I received this question the other day and realized that even though my ebook covers it in comprehensive detail, I don't have a single post that answers this question directly.
So here are the 6 best ways to choose one:
1. Start with the living room because that's where the entire colour scheme for the house is usually determined. Consider the colour of your carpet, sofa and drapery. The biggest pieces in the room will heavily dictate the neutral you end up with.
My ebook comes with a bonus book of neutrals broken down by undertone. Take the colour chips and place them on your furniture, tile or drapery until you find the ones that match.
2. If the wall to wall carpet or tile in your house is not cream or white or apple green (in other words, a colour) then it's a neutral and usually that's the one that should be on the walls so your space looks pulled together.
3. If you hate your carpet or tile because it's, for example, pinky beige, and a) it will eventually be replaced or b) you don't want it to boss your entire colour scheme around, then the solution to that dilemma would be to put an area rug on top of the offending broadloom. Or if your bathroom (below) has pink beige tile and blue gray wainscotting (or cabinets, or countertop), chose blue gray for the walls instead of pink beige.
So if your sofas are a green gray or yellow beige and your carpet is pink beige, get an area rug that pulls your furniture into the scheme and paint your walls green gray or yellow beige.
Sometimes people will ask "Is that enough contrast? Won't it be bad to paint the walls the same colour as my sofa/carpet/drapery?" So here's the thing, 9 times out of 10 the client asking this question is still not the exception to this rule. And the neutral I'm suggesting is still the best one that pulls the space together.
4. Here's the rule about mixing undertones. All undertones can be combined except pink beige with yellow and orange beige. Yellow and orange beige next to pink makes it look dirty.
Don't combine more than 2 neutral undertones in any colour scheme, it could start to look like you don't know what you're doing.
If the tile you have chosen or inherited has 5 neutral undertones (for example), that's okay – just don't pull more than two to create your colour scheme.
5. The other day my client had a green beige sofa/carpet and green beige marble around her fireplace mantle. This makes the right neutral for the walls is a green beige, however she emailed me later and said she wished it could be a yellow beige instead. I responded that going with yellow walls would work much better than a yellow beige.
A strong enough colour on the walls would make her green beige undertones read more neutral, however simply choosing a yellow beige would look like the wrong neutral had been selected.
6. Once you've found the neutral you think will work, paint it on a poster board and along with white boards behind it, hold it behind your sofa, next to the flooring, behind your drapery or beside your fireplace to make sure it's the right one.
When your space bugs you and you don't know why, it's more upsetting than knowing what the problem is and then choosing to ignore it until you have the money to replace it.
Kind of like life really. Doesn't it feel better to know why you're upset about something? Walking around with anxiety and not knowing what it is can make you feel crazy.
Now that I'm a homeowner I've noticed that my tolerance for ignoring something old and dated is much lower than it was when I was a renter.
Because now I can do something about it, it's just a matter of time (and money).
Related posts:
What Everyone Should know about Beige
What Everyone Should know about Gray
Download my eBook, to learn what you didn't get in Colour Theory. How to Choose Paint Colours: It's All in the Undertones. Now available in Apple version for IPAD.
If you would like your home to fill you with happiness every time you walk in, contact me.
To make sure the undertones in your home are right, get some large samples!
If you would like to learn to how choose the right colours for your home or for your clients, become a True Colour Expert.
What a great, practical post, Maria. Just another reminder that neutrals really aren't so neutral at all!
loved this post…. thank you for explaining it all so we can understand, I know it is very hard to put it in words…
funny how owning your home changes everything… I am truly very happy for you… looking forward to seeing the finished kitchen
(your pictures are still long and skinny on my computer, is it me? )
Wonderful post Maria, exactly the kind of information everyone needs to know!
Kate
Maria,
Great post for individuals wanting to do something to their space and are limited in funds. This gives them a reason and an action plan. We all feel better now don't we!
Bette
So, I have a question. I have a gray carpet. And I like it. And I know painting the walls gray would be beautiful. BUT, living where we do with rain 9 months of the year…well, I say no to painting my walls gray, even though it would be beautiful. I'd be in the loony bin by February.
Color then?
Thanks for the post!!!
The difference between a COLD BLUE gray and a WARM PUTTY GREEN GRAY is so big, you might be okay with a gray but only if it works with your existing furniture. Nothing brings a gray carpet to life faster than a colour so I say go for colour!!
Look at your largest items and figure it out from there!
Happy Painting!
Maria
Thanks for this. It sparked some thoughts for talking to my client. Have a great week, Maria!
Great post Maria! You always explain everything so well that everyone can understand. You help take the mystery out of those tricky undertones!
Kelly
Choosing neutral is a challenge in person let alone explaining it in a blog post – this is very informative Maria!
Pulling a color/neutral from a dominant piece of furniture I find helpful like I have mentioned in this post about an IKEA chair: http://bit.ly/HnPbep
So much to consider when choosing color! Thank goodness everyone has your blog for help
I can't WAIT to hire you when we move in July! I have even convinced the husband of the need to hire you, and he is totally with me. Every post that I regurgitate to him in my own (usually insufficient) words is further fodder to my cause! Thanks so much, you are brilliant! Can't wait to buy your book btw, just waiting for the paycheque…also wondering if it will be hard to get the BM paint deck here in Calgary…searched around but only one true BM store, and I didn't get the sense they give them out. Do they cost a lot??
Thanks!!
Jackie you are so awesome!! This comment made my day! You can find them and here in Vancouver you buy one and then return it, ask if they do that. Maria
What is the difference between a dirty yellow and yellow-beige? Are they on the same continuum?
A yellow beige is like HC-26 Monroe Bisque while a dirty yellow would be like Dijon. A clean yellow would be HC-4 Hawthorne yellow but still far from a yellow beige. Hope this helps. Maria
You need to add yellow to your fabulous e-book (book of colors)!!!
If you can mix green beige with yellow beige, then did you choose a yellow paint (instead of a yellow beige in item 5 of your blog) to add more contrast between the walls and furniture to avoid having 1 yellow beige item in the room of green beige?
I initially specified a green beige to tie it all in but since my client wanted yellow, I told her to go with yellow (as long as that colour is then repeated in the space with pillows, accessories etc) and that would be better than a yellow beige which would simply look like she chose the wrong beige.
Hope that clarifies it, let me know if it does not.
Maria
Hi Maria,
Painting the kitchen and fireplace BM Ivory White, matching BM Revere Pewter to my tile for most of the main floor, the hardwood color. I relish how it all looks now 
, but the second floor will need to wait a while.
What a timely post, I was just thinking of what color to paint my second floor with the pinky beige carpet. However, me being me, I don't understand a thing about mixing undertones even when explained by you. So I should paint it blue gray? Which one? The only thing I'm sure of is doing the test on the big poster board
BTW That's why I did consults with you for my main floor. I don't really get it, but I know you get it!
Everything you said was spot on
So what does a color-by-numbers girl paint next to pinky beige carpet in the meantime?
Thanks Maria!
Hi Maria,
In reading #5 above I got confused. My LR is painted BM Sandy Brown. My entry, looking into the LR is painted BM Lighthouse Landing. I thought they worked together until I read #5. Now I stare at the 2 colors and see green-beige in the LR (especially in lower light) and almost a pinky beige in the entry. I always thought they looked good together until I started analyzing them. Mistake?? Does Lighthouse Landing have pink in it? Thanks, Jan
I don't have those colours in front of me but there's nothing wrong with pink beige with green beige, red and green are complimentary colours. Maria
Brilliant and informative post, Maria! I've read your e-book too, which helps a lot – you are amazing!
I really enjoyed having you over for a consult some time ago, and have painted our living area BM Natural Linen as you suggested. It has really tied everything together very nicely! I do have a question though. What kind of beige is Natural Linen? By our North facing windows and in the shadows it looks cooler (more grayish or greenish), but over by the South facing windows it's warmer and almost peachy on a sunny evening.
Thanks! Sandy
Maria,
I find myself taking notes as I read your posts on undertones because it's so confusing to me. I'm starting to get it though. I would love to sign up for your class down the road because I find color to be so fascinating, yet so complex.
Maria,
What color is used in the first picture. It is a beautiful gray. I am thinking of using Coventry Gray in our family room but I really like the one in the picture. We have dark hardwood floors and I think it would be a beautiful color. Thanks! Love your blog and website!!
Jennifer
That colour looks similar to BM Stonehearth. Maria
It's beautiful with the blue what blue is it do you know?
Maria,
I recently purchased the "grellow" couch from cb2. It's a muddy bright gold. I have a white and charcoal rug. I am struggling with the right neutral wall color. It is a bright sunny small room. I chose BM China White and it's blah. Your suggestions would be welcome! Thank-you. I love your blog!!
Susan
It's hard for me to say without seeing your space, maybe BM Collingwood? Maria
Hello,
My bathroom tiles are a black/gray color. What color do you think would look good on the walls?? I was thinking a pale blue. Currently, the color is a very light gray and I just dont reall like it.
Thanks,
Neel
What you need is a stronger pop colour (not a pale shade) to give the gray some contrast. It sounds like you have a good neutral background to work with so I would consider painting your walls whatever accent you already have in your house! Maria
Hi Maria-I'm having fun re-reading your posts at the end of 2012. After reading the comments I have to say that I appreciate that you take the time to comment back and that you give readers suggestions. Sometimes designers will say "You can purchase my…" when I have a question.
Hi Maria! I am so loving this advice, and I am working on it! Grant Beige (BM) works with my carpet and my tile, and my wood laminate floor.
BUT…it looks so muddy and kind of yuck next to my cabinets, and I've also tried Rockport Gray and Revere Pewter, to the same effect, and I feel like Edgecomb Gray is too light. The cabinets are a light yellow-orange stain (maple), sounds awful but the light here is often very dim and dreary. Can you suggest a cleaner version of Grant Beige? Thanks for sharing such great information!!