House Beautiful - House Beautiful colors for your home : the ultimate guide to choosing paint

Classic hues always make the right impression.

This classic hunter green feels like a color Ive known my entire lifein the leaves of a magnolia tree, a sprig of fresh-cut basil, or my favorite flannel shirt in the second grade. In a Minnesota farmhouse kitchen, it has a comforting familiarity that evokes a sense of home. Its a color with soul, and that never goes out of style.

JEFF ANDREWS

SHERWIN-WILLIAMS | SECRET GARDEN SW 6181

Use this if you have to paint a room quickly and dont know what to do. Its a home-run colora dirty celadon that has been in the line forever. My mother, who was also a decorator, loved it. It works for any environmentmodern or traditional, no problemand with any colorblue, red, yellow, tangerine.

ATHALIE DERSE

PRATT & LAMBERT | ANTIQUE WHITE 14-31

If you swept this color up from the deep sea into your favorite room, youd join the rest of the world, who have used it in Chinese porcelain, Dutch delftware, and Portuguese tiles. I spotted it in Lisbons famous tile museum, and on the same trip, I saw a kitchen in Paris painted this color. Try it with glossy black trim and a pearl-gray ceiling.

WHITNEY STEWART

BENJAMIN MOORE | CARIBBEAN AZURE 2059-20

This steel gray, with a hint of blue, has a kind of strength and calm that feels very architectural, almost as if it were a material integral to the room rather than a paint color. When youre surrounded by it, the effect is like an updated version of a traditional paneled roombut a lot less expensive. I would do it in high gloss so it glistens.

STEVEN GAMBREL

PANTONE UNIVERSE | MONUMENT 17-4405

Its one of my all-time favorite colors, a warm gray that makes a room inviting yet still clean and crisp. It works with almost any scheme, but I like to use it with either gem tones or neutrals, such as creams, browns, and dark grays. I painted my own living room this color and after all this time I still love it, which means a lot!

BLAIR HARRIS

FARROW & BALL | SKIMMING STONE 241

Theres something heavenly about this pale blue. You see it in Renaissance paintings or an early-morning sky. It would look equally great in a contemporary setting with nubby Belgian linen, or in a more formal room with sparkling crystal sconces. Put a true white next to it and youll see how wonderful and subtle it really is.

PAUL SHERRILL

PRATT & LAMBERT | WHITE SMOKE 26-2

I tend to prefer more complex, layered tones, and this fits the bill. Lavender is the only color thats both warm and cool, and this particular shade is like quicksilver. It changes and evolves all day long. Its cheery in the morning, restful and calm in the afternoon, and sexy in the evenings low light.

OLIVER M. FURTH

DONALD KAUFMAN COLOR | DKC-36

Red lipstick, red dresses, red wallsfabulous! Red makes you feel alive. It instills confidence. And theres another reason people really like to sit in red roomstheyre cozy. If youre afraid to do the whole thing, just start with one wall. Even one shot of red will have tremendous impact.

MARCY MASTERSON

FARROW & BALL | RECTORY RED 217

This taupe is effortlessly chic. It reminds me of a warm stone color, something youd see on the walls at the Louvre. Mixed with crisp Parisian black and ivory, its truly a timeless combination. It would look especially stunning with gold or brass accents.

ERINN VALENCICH