The 15 Taupe Paint Colors Designers Are Choosing Over White

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Updated on Aug 29, 2021

Interior door with creamy mushroom paint — Brie Builds

White walls have a few competitors for the most popular interior color these days. Gray is having an undeniable moment, but we can’t gloss over the fact that there’s an ecru shade that’s caught our design-savvy eye—we’ve gone totally nuts for taupe paint colors. While having similar characteristics to creams (pairing well with just about anything), Taupe wears it much more gracefully. It also has the ability to add a dash of warmth to any décor style with just a few coats.

Color Family: Brown
Complementary Colors: Blue
Pairs Well With: All colors
Mood: Sophisticated, earthy, romantic, soothing
Where to Use: Walls and trim

We tapped a few designers to figure out the best taupe paint colors for your walls. After these tips, any loyal white paint user may just be a convert.

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Farrow & Ball Stony Ground

Farrow & Ball - Stony Ground — Design: Hive LA Home; Photo: Amy Bartlam

According to interior designer Ginny Macdonald, taupe can be a hard color to nail down. While some run red-ish, others have the tendency to turn out murky. But fear not, she’s found a happy medium: Stony Ground by Farrow & Ball, a classic neutral smack in the middle. “Used in the right way, a taupe can really elevate a space and add a warm depth of sophistication,” says Macdonald.

Farrow & Ball - Stony Ground

Farrow & Ball Stony Ground $110

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Benjamin Moore Vintage Taupe

Benjamin Moore - VIntage Taupe — Studio McGee

Taupes are having “a bit of a moment,” Jennifer Vaquero of September Workshop tells us, as we begin to opt for warmer tones over cool. One to look out for is Vintage Taupe by Benjamin Moore, which plays nicely with just about any accent color.

Benjamin Moore - Vintage Taupe

Benjamin Moore Vintage Taupe $47

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Sherwin-Williams Amazing Gray

Kitchen and living room with Amazing Gray paint — Laura Hay Decor & Design

If you're seeking out a more contemporary take on taupe paint, designer Laura Hay points to Sherwin-Williams Amazing Gray as one of her favorites. “It's a cool, modern shade of taupe,“ she says. “I love how it works equally with warm and cool tones.“ We also give it the Goldilocks stamp of approval—not too light, not too dark, but just right.

Paint can

Sherwin-Williams Amazing Gray $40

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Farrow & Ball Elephant's Breath

Farrow & Ball - Elephants Breath — Farrow & Ball

Emma Beryl swears by Farrow & Ball’s Elephant’s Breath. “It brings a rich sense of warmth to any space, but its gray undertones feel totally new and fresh,” she says. Renowned for its original inception by sought-after British designer John Fowler, this taupe has made its way to bedrooms all over the world. “It is the most perfect neutral taupe with a magenta undertone,” adds Decorist designer Jessica McCarthy, noting its earthy, yet romantic impact.

Farrow & Ball - Elephant's Breath

Farrow & Ball Elephant's Breath $110

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Sherwin-Williams Eider White

Sherwin Williams - Eider White — Home Made Lovely

Part of the Coastal Cool family by Sherwin-Williams, Vaquero also offers us Eider White, a taupe that scales almost gray. Soothing and laid back, it can play the charming supporting role to a whimsical space. If your style runs on the wild side, this is the perfect color to tame it.

Sherwin Williams - Elder White

Sherwin-Williams Eider White $40

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Farrow & Ball School House White

Farrow & Ball - Schoolhouse White — Design: Hive LA Home; Photo: Amy Bartlam

Just barely bridging the space between taupe and cream, this shade was designed to be used as effortlessly as you would a white. Vaquero tends to lean towards “softer and lighter hues,” when picking a taupe, and School House White satisfies just that approach.

Farrow & Ball - School House White

Farrow & Ball School House White $110

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Benjamin Moore Baby Fawn

Benjamin Moore - Baby Fawn — Christine Markatos Design

Christine Markatos Lowe of Christine Markatos Design thinks that in a space with wood and brick elements, Baby Fawn by Benjamin Moore could be just the refresher you need. “Taupe paint is a great way to give warmth to a more contemporary design scheme, as opposed to the starkness of white paint.” As a shade rich with grey undertones, it adapts to earth tones nicely.

Benjamin Moore - Baby Fawn

Benjamin Moore Baby Fawn $47

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Sherwin-Williams Perfect Greige

Sherwin-Williams Perfect Greige — Leu Interiors

If you’re looking for a color that pairs well with just about anything, Decorist Elite Designer Becky Leu leads us to Perfect Greige, an almost plum-hued paint choice. Subtle yet warm, it evokes the comfort of a log cabin. Leu swears by it: “I've used it in entire-home projects before because of its versatility.”

Benjamin Moore - Perfect Greige

Sherwin-Williams Perfect Greige $40

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Benjamin Moore White Dove

Benjamine Moore - White Dove — Design: Emily Henderson Design; Photo: Zeke Ruelas

The lightest of the taupe family is Benjamin Moore’s White Dove, a warm, luminous tone. According to Markatos Lowe, this paint choice will “perfectly complement the fresh pastel colors of a feminine space, creating a calm and welcoming room for entertaining.”

Try keeping the walls minimal while saving the “wow” moment for fabrics and accessories.

Benjamin Moore - White Dove

Benjamin Moore White Dove $47

10 of 15

Behr Creamy Mushroom

Interior door with creamy mushroom paint — Brie Builds

Turns out this highly divisive soup flavor makes the perfect interior accent color, too. Just take a look at how the DIY-guru behind Brie Builds used Behr’s Creamy Mushroom on a geometric sliding door to add subtle warmth to her black, white, and gray bathroom reno. Creamy and dreamy.

Behr's Creamy Mushroom paint

Behr Creamy Mushroom $37

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Sherwin-Williams Repose Gray

Repose Gray kitchen cabinets — Hibou Design & Co.

“The easiest way to describe taupe is that it’s a cross between grey and beige,” says Eugenia Triandos, co-founder of Hibou Design & Co. “Some taupes are just grey with a touch of warmth and some are far more yellow with a touch of grey.” In this kitchen, the cabinetry is finished in Sherwin-Williams’ Repose Gray, a warm gray that plays beautifully with both the browns and grays throughout the space.

Paint can

Sherwin-Williams Repose Gray $40

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Benjamin Moore Sandy Hook Gray

shades of taupe bathroom — Diana Rose Design

Diana Rose of Diana Rose Design is a big believer in taupe interiors. “Taupe has significant power in interior design,” she says. “It is a monochromatic go-to color that is rich in depth, as opposed to white.” In this primary bathroom, Rose opted to layer Benjamin Moore taupes for a tone-on-tone effect. While the walls are sporting a soothing shade of Revere Pewter, it’s the custom vanity in Sandy Hook Gray that’s the showpiece in this space.

The term “Primary Bathroom” is now widely used to describe the largest bathroom in the home, as it better reflects the space’s purpose. Many realtors, architects, interior designers, and the Real Estate Standards Association have recognized the potentially discriminatory connotations in the term “Master.” Read more about our Diversity and Inclusion Pledge.

Sandy Hook Gray

Benjamin Moore Sandy Hook Gray $47

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Sherwin-Williams Gossamer Veil

Gossamer Veil kitchen cabinets — Hibou Design & Co.

“Working with complex neutrals like taupe can be challenging since there is always a prominent undertone,” shares Triandos. One of her personal recommendations is Sherwin-Williams’ Gossamer Veil. She likes that it’s a pale yet warm shade of taupe that creates a visible contrast against white. “Gossamer Veil has a green undertone, which paired nicely with the green backsplash selected here for this kitchen,” she adds.

Paint can

Sherwin-Williams Gossamer Veil $40

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Behr Smokestack

Behr Smokestack on walls — Danielle Preston

Roll out the relaxing vibes with a fresh coat of Behr Smokestack on the walls. See it in action in this cozy corner styled by Danielle Preston of Danielle It Yourself. The mid-tone taupe shade is the perfect balance between clean and inviting without weighing down the room.

Smokestack

Behr Smokestack $37

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Benjamin Moore Copley Gray

Bathroom in shades of taupe — Diana Rose Design

Seen at another angle, this soothing primary suite from Diana Rose Design also features the darker Benjamin Moore Copley Gray on the doors, which coordinates with the chic bedroom beyond. “I love working with [taupe] for layering shades that are both lighter and darker. It is so versatile and luxurious, yet calm and soothing at the same time,” says Rose.

Copley Gray

Benjamin Moore Copley Gray $47

This is How to Choose the Right White Paint, According to Designers

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