Is Beige Back in Style? Beige is THE new neutral!
10 Best LIGHT beige paint colors! (For those that don’t like white or cream)
As we are now leaning towards warmer paint colors, beige is definitely making a BIG comeback for house interiors. Not only is beige back in style, its edging out white as the go to whole house paint color.
First of all, before we do a deep dive into the best light beige colors for your wall, lets define, what the heck “beige” is. There are so many neutrals floating around, it can be confusing when you hear terms like beige, cream, warm white, tan, greige, etc. etc. etc. Think of beige as a very light brown color. Beige is NOT a cream, which tends to have a wee bit of yellow in it. Nor is it a tan, which has a wee bit of orange in it.
Its warm, cozy and inviting. It can complement both transitional and traditional interior style and furniture. It will also work in contemporary & modern style interiors with the appropriate shade of beige. So a light beige may be a definite option instead of white walls.
If you’re not into the white walls phase that has taken over from our gray decade, a light beige paint color can be an alternative option for you. Its calming, soothing, cozy & warm. Depending on the shade, beige can work in all types of interiors. Transitional & traditional interiors work with the warmer beiges. Beige with a tiny hint of gray (before it becomes greige) works well with contemporary & modern style interiors.
What is LRV and why is this important in choosing a paint color?
LRV is light reflective value. There’s probably books written on LRV, lol, which we’re not going into here, but basically LRV, or Light Reflective Value, is how light or dark a color is on a scale of 1 being the darkest, black, to 100 being the lightest, white, and every color falls somewhere in-between these two colors.
For my recommendations of light beige paint colors, I am recommending beige paints with an LRV of 60 to 80. That’s not because there aren’t any beiges below an LRV that aren’t worth recommending, there are plenty. But here we’re discussing alternative whole house LIGHT beige paint colors that you could use instead of the current trending whites. Some of the popular beiges that have an LRV below 60 fall into the medium range on the LRV scale which some homeowners may find too dark to paint their whole house in a medium range LRV shade.
Read: What is LRV means in paint colors and why it matters
Read: What are interior design styles & how to I choose one for my home?
What’s In a Name? Don’t judge a paint color by its name!
Before we go into our list of best light beige colors… have you ever wondered how they come up with names for paint colors? They should have done a Seinfeld episode on this topic! lol. Seriously though!!! There are a number of factors that go into coming up with these names. But one thing you should know, that just because its called “white” “beige” “tan” etc, doesn’t mean its that color.
Here’s what I mean….
- Shoiji White is …. beige
- Indian White is …. beige
- Moderate White is …. beige
- Manchester Tan is … beige.
- Grant Beige is … tan.
- Bennington Gray is … beige.
I know, confusing right? But as we explore the best beige alternatives to white, don’t get hung up on the names with “white” in them. Because there are a few really nice “whites” listed here that are actually beige. The bottom line is… don’t judge a paint color by its name!
Read: Don’t Buy a Paint Color based on its Name
Top 5 Sherwin Williams Beige Paint Colors
Sherwin Williams Shoji White 7042
Photo: Welsh Design Studio
Sherwin Williams Shoji White is considered to be the equivalent to Benjamin Moore’s Swiss Coffee. Of course, the colors are not created equal but they are comparable both being a warm off-white. Shoji White has an LRV of 74 putting it in the off-white collection of Sherwin Williams making it a VERY light beige. Shoji White is a beautiful mix of cream and greige which makes it warm, but the greige tones it down therefore not making it too yellow. Its a nice light beige choice for those that want a color with a bit more warmth and depth than a white. It would be a great color has a whole house interior paint color or an exterior paint color as well depending on the fixed elements of your home.
Sherwin Williams Neutral Ground 7568
Sherwin Williams Neutral Ground is another warm beige that is not too creamy. It has an LRV of 72 which makes it a light beige but its not too light for northern states and colder regions where some of the lighter beiges can look washed out. Its a calm, inviting and cozy beige which is suitable for those tricky north & south facing rooms. It would be a great choice for a whole house paint color and for exteriors as well.
Sherwin Williams Natural Linen 9109
Photo: Kylie M Interiors
Sherwin Williams Natural Linen is a light beige color with an LRV of 66 which means it falls into the light category of color but not considered to be an off-white. Natural Linen has a slight orange undertone which is not overpowering but it may not suit everyone’s interior. In our photo above, it works well since the cabinets have orange undertones and well as the earth toned furniture.
The undertone of Natural Linen is orange which may not suit everyone’s home but Its a great choice if you’re looking for an alternative to white and want a light beige with warmth but you need to test this to see if the undertone works for your home.
Sherwin Williams Wool Skein SW6148
Photo: Tobi Fairley Interior Design via Houzz
If you’re looking for a beige with a bit more oomph than Neutral Ground, Sherwin Williams Wool Skein might be the beige for you. Its another warm beige with slight yellow undertones. Its warm without being to yellow and its another versatile beige. It has an LRV of 63 which makes it a light color as opposed to a mid-tone or in the white collection. The only downside of Wool Skein is that is has a slight undertone of green which may or may not appear depending on the direction the room faces, and the time of day. The Wool Skein pares beautifully here in this kitchen with the lower cabinets in a shade of sage green but it may not work in your home depending on the undertones of the other fixed elements in your room. That’s why its so important to test!
Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige SW7036
With an LRV of 58, Accessible Beige is a tiny bit darker than the other beiges listed here, plus its below our LRV cut off of 60 for the light beiges here, BUT its one of Sherwin Williams most popular beige paint colors so we can’t leave it out of this list lol and you’ll see why! Accessible Beige is a warm beige with gray undertones so its ends up not being to beigy or too gray. In some lights it can appear gray, but generally it looks beige. Its a warm beige with depth that will make any room warm and inviting. You can see why this beige is so popular.
This color is suitable as a whole house paint color if you want something a little darker and more warmth. You would want your trim to be a white trim for distinction. Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige is also a very popular exterior paint color.
Read: What is the BEST white paint colors for trim, doors & ceilings
Top 5 Benjamin Moore Beige Paint Colors
Benjamin Moore also has some lovely beiges that are suitable as a whole house paint color for the open concepts areas like front entrance, hallways, living room and perhaps kitchen and dining room depending on your home’s layout.
Benjamin Moore Navajo White OC-95
Photo: Pinterest
Benjamin Moore’s Navajo White it a timeless and classic warm light beige that is in their off-white collection. Depending on the light and direction that the room is facing, it can look like a warm white or a beige. It’s LRV is 78.26 which makes it a warm off-white. The color adds depth and richness making this perfect as a light, bright, neutral warm off-white. This bright, light neutral is ideal for all-over color, making larger rooms feel airy and open, and lending small spaces a cozy warmth. As a trim color, it provides soft contrast for earth-toned walls. Its has a slight yellow undertone which will complement earth-tones furniture, accessories & fixed elements.
Benjamin Moore Albescent OC-40
Albescent is a warm beige with an LRV of 74.29 which makes it part of the off-white collection. Its a light warm beige with peach undertones. This beige would work well with natural earth tone colors, particularly cognac that is trending, creams, and grays. This would be a nice color if you’re transitioning from the all gray phase that we were just into and you still have alot of gray furniture or accessories.
Read: Is gray out of style? 5 Tips to neutralize gray
Benjamin Moore Maritime White 963 or Maritime White OC-5
Benjamin Moore Maritime White is considered an off-white paint color with muted beige undertones. With an LRV of 71.6 its a warm light beige that would be suitable as a whole house paint color for an open concept area.
Benjamin Moore Muslin OC-12 | CC-110
Photo: WildfoxPainting.com
One of my favorite go to beiges that I recommended alot in both design & staging projects was Benjamin Moore’s Muslin. Its a smooth mild beige, it doesn’t scream beige, but its a bit darker than the other light beiges listed here. Muslin’s LRV is 66.54 which means it has a bit more oomph than the previous beiges. It falls into the “light” category of the LRV scale and not in the white or off-white category. It has a slight pink undertone which is why its a warm shade of beige. Because of the slight pink undertone, its warm and inviting, but it will also not be a fit with some elements of your room with different undertones. That’s why testing & comparing is sooooo important!
Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan HC-81 also known as Berber White 955
Benjamin Moore’s Manchester Tan is one of their top selling colors and its easy to see why. Benjamin Moore calls it a fresh, sophisticated beige that conjures stately sandstone façades. With an LRV of 63.24 its a warm medium paint color that will warm up any room. It has green and yellow undertones which creates a balanced and earthy look. In this hallway above, pairing Manchester Tan with a warm white is a stunning look. This color tends to lean towards traditional and transitional interior design styles.
Do you find picking a neutral overwhelming? Most people do!
Do 50 shades of grey, beige, greige, tan, warm white, cool white or cream overwhelm you? Do you want to pick another color other than a neutral but are unsure what to pick? Windows with south exposure, east exposure, green undertones, blue undertones leave you feeling how can you pick a color that you will be happy with for years?
Choosing the right color(s) for your room(s) can be daunting but it doesn’t need to be. I will take the guess work out of picking colors for your for a room. We will go over your design style, personal preferences and pictures of your room course, and I will provide you a personalized color plan for your room. I will show you how to test colors in your home, and will work with you until you’re happy with your color selection!
Check out my online Consult services here!
Related Neutral Paint Color Posts!
How to Test Paint Colors the Right Way
What is a Good Warm White Paint Color?
Best Cool White Paint Colors
10 Best Benjamin Moore & Sherwin Williams Cream Paint Colors
Hi! I’m Debi Collinson. Designer. Color Consultant & Real Estate Investor.
I conducted my first color consult at the age of 7, for my father for one of his design | build projects. I’m an Interior Designer, a Double-Certified Paint Color Expert, with advanced training in kitchens + bathrooms!
Since 2006, I have helped hundreds of clients, just like you, to style their house to make it a stunning retreat, that is functional for the family AND that they love and enjoy their home. In 2020, I moved my design business online.
I have successfully flipped 9 houses and in my spare time, lol, I’m currently working on our dated 1950’s river house! Read my full story including my design credentials here.
