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  4. The Best Paint Color for You, Based on Your Enneagram Type

The Best Paint Color for You, Based on Your Enneagram Type

By Marisa Spyker
October 30, 2019
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
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Credit: Courtesy of Behr Paint
With a virtually unlimited amount of paint colors (including approximately 4 million shades of white alone), choosing the right hue to grace your home’s walls can be maddening (unless you’re a cool and collected 9, that is). So, instead of leaving it up to debate, why not just go with a shade that’s perfectly tailored to you? Behr color expert Erika Woelfel recently rounded up nine perfect shades to suit each of the nine different personality types developed by the Enneagram Institute. Here are her top picks, plus where to use them in your home.
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Type 1: The Reformer

Credit: Courtesy of Behr Paint

Best Paint Match: Soft Secret (PPU25-10)
As a personality type that thrives on goal setting and a sense or orderliness, Reformers benefit from keeping things clean and simple at home. “The Reformer is well organized and is always striving to improve,” says Woelfel. “This same sense of organization and drive for improvement can be achieved by incorporating [Soft Secret] into a walk-in closet or storage space in your home.”

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Type 2: The Helper

Credit: Courtesy of Behr Paint

Best Paint Match: Courteous (S560-1)
Not only does the name of this shade suit its people-pleasing counterpart, its lilac undertones also happen to be perfect for warm-hearted Helper types. Twos are at their best in the company of others, but can feel stressed when their empathetic nature goes unnoticed. A warm, soft hue like Courteous can “remind them of their gentile nature and sincere heart.” Woelfel recommends using the hue as an accent color in a powder room or bathroom.

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Type 3: The Achiever

Credit: Courtesy of Behr Paint

Best Paint Match: Graphic Charcoal (N500-6)
Highly ambitious and energetic, Type Threes often crave a boost of boldness at home that matches their personality. “The Achiever is success-oriented, driven and charming, and perhaps the most likely to be managing a side-hustle from a home office,” says Woelfel. “Threes can benefit from incorporating a dignified gray in their bedroom or office. Graphic Charcoal promotes a sense of strength and provides a statement for driven individuals.”

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Type 4: The Individualist

Credit: Courtesy of Behr Paint

Best Paint Match: Saga Blue (S480-4)
As “the romantics” of the Enneagram, fours tend to want to see the world—and their contribution to it—through rose-colored glasses. But their sensitive nature has a tendency to get in the way, causing highly creative Individualists to lose sight of their talents. One way to beat the blues? Splash your home in a soothing, mood-boosting shade. “Saga Blue is the perfect hue for Individualists to bring into the bedroom, as it serves as a daily reminder of their worth and creativity—from the moment they wake up, to the moment they go to bed,” says Woelfel.

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Type 5: The Investigator

Credit: Courtesy of Behr Paint

Best Paint Match: Growing Season (M380-3)
Driven by their insatiable curiosity, Type Fives have the ability to see the world in new ways. And green, a color of growth and renewal, has the potential to feed that passion. “Behr’s Growing Season is a perfect hue for The Investigator to incorporate into the entryway as a colorful statement, yet grounding neutral,” says Woelfel. “It provides a feeling of imagination, innovation and growth.” An even quicker fix? Bring live plants into the home to create a peaceful environment for active minds to flourish, says Woelfel.

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Type 6: The Loyalist

Credit: Courtesy of Behr Paint

Best Paint Match: Charismatic (PPU6-14)
As you’d expect, Loyalists are defined by a fierce loyalism to their friends and beliefs. But beyond that, Sixes are a group that value strength and security—and they’ll work tirelessly to achieve it. Which means, at the end of the day, a source of welcome relief can be found at home with uplifting yellows.  “Charismatic serves as a soft yellow shade, playfully interacting with supportive and dedicated personalities,” says Woelfel. “This shade is perfect for adding a pop of color in the kitchen, or a fun accent wall in the dining room.” Not ready to commit to a bolder wall choice? Woelfel recommends incorporating the hue through painted wooden chairs or accent pillows.

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Type 7: The Enthusiast

Credit: Courtesy of Behr Paint

Best Paint Match: Cheerful Tangerine (P210-5)
Always on the go, extroverted Sevens enjoy a life that’s jam-packed with stimulation in both their professional and personal lives. Often the entertainer, the Enthusiast’s sense of optimism and spontaneity can be matched by a bright, bold hue in the home. “They are fun-loving and spontaneous, pairing hand-in-hand with our shade, Cheerful Tangerine,” says Woelfel. “This hue is perfect for adding color to spaces like the living room or dining room. It can liven up any room for entertaining, just as sevens do for those around them.”

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Type 8: The Challenger

Credit: Courtesy of Behr Paint

Best Paint Match: Red Pepper (UL120-22)
Confident, strong, and decisive, Eights are born leaders who enjoy taking on new challenges—from starting a company to running a household. This dominating personality will thrive in a room bathed in shades that make them feel motivated, such as this brick-red hue (one of Behr’s top trending colors for 2020).  “Red Pepper exemplifies the heat and strength of The Challenger,” says Woelfel. “This bold hue is the perfect addition to an at-home gym or exercise room.”

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Type 9: The Peacemaker

Credit: Courtesy of Behr Paint

Best Paint Match: Zen (UL220-14)
Always the optimists, Peacemakers tend to be creative, trusting, and grounded individuals, making earthy hues ideal complements in their homes. “Nines are known for being optimistic and supportive and tend to get along with others to keep the peace,” says Woelfel. “This blue- green hue, Zen, is a perfect shade for the Peacemaker to create harmony in their day-to-day environment.”

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1 of 9 Type 1: The Reformer
2 of 9 Type 2: The Helper
3 of 9 Type 3: The Achiever
4 of 9 Type 4: The Individualist
5 of 9 Type 5: The Investigator
6 of 9 Type 6: The Loyalist
7 of 9 Type 7: The Enthusiast
8 of 9 Type 8: The Challenger
9 of 9 Type 9: The Peacemaker

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The Best Paint Color for You, Based on Your Enneagram Type
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