What are the best neutral paint colours recommended by professional interior designers?

Neutrals will never go out of style for good reason, but how do you select the best neutral paint colours for your space when there are literally thousands on the market to choose from?

We were asked to share our thoughts on neutrals for Ideal Home magazine, read on for our full recommendations according to what type of mood and look you would like to create, and our #1 recommended neutral paint colour which will work in any interiors scheme.

 

The best warm neutral paint colours

If your room is on the cooler side, you can introduce warmth with an earthy or yellow-base neutral. We love Farrow & Ball’s Dimity, or White Tie, or Little Greene’s Portland Stone Light, or Lick’s Beige 10. All beautiful off-white shades with just the right dose of light colour.

(Photo credit: Little Greene)

The best neutral paint colours for a large or open-plan room

These same warm neutrals will work especially well is your room is large as they will keeps things light and bright, yet provide a backdrop which will work well as a base layer in varied interior schemes – especially important if you have many pieces of furniture in different colours to consider bringing together in a single space like a large or open plan room.

The best cool neutral paint colours

If your space gets bright Southerly or Easterly light, the best neutral paint colours for your room are those with a pink or cooler-toned base, as warm yellow-base neutrals can read overly yellow in very bright light. Our favourites include Lick White 06, Farrow & Ball’s Pointing, or Coat’s Just Barely.

The best neutral paint colours for a small room

It can be tempting to paint a small room white in the belief that the lighter the room, the bigger it will feel. But actually, in a small room brilliant white can feel a little bare and prison-cell like. You’re better off embracing your room size and celebrating it by introducing colour in a smaller space. We would recommend a more saturated neutral tone like Farrow & Ball’s Setting Plaster, or Neptune’s Old Rose

The best coloured neutral paints

Pale buttery yellow has been everywhere in 2025, experiencing a style moment in both fashion and interiors – and Neptune’s Polenta is one of the best pale yellows we’ve seen. It works particularly well in kitchens and bedrooms. If you want to go darker and moodier with your neutral scheme, Coat’s Cold Brew is a dramatic yet very liveable dark taupe shade that’s anything but boring. Mink from Paint & Paper Library is a similar shade with slightly pinkier tone.

(Photo credit: Coat)

Our #1 top-rated neutral paint for any interior

The no-fail neutral colour we use on repeat? Farrow & Ball’s Skimming Stone, a beautiful light grey/taupe. In our view it’s the perfect blend of light, warm, saturated, and tonal. A truly classic versatile neutral that works effortlessly in every scheme and interior style.

If you’d like to explore more of our top recommended paint colours, why not take our quick Style Quiz to help you understand your style personality, and see which paint colours we recommend to bring your favourite interior style to life.

(Photo Credit: Farrow & Ball)