of 83.16 which is near the bottom of the brightness range for white paint colors (it’s near the cutoff between white and off-white).
“Unerring style defines this clean and classic white.”
This pretty white paint color has golden yellow undertones. Its warmth is perfect for offsetting cool Northern light, but it’s also mild enough that it doesn’t look too yellow with warmer light.
Alabaster (SW 7008) – LRV: 82 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Alabaster by Sherwin-Williams is another super popular white paint color, and it’s definitely one of my favorite recommendations for a whole house interior paint color.
In fact, we used this color on both of our RV remodels. So I can personally attest to Alabaster making a great whole home paint color, even a tiny home like a 400 sq ft RV. 😉
“When you want the brightness of a white without sacrificing a warm coziness, try this soft, warm but balanced white. And turn up the peaceful.”
Alabaster and the previous color (White Dove) are arch rivals from the two most popular paint brands. But, they’re actually very similar. They have almost the same brightness, and they’re both on the warmer side for white paint colors.
This is why they’re some of the best white paint colors for the whole house.
When you compare the two colors side-by-side, you’ll notice that Alabaster is ever so slightly warmer and darker. Both have golden yellow undertones, but Alabaster’s are slightly stronger.
If you’re stuck trying to decide between two similar paint colors like White Dove and Alabaster, the best thing you can do is try out the colors on the walls of your home… ya know, BEFORE you order multiple 5-gallon buckets of one color!
It’s so important to see samples in your home because of a concept I call color shift.
Sometimes colors look one way in a store, or on a digital screen, but they can look almost entirely different with the lighting in your home. And the tiny little color square on the paint color fan deck aint gonna cut it.
Pssstttt…a better way to test paint colors on your walls 👇🏻
No one likes buying a bunch of tiny sample pots of paint colors, and painting test squares on the walls – myself included. It’s a hassle!
For the easiest, mess-free way to sample paint colors in your home, I recommend usingPeel-and-Stick paint samples.
A few years ago, I learned aboutSamplize. After testing their peel-and-stick samples out for myself, I was immediately hooked. I love that the samples are painted with two coats of real paint, so the colors are 100% accurate.
Sale alert! Right now you can get 2 samples for FREE, when you purchase 8 or more.
Plus, if this is your first time ordering from them, use can my code: JOYFULLY5OFF to get an additional $5 off your first order. (And yes, you can stack this with the bundle deal going on! #booyah)
Ok, back to the list of best whole house interior paint colors… Let’s jump into the most popular off-white paint colors for the whole house.
Best Off-White Paint Colors for the Whole House
Off-white colors are light, bright, and neutral. Plus, they give off a bit more of a cozy vibe than a true white. This might just be my favorite paint color family.
Most of the time, off-white paint colors look rich, sophisticated, and interesting. However, this comes at the cost of having more prominent undertones.
Unfavorable lighting can cause undertones to become a problem for certain off-white colors, especially if the undertone is unwarranted and doesn’t go well with your space.
The cutoff between white and off-white is somewhat subjective, but I personally classify colors as off-white that have LRV’s between 81 and 72.
(Generally, when a neutral paint color has an LRV darker than 72, it becomes either gray, greige, beige, or brown/taupe depending on the exact color.)
Ok, let’s dive into the best off-white paint colors for the whole house.
Dove Wing (OC-18) by Benjamin Moore
Dove Wing – LRV: 77.52 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Also known as Benjamin Moore: 960
Dove Wing by Benjamin Moore is a soft off-white paint color that’s known for its beautifully creamy appearance.
What makes Dove Wing special is that it somehow achieves a creamy appearance, without being overly warm. Most creamy off-white paint colors have yellow, or golden undertones, but Dove Wing’s undertones aren’t as apparent as many similar colors.
If you prefer a slightly cooler, almost light gray look, Dove Wing is one of the best off-white paint colors for the whole house.
“Silvery undertones bring a luminous quality to this white.”
Dove Wing is on the brighter side for an off-white with a LRV of 77.52. This paint color is perfect if you want something with slightly more depth than white, but you still want it to be light and bright.
Shoji White (SW 7042) – LRV: 74 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Shoji White by Sherwin-Williams is an off-white paint color that garners warmth from hints of cream, beige, and gray. With this unique blend of colors, Shoji White has a very pleasant appearance.
“When you want it light but cozy, consider this warm, creamy white that borders on greige.”
It has a LRV of 74 which puts Shoji White closer to the bottom of the off-white category (meaning that it’s less bright than many other off-white colors).
Even though Shoji White is somewhat dark for an off-white, it’s still lighter and brighter than all other gray, greige, beige, and brown paint colors.
If you like the idea of painting your whole house greige, but you want something a little bit lighter, then definitely consider Shoji White.
Below is a look at Shoji White in a living room with minimal natural light…
Eider White (SW 7014) – LRV: 73 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Eider White by Sherwin-Williams is a cool off-white, with a silvery-gray appearance. Although this color is light enough to be considered an off-white, you could also think of it as an ultra-light gray (or greige).
If you’re considering gray for your whole-house paint color, then Eider White is definitely worth considering as a brighter option.
SW Eider White is an interesting off-white paint color for the whole house…
I think it fills a niche in the middle-ground where it’s dark enough that it’s obviously not pure white, but it doesn’t have a truly deep color profile that jumps out at you and appears strongly gray, tan, or beige.
“Create a bright, relaxing tone with this cool white paint and its gray undertone. So versatile you can use it in any room.”
The gray paint color family is absolutely massive, and very versatile. These paint colors range from cool to warm, and from nearly black, to off-white.
Gray is such a classic choice and has been popular for decades.
Although there are thousands of options when it comes to gray paint colors, for this article I’ll be focusing on three neutral grays that I think are the best choices for whole-house paint colors.
Here’s my top 3 best gray paint colors for the whole house.
Agreeable Gray by Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray (SW 7029) – LRV: 60(LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Let’s save the best for last… kidding! We’re going to start with one of my favorite gray colors of all time: Agreeable Gray by Sherwin-Williams.
Agreeable Gray is Sherwin-William’s best selling paint color. Living up to it’s name, everyone agrees that this perfect gray seems to go with everything.
It has a light gray appearance, with just a touch of beige. This gives Agreeable Gray its uniquely pleasant appearance and makes it one of thebest gray paint colors for the whole house.
“Our best-selling paint color is the perfect complement to just about anything. With a beige undertone, this gray exudes a subtle warmth.”
Repose Gray (SW 7015) – LRV: 58 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Repose Gray by Sherwin-Williams is another much loved gray paint color, and it’s one of the best light gray paint colors for the whole house.
With a LRV of 58, Repose Gray is on the lighter side for gray paint colors which helps keep your home feeling bright and welcoming, without looking looking blah.
“Tranquil tones and soothing warmth make this light gray a great choice in almost any space. For a complementary trim, pair with Eider White.”
Gray Owl (OC-52) – LRV: 64.51 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Also known as Benjamin Moore – 2137-60
If you’re into cool color palettes and trying to find the bestlight gray paint color for your whole house, then Gray Owl by Benjamin Moore just might be the right color for you.
In a room with tons of natural light, Gray Owl is light enough that it almost appears as an off-white paint color. However, once you notice the contrast against a true white trim or ceiling, then it looks obviously gray.
Gray Owl has a LRV of 64.51, making it the lightest, brightest gray paint color in this article and why it’s included as one of the best paint colors for the whole house by Benjamin Moore.
In dim light, or in a room with less natural light in general, the high LRV and a touch of coolness helps keep Gray Owl from looking too heavy and dark.
Gray Owl is so versatile, and it looks great almost everywhere so it’s definitely one of the best gray paint colors for the whole house.
Keep in mind that Gray Owl has green undertones that may, or may not be apparent in your home. It really depends on the lighting, and the other colors & finishes that surround the paint color so be sure to sample this color in your own space first.
A use-anywhere light gray with a cool, crisp cast.
In the image below, this hallway designed by Kylie M. Interiors features Gray Owl by Benjamin Moore. In this space, the paint color looks like a true gray, but you can see the hint of green undertone.
Want to see even more gray paint colors (including dark grays and my favorite blue/grays and green/grays?) Check out the Ultimate Gray Paint Color Guide here.
Best Greige Paint Colors for the Whole House
Greige is a classification of hybrid colors that blend together a mix of gray and beige. The best greige paint colors retain the versatility of gray, while benefiting from the added color and warmth from beige.
This is an excellent paint color family with lots of popular colors. If you’re after a non-white whole house paint color, this a good place to start.
Accessible Beige by Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige (SW 7036) – LRV: 58 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Despite having beige in the name, it’s actually more of a greige paint color. Or you could call it beige with gray undertones. Either way, it’s a gorgeous color and is definitely one of the best paint colors for the whole house by Sherwin-Williams.
Accessible Beige has a LRV of 58, which is a medium brightness for greige, but it’s on the darker side of things for a whole-house paint color.
“Unlike many beiges, this color has undertones of gray that can give your space a warm, snug feel. Pair with earthy tones.”
Revere Pewter (HC-172) – LRV: 55.05 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Revere Pewter is another bestselling greige paint color, this time by Benjamin Moore. This paint color is very neutral, and it’s somewhere near the perfect middle ground between warm and cool.
With a LRV of 55.55, Revere Pewter is middle of the pack for greige, and it’s one of the best warm neutral paint colors for the whole house.
You can see in the image below just how much it contrasts against a pure white trim & ceiling.
This pretty greige color sticks closer to the gray side of the color spectrum, with just enough beige sprinkled in to make the color unique and interesting.
“An iconic neutral that provides a versatile bridge between warm and cool tones.”
Perfect Greige (SW 6073) – LRV: 42 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Perfect Greige by Sherwin-Williams is a well balanced greige paint color with a ton of color depth. So much, that it’s probably too dark for most people as a whole home paint color.
However, I absolutely love this color. I’ve included it in this list because if you want to go bold, and less-bright for you whole house paint color, this would be one of my top choices.
“To create a warm, welcoming mood in your living room or bedroom, try this creamy mid-tone gray with red undertones.”
In the image below, Stacey from Wilshire Collections used Perfect Greige in her master bedroom. This space is large, and it’s lit up with tons of natural light – it’s the perfect place to use a darker, bold paint color.
Love the greige paint color trend going on right now? (Me too!) Check out my complete paint color guide with the all the Most Popular Greige Paint Colors.
Best Warm Neutrals Paint Colors for the Whole House
Warm Neutrals paint colors are usually beige, tan, cream, and even warm greige. These paint colors are neutrals that lean towards the warm end of the spectrum. This paint color family is becoming extremely popular lately!
Warm neutrals start out with a gray or off-white base color, and they are warmed up with the addition of orange, yellow, red, or some combination of the three.
Bleeker Beige by Benjamin Moore
Bleeker Beige (HC-80) – LRV: 51.66 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Bleeker Beige by Benjamin Moore is a medium-brightness warm neutral paint color. It’s very complex, sophisticated, and pretty underrated, if you ask me!
Despite having beige in the color name, it’s actually more of a tan paint color. This is because it has yellow undertones (beige paint colors have orange undertones).
With an LVR of 51.66, this is one of the darker paint colors included in this guide. It’s the perfect color for large rooms with lots of natural light and definitely makes the cut for one of the best paint colors for the whole house by Benjamin Moore.
“A medium buff hue with pleasing gray undertones.”
Bleeker Beige has primarily yellow undertones, but the color profile also has elements of tan, brown, gray and cream. This color would look great in a large great room, yet still offer a cozy backdrop in bedrooms & home office spaces.
Natural Tan – LRV: 65 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Natural Tan by Sherwin-Williams is a light, bright warm neutral that has a light oak tan color. It has a subtle warmth, making it an excellent whole-home paint color.
With a LRV of 65, this is the lightest and brightest non-white paint color included in this paint color guide.
This makes it one of the best choices for keeping things light & airy, while still having a fun and interesting color.
“Light and laid-back, this tan has the faintest green-gray undertone that keeps it from appearing overly warm. Bring on the peaceful vibes.”
If you’re trying to create a warm, cozy vibe throughout your home, consider choosing Natural Tan as it’s one of the best paint colors for the whole house by Sherwin-Williams.
Carrington Beige (HC-93) – LRV: 61.91 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Carrington Beige by Benjamin Moore is a paint color with warm hints of cream and tan. Its LRV of 61.91 is light and bright, especially for beige, making it a solid whole-home paint color choice.
If you love the warm tones of an off-white but are looking for a bit more depth, Carrington Beige is a very popular warm neutral paint color for the whole house.
“A light neutral with a whisper of green undertone.”
As with many neutral paint colors, Carrington Beige is a hybrid color and can fit into multiple paint color categories. For this article, I felt it was most accurate to include it in this beige paint color category, however you can also find this paint color in my article titled Best Brown and Taupe Paint colors.
Carrington Beige in a living room with BM Navajo White ceilings.
Want to see even more modern beige paint colors for 2024? See all of my favorites in this post: Popular Beige Paint Colors.
Best Light Tan or Taupe Paint Colors for the Whole House
Light Tan and Taupe is the final category for popular whole-house paint colors.
These paint colors tend to be a complex blend of many colors. They’re very similar to beige, and greige, only skewed a little more towards brown.
Here’s my picks for the best light tan or taupe paint colors for the whole house.
Pashmina by Benjamin Moore
Pashmina (AF-100) – LRV: 44.2 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Pashmina by Benjamin Moore is a beautifully dark and bold whole house paint color. And although I’ve included it inside of the light tan and taupe category, it could also be considered a greige.
With a LRV of 44.2, Pashmina is the second darkest paint color in this article.
This is one of the best paint colors for the whole house because it has an amazing richness, and depth of color that makes it such a special color.
If you’re looking for a non-white whole-house color, and you want something that will stand out, consider Pashmina by Benjamin Moore.
“Perfectly balanced between warm and cool, light and dark—a sophisticated neutral that you can use anywhere.”
Elephant Tusk (OC-8) – LRV: 69.5 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Also known as Benjamin Moore – Ivory Porcelain (239)
Elephant Tusk by Benjamin Moore is a light creamy brown, and it’s extremely light and bright for a non-white paint color.
If you’re after a non-white whole house paint color, and you want to keep things light & airy, Elephant Tusk should be near the top of your list.
Jute (AF-80) – LRV: 63.3 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Jute by Benjamin Moore is a beautiful whole-house paint color, and as the name implies, the color is reminiscent of natural jute fibers.
With a LRV of 63.3, Jute is a medium-light brown that is versatile enough to use throughout your entire home.
“A delicate balance of gray and brown lends timeless appeal to this versatile neutral.”
This paint color is very neutral – it’s not overly warm, and definitely not too cool. When it comes to finding a pretty neutral paint color for your whole home, Jute by Benjamin Moore is a strong contender.
Did you know that you can use budget friendly paint, and have it color matched to premium Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams paint colors? At Joyfully Growing Blog, we always use Glidden Premium paint from The Home Depot.
Glidden Premium rivals the quality of the top paint lines from Behr, Sherwin Williams, and Benjamin Moore.
Any paint store, or home improvement store with a paint section will be able to match colors from most major brands. This means that you can select one brand of paint, but get it mixed in any color you want!
In many cases, affordable paint like Glidden Premium can be up to 50% cheaper than the ‘big name brand’ competition. This can save you a ton of money!
Our Go-To Painting Supplies
Paint brushes – I recommend ‘Pro Grade’ paint brushes, they’re the perfect budget friendly option. This set comes with both flat and angled brushes to get every nook and cranny. I LOVE the quality and, in my experience, they’re much more affordable from Amazon compared to in-store prices. You might be surprised how cheap this professional quality 5 Brush Set is on Amazon (it’s less than $10!).
Paint rollers – Cover more surface area with a handy roller.
It’s an excellent quality sprayer, and powers through any painting projects in a hurry. Painting with an airless sprayer makes it easy to complete projects in much less time.
Drop cloth – Skip the mess and grab areusable drop clothinstead. This will come in handy for future projects. Just pop it in the washing machine after you’re done painting and it will be ready to go for the next project.
Multi-surface painter’s tape – I always use this brand of painter’s tape, it’s great for smooth or lightly textured walls, trim, baseboards, tile, or even glass. It sticks quick and is easy to remove.
Sanding sponges – For smoothing and prepping surfaces, you’ll need a couple of sanding sponges in different grits.
Final Thoughts on Best Whole House Paint Colors of 2024
Choosing the perfect whole house paint color can be challenging because you need to find one paint color that will work well in a variety of different room sizes, styles, types and lighting conditions.
My #1 piece of advice is to always test out paint colors in your home. I personally use (and love!) Peel-and-Stick Paint Samples by Samplize. You just can’t beat the no-mess sample delivered straight to your doorstep in 1 day.
ProTip: Make sure to test your favorite whole house paint colors in multiple rooms in your home, and at different times of day. Don’t forget to look at the samples with interior lights on and off.
There you have it – everything you need to know about choosing the best paint colors for the whole house. I hope this helped you eliminate the stress of deciding what color to paint your whole house and helped you find a whole house interior paint color to try in your home!
More Resources For Choosing Paint Colors
If you enjoyed this post on how to pick paint colors for the whole house, I have tons of other paint color guides & resources to help you pick the perfect colors for your home.
