Key Points
Every year, paint brands determine colors of the year, but there are also timeless picks when it comes to paint.Neutrals like gray, sand, and off-white will outlive trends and complement many styles.Black, navy, and dark green are dramatic but classic, designers say. Use these for trim or walls.
Every year, paint brands deluge us with their colors of the year—colors inspired by fashion, auto, culinary, pop culture, and of course, design trends. But if you don’t feel like whipping out your roller and paint brush every year or two and would rather stick with something classic and timeless you can keep on your walls for a long time, we understand.
We asked interior designers for the most timeless paint colors, and they gave us seven great shades to choose from.
Black
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Black is one of the most timeless colors used in interior design, and paint is no exception, especially for doors and trim. (A wall drenched in black is also great, especially making artwork pop.)
Designer Chasity Centeno, owner of Riese Design, says her favorite black paint for millwork is Sherwin-Williams’ Tricorn Black.
“It’s a perfect black that has virtually no undertones,” she explains. “It’s consistently rich and deep, creating drama and beautiful accents.”
Cream
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Both designers we tapped like creams and off-whites for creating a timeless space.
Candis Stratton, the owner and principal designer at Stratton Interiors, prefers Benjamin Moore’s Natural Cream for when she needs a “great neutral paint…it goes with everything,” she says.
Centeno prefers Benjamin Moore’s White Dove, a soft and creamy white that sits comfortably between white and yellow.
Off-White
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As for off-whites (closer to white than yellow), Centeno recommends Sherwin-Williams’ Alabaster because she says it can go with any style, from rustic to modern to traditional. She says likes the paint color’s warm undertone.
Navy
Centeno says navy—especially Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy, her go-to—is a timeless classic. (It’s true in both fashion and interiors.)
“You can use this as an accent color, or you can use it to create drama and color drench a room,” Centeno says.
Dark Green
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The designers also say dark, earthy greens are timeless.
Centeno likes Benjamin Moore’s Cushing Green, in particular, and says it shines on its own or pairs beautifully with other earth tones.
“Grays, beiges, or saddle browns will complement this color, making any room feel cozy, warm, and organic enough to marry the exterior with the interior,” she says.
Gray
Gray is a color that evokes peace and calm, ideal for a bedroom or living room.
Stratton likes Sherwin-William’s Drift of Mist and calls the shade a “true chameleon, a classic that goes with everything and changes depending on the light in your room.”
Sand
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Another nature-inspired tone (this time, perhaps more beachy) is a blend between gray and brown.
While sand can come in multiple shades ranging from dark to light, Stratton prefers Sherwin-William’s Revere Pewter, a happy medium between warm and cool tones.
It’s a great color for “someone that’s afraid of color,” Stratton says.