Coffee Paint Colors Are the Newest Neutrals, According to Designers

White is often considered the default neutral for a space, and we get it. White paint is light and bright, but it can also read a little cold and blah sometimes. So, we'd like to suggest a new go-to hue—coffee! While that word encompasses a whole lot of tones (starting with creamy, light tones and working its way deeper into the shade of a yummy dark roast), the brown meets beige meets cream color brings a natural warmth and calm to a space that can really liven it up.

And, did we mention it's super on-trend? This year at the Real Simple Home, we noticed that so many of our designers were dousing their spaces in these shades. The Brownstone Boys, for example, used this palette in both their kitchen and living room, with Valspar's Swiss Coffee and Pick of the Litter. Mikel Welch used both light and dark coffee shades in his primary bedroom, coating the walls in Savoury Beige and the ceilings in Potter's Rock. So what shade is right for you? We asked some of our favorite designers to tell us about the coffee paint colors they crave. If beige isn't your jam, check out these designer-approved gray paint colors and these super soothing paint shades.

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Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore

So many different designers came back with this answer that I felt like it needed to go way up top. Designer Mina Lisanin likes this coffee-hued white because it's "the warmest white out there."

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Oxford Stone by Farrow & Ball

Hannah Goldberg of Hannah Charlotte Interiors loves the way these rich, earthy tones can warm up a space. Her favorite is this latte-cream colored hue from Farrow & Ball.

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Dirty Chai by Clare

Hema Persad, another one of our incredible Real Simple Home Designers, recommends a shade from Clare Paint called Dirty Chai. "It's warm and has a pinkish undertone that complements a lot of design styles," she says.

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London Stone by Farrow & Ball

Liz Williams of Liz Williams Interiors prefers something a little lighter. "I love the warm undertone as well as the rich creaminess. It pairs well with so many colors", she says. "It looks like a cup of cafe au lait!"

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Swiss Coffee by Valspar

Meet the bright yet warm color that took the kitchen of the Real Simple Home to the next level! Chosen by The Brownstone Boys, this shade is light and creamy.

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Savoury Beige by Valspar

Another stunning coffee color from the Real Simple Home! Mikel Welch painted the primary bedroom in this warm tone that happens to look incredible with the room's intricate woodwork and cream-colored furnishings.

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Wenge by Benjamin Moore

This is the richest, sleekest, boldest shade in my opinion, says Christine Vroom of Christine Vroom Interiors. "I love how this brings depth to the space as well as adds a lot of drama without spending a lot of money."

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Jitney by Farrow & Ball

These soulful beige-y paints have tons of different undertones, and Gabriela Eisenhart of Silo Studios likes the pinks in this one. "It's a relaxed yet rich, warm brown with the slightest hint of blush," she says. "It's beautiful on cabinets, built-ins, or for color drenching a space."

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Bleeker Beige by Benjamin Moore

"It's the perfect backdrop for other colors—navy, red, green, yellow," says Sarah Rinehard Fleischer of SRF Interiors. "It's enough of a color that it holds its own but neutral enough to be a supporting character."

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London Clay by Farrow & Ball

Farrow & Ball London Clay — Farrow & Ball

"This will work with literally any color around it," says Amelia Strat of Kroesser + Strat. "It's the perfect combination of brownish purple—not too blue, not too red," Anna Kroesser echoes.

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Classic Brown by Benjamin Moore

Marry Patton favors Classic Brown by Benjamin Moore. "Slightly warmer than tilled soil, it looks great paired with stained wood cabinetry," she says, "It creates a modern tone-on-tone look using classic elements."

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