Paint Colors That Work in Southern Homes
Choosing the right paint color is one of the biggest challenges homeowners face and if you live in the South, you know how much our light can change the way a color looks. That soft gray that seemed perfect on the swatch might turn blue in the morning sun or muddy by afternoon. I hear it all the time from clients who say, "It looked so different once it was on the wall." The truth is, Southern light is strong and warm. It can play tricks with paint colors if you're not careful. I'm sharing my favorite go-to colors that I know work well in our bright, sun-filled homes. Whether you're looking for a fresh neutral or an accent, these are colors you can feel confident about using in your space.
In this dining room, we had a lot of light coming in from two large windows and needed a neutral, with just a hint of warm grey. Worldly Gray by Sherwin Williams was the winner!
For this living room, we needed a warmer neutral that didn’t compete with the “orangey” wood floors. Canvas Tan by Sherwin Williams was carried from this room into the adjoining kitchen and breakfast room. I don’t use this color very often, but it was a great choice for our coastal vibe project.
For this family room, I chose Collingwood by Benjamin Moore. It looked very gray on the sample, but this space is very open with lots of windows. The sunlight helped warm it up and complemented the colorful upholstery perfectly.
This last neutral is Natural Linen by Sherwin Williams. We samples a lot of colors for this project as the client wanted the same color throughout all the main rooms. This living room has VERY tall ceilings with lots of windows. I really love how the warmer tones of the paint contrasted with the darker wood floors. This color is so versatile, I used it in my own home.
Now, let’s talk accent colors. I’m going to go on record saying I don’t like doing accent walls. This is where you just paint one wall a color. If you’re going to use color, then really commit to using it. If you’re unsure, then consider painting your ceiling or just using the color in your fabrics.
This den is directly across from that first dining room I shared. We wrapped the entire room in Van Deusen Blue by Benjamin Moore, including the built-ins. It’s still one of my favorite spaces I’ve designed. This is also a great choice if you are wanting to paint your kitchen island a contrasting color.
I really like using color in dining rooms as there isn’t a lot of opportunity for it since most of the furniture is neutral. Mount Saint Anne by Benjamin Moore was the perfect complement for all the lighter colors in this space. We couldn’t change the colors of the floors, so I was struggling to find something that worked with that orange stain.
My client had a lot of white trim in her dining room, but wanted a modern look. We used Westcott Navy by Benjamin Moore to create a high contrast between the two colors. This is a great example of how paint can truly transform a room.
Paint colors can completely change the feel of your home and choosing the right ones makes all the difference. I hope this post has given you some ideas to get started. If you are feeling stuck or just want a little expert help to pull it all together, I would love to talk to you. Reach out to schedule a virtual consultation and let’s make your home feel perfectly you.