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  4. 25 Calming Paint Colors to Soothe Your Southern Home in 2022

25 Calming Paint Colors to Soothe Your Southern Home in 2022

Kaitlyn Yarborough, Assistant Editor and Writer for Southern Living
By Kaitlyn Yarborough Updated April 06, 2022
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2019 Idea House Queen Guest Bedroom
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Liz Strong

There's little calm to be found in a Southern home. Between the kids and the dogs, and the family dinners and the holiday celebrations, a Southern home might be filled with happiness and love by the buckets—but it is not filled with calm (not even by one bucket). At best, there are fleeting moments of calm. These are typically spent in the peace of our personal spaces, whether you consider that place to be your bedroom, kitchen, den, or screened-in porch. Turns out, there's something you can do to make these spaces feel even more relaxing, and it comes down to design. What sounds more soothing: ocean blue or fire-brick red? Cool gray or canary yellow? (Exactly.) While it's undeniable that blues, grays, and greens are inherently calm colors, the buck doesn't have to stop there. There are neutrals, pastels, and high-pigment paint colors across the spectrum that make for a serene space, and we're spilling all the secrets. Try one of these 25 calming paint colors for your Southern home.  

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Sea Haze

Home Office with Builtin Shelving
Credit: Chris Edwards; Styling: Kendra Surface

With work-from-home, the home office has become a fixture in 2022. To distract from the stress of answering e-mails and talking on Zoom, we suggest painting your home office a shade that makes you happy and calm no matter what your calendar throws at you. Interior designer Liz Carroll accomplished this in her North Carolina home by painting the walls and bookshelves in her husband's office Benjamin Moore's Sea Haze (2137-50).

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Soothing Gray

Mountain House Main Bedroom with Gray Walls and Red Accents
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Lizzie Cullen Cox

Looking for an unexpected neutral? Take a hint from this North Carolina home and paint your bedroom walls a pale, pale shade of gray (this is Cromarty, No. 285 by Farrow & Ball). The color feels soft, welcoming, and can work to highlight white furniture and accents, as shown with the iron headboard and side tables in designer Whitney McGregor's bedroom. 

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Soft Peach

Melissa Smrekar's Living room

Peach may just be our new favorite color. Our inspiration: Dallas-based Melissa Smrekar's colorful cottage. Inside, light walls are a calming contrast to her bold, graphic furnishings. "Farrow & Ball's Setting Plaster (No. 231) is my all-time favorite color and reminds me of crumbling Italian villas," she tells Southern Living. "When the sun is shining, it's undoubtedly pink, but at night it softens to a cathartic neutral."

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Favorite White

Sitting area with white walls and four arm chairs with blue accents
Credit: Alison Gootee; Styling: Jenny O'Connor

Homeowners often have a go-to shade of white—and for this young Texas family, that color is Sherwin-Williams' Alabaster, SW 7008. We love how they've used a muted color to highlight the white trim of their window-filled kitchen and sitting room. "A kitchen creates its own clutter, so it's nice to keep the look clean," says designer Mia Brous of the hit home boutique Madre in Dallas. 

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Light Gray

Main bedroom with light pinks and blues
Credit: David Tsay

Inside Tori Rubinson's Fort Worth, Texas, home, the walls are painted in Benjamin Moore's Wickham Gray (HC-171), and the trim is in Sherwin-Williams' Alabaster (SW 7008) at 80%. So light, this wall color almost doesn't appear gray in photos, making you question, "What color is this?" Which, in turn, makes us love it all the more. 

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Classic White

Chelsea Meissner James Island, SC Home Entry
Credit: Jillian Guyette

It's hard to beat classic white, especially in an entryway or kitchen. It maximizes natural light and feels like a breath of fresh air. Just make sure to pick something that isn't too bright. Your home should still feel cozy—not like a modern art gallery.

You can't go wrong with forever-favorite Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17). It's soft and vibrant without being blinding.

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Chalky Green

Hanna Seabrook Living Room in Louisville, Kentucky
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Elly Poston Cooper

Give your home an earthy tone by going with a pale green. It makes a more interesting backdrop when decorating with a mix of neutrals.

In this Kentucky home, designer Hanna Seabrook chose Vert de Terre (No. 234) by Farrow & Ball for the perfect aged green.

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Pale Blush

Holly Williams Colonial Revival Remodel in Nashville, TN Pink Dressing Room Closet
Credit: Photo: Annie Schlechter; Styling: Matthew Gleason

Don't be afraid to "think pink," especially when outfitting your personal spaces. In this case, it was Holly Williams—Nashville shop owner, musician, and the granddaughter and daughter of the famous Hanks—who coated her closet and dressing room in a warm blush pink that feels both calming and luxurious.

To get the look, go for Pink Ground by Farrow & Ball. "It brings a ladylike elegance to the edgier items I'm drawn to," Williams says.

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Haint Blue

St. Teresa, FL Beach House Screened in Porch Sink
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Frances Bailey

Every Southerner knows that brushing your porch ceiling with a pretty haint blue keeps the wasps (and bad spirits!) at bay, but we've also been known to use it for a screened-in porch ceiling, too. Why? Not only is it tradition, but it instantly makes the space feel more charming.

In this Florida beach cottage, the porch ceiling was coated in Embellished Blue (SW 6747) by Sherwin-Williams.

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Warm Gray

Chapel Hill House Living Room with Blue Sofa
Credit: Ngoc Minh Ngo; Styling: Ed Gallagher

Make your living space both comforting and stylish with a warm-toned gray (including the trim!). You'll find a soothing pick with Dunn-Edwards Bay Salt (DET642).

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Island Tan

The Kitchen
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

This isn't your typical khaki. Warm up any living or kitchen space with an island-inspired creamy tan color, especially when pairing with sand or cocoa hues.

In Southern Living's 2017 Idea House, we paired tan Wellborn cabinetry in Dormer Brown (SW 7521) by Sherwin-Williams with a tanned cream wall color, such as Sherwin-Williams Whitetail (SW 7103).

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Dusty Teal

Ginny Stimpson's Fairhope Bay House Master Bedroom
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

When designing a bedroom, choose a dark and cozy palette to complement your place of rest and relaxation.

In this Fairhope retreat home, you'll see Abigail Borg's Laburnum Teal paper on the back wall of the primary bedroom—but we're taking note of the complementary deep teal on the surrounding walls: Scarborough 501-5 by Pittsburg Paints.

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Ocean Blue

2019 Idea House Queen Guest Bedroom
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Liz Strong

There's nothing quite as serene as blue-green. If you're not into all-over color, instead opt for a painted trim, like seen here.

Decorator Heather Chadduck Hillegas covered this bedroom's windows and baseboards in Sherwin-Williams Jasper Stone (SW 9133) to contrast walls painted in Alabaster (SW 7008).

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Mauve

Andrew Howard Colorful Makeover Mauve and Teal Dining Room
Credit: Photo: Max Kim-Bee; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

While pale lavender certainly makes a soothing choice for a bedroom, we can't get enough of the unexpected color for a dining room.

In this formal dining room, designer Andrew Howard wanted to use a romantic palette that would glow in the dim light of dinner parties, which led him to choose a dusty mauve shade. (We love Sherwin-Williams Dressy Rose (SW 6024).) To keep the color from feeling dated, pair with modern accents.

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Warm Coral

Rust Colored Master Bedroom in Florida Cracker Style Home
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Barbara Schmidt

While people often associate neutrals with calm, we'd like to make a play for a warm coral color. Not only does it give a fun pop of color, but the deep rusty shade feels cozy enough to cover your bedroom walls.

In this Florida Cracker-style home, the guest room was covered with rust-colored grass cloth wallpaper, but you can find a similar paint color in Sherwin-Williams Spicy Hue (SW 6342).

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Muted Turquoise

2018 Idea House in Austin, Texas Master Bedroom Writing Nook
Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

"Sherwin-Williams Quietude (SW 6212) is a deep celadon that's perfectly calming for a bedroom," says designer Meredith Ellis of the peaceful pop of color she gave the primary bedroom of Southern Living's 2018 Idea House.

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Creamy White

2019 Idea House Dining Room
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Liz Strong

Think more "golden vanilla" white than "printer paper" white. That's what you get with a cream-white paint color. It feels just as fresh and crisp, but creates a warmer ambience.

In the natural light-filled dining room of Southern Living's 2019 Idea House, decorator Heather Chadduck Hillegas used Sherwin-Williams Zurich White (SW 7626) on the walls and trim, and then later paired it with Misty (SW 6232) (on the ceiling) and Naturel (SW 7542) (on the window flange) to create checkerboard motif on the floor.

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Sage Green

Whitney McGregor Greenville, SC Dining Room
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Lizzie Cox

Sage green is like a breath of fresh air, lending an earthy antique feel to any room. In this South Carolina cottage, decorator Whitney McGregor gave the dining room a more formal look to match her antique furniture by adding panels of molding to the plain drywall and hanging her art inside each panel.

Find a true sage green in Dunn-Edwards Belize Green (DEC782).

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Soft Beige

Phoebe Howard Designed Texas Hill House Guest Room
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Adam Fortner

Interior designer Phoebe Howard advises keeping guest bedroom spaces relatively neutral in order to ensure your guests have an easier time slipping into it and making it their own. A classic beige color (paired with an uncluttered design aesthetic) can bring instant warmth to the space without needing much else.

You'll find a warm beige with a hint of yellow in Palo Santo by Backdrop. "Beiges tend to get labeled as boring, but I think they can be really beautiful when done right," says Backdrop co-founder Natalie Ebel. (This is one of her all-time favorite beiges.)

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Pale Blue

Julia Engel of Gal Meets Glam Charleston, SC Home Blue and White Kitchen
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Lizzie Cullen Cox

Let's take things coastal, but keep it classic. Julia Berolzheimer's (@juliaberolzheimer) Savannah home hit the mark with the perfect balance between crisp and calming shades, and no place is that more evident than her kitchen.

You might think the rattan pendants, stunning La Cornue range, and patterned backsplash would be the stars of this space but, for us, it's those cabinets in Farrow & Ball Parma Gray No. 27.

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Cool Gray

Kaynor Home in New Orleans
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn

Decorator Grace Kaynor believes your kitchen should be "a quaint and happy place." To make room for a bold statement (like these hand-painted blue-and-white floor tiles) or to keep with a neutral palette, a cool gray will do the job. It's light and airy without being stark-white.

For a soothing pale gray, go with Clark+Kensington Sheer Mist N-C9; for something a touch warmer, try Benjamin Moore Gray Owl (OC-52).

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Light Buff

2019 Idea House Living Room
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Liz Strong

Subtle shade nuances create a warmth and comfortability in what could otherwise seem an overwhelmingly spacious room.

The walls, painted in Sherwin-Williams Classic Light Buff (SW 0050), are complemented by a ceiling in Pure White (SW 7005). The result is a stunning backdrop for layered patterns, textures, and finishes that doesn't feel an ounce too busy.

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Creamy Gray

Maison Studio WaterColor, FL Neutral Kitchen with Shiplap Wall Backsplash
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Furniture-like details on kitchen cabinetry only means one thing: A major attention to detail has been paid. This kitchen is no exception.

This kitchen forgoes the backsplash in favor of extending the wall paneling, in Sherwin-Williams Creamy SW 7012) all the way up from the countertops to the ceiling. Cabinet-front appliances painted Sherwin-Williams Austere Gray, SW 6184, give dimension to the easy going palette.

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Sea Green

Kaynor Home in New Orleans
Credit: Laurey W. Gleen

There's nothing more refined than a dining room that dares to go just bold enough.

This soothing shade, Benjamin Moore Beach Glass (1564), gives the historic room complete with a 100-year-old marble mantel and extravagant chandelier a regal feel.

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Charcoal Gray

Fran Keenan Birmingham Cottage Breakfast Nook
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

If you want to make a statement without picking a bright color, charcoal gray comes off warm and inviting without looking like a typical neutral.

Pratt & Lambert's Black gave a moody twist to decorator Fran Keenan's cottage, but we suggest going with a bluish charcoal, such as Sherwin-Williams Inkwell (SW 6992), to give the room a softer finish.

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These Tranquil Colors Will Transform Any Space

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    1 of 26 Sea Haze
    2 of 26 Soothing Gray
    3 of 26 Soft Peach
    4 of 26 Favorite White
    5 of 26 Light Gray
    6 of 26 Classic White
    7 of 26 Chalky Green
    8 of 26 Pale Blush
    9 of 26 Haint Blue
    10 of 26 Warm Gray
    11 of 26 Island Tan
    12 of 26 Dusty Teal
    13 of 26 Ocean Blue
    14 of 26 Mauve
    15 of 26 Warm Coral
    16 of 26 Muted Turquoise
    17 of 26 Creamy White
    18 of 26 Sage Green
    19 of 26 Soft Beige
    20 of 26 Pale Blue
    21 of 26 Cool Gray
    22 of 26 Light Buff
    23 of 26 Creamy Gray
    24 of 26 Sea Green
    25 of 26 Charcoal Gray
    26 of 26 These Tranquil Colors Will Transform Any Space

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    25 Calming Paint Colors to Soothe Your Southern Home in 2022
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