8 Unexpected Paint Colors Aside From Beige

When repainting our homes, white or beige is usually the default color, because it goes with anything. But did you know that there are other shades and tints out there that can be considered as "neutrals?" Try these unexpected paint colors in one room or a few. Some of them are worlds away from beige, and look great!

Sand

IMAGE Dairy Darilag

Caramel, sand, fawn, latte--whatever you call it, the warm, milky tone of this paint color gives off a deeper, more sophisticated hue than light beige, but still acts as a neutral. Here, the sand-colored walls of interior designer Tito Villanueva's residential project go well with the elegant Christofer Laurent furnishings, and enhances the colorful Tibetan thangka painting. 

Lemon yellow

IMAGE Michael Angelo Chua

Interior designers and stylists Paula de Guzman and Dagny Madamba washed an accent wall of this makeover in a very light, lemon meringue tint. A near-white lemon yellow gives off a charming, whimsical vibe, and adds warmth to a space. 

Warm gray

IMAGE Dairy Darilag

Designer Athena Maramag used a mostly-gray palette for the furnishings of this condo unit, but opted for a warm, almost khaki-gray paint color for the walls. Grays make for great neutrals, and can go with almost any color. However, warm grays can add a welcoming (and skin-flattering) ambience to a room.

Oyster gray

IMAGE Dairy Darilag

This condo unit by Upcycle Manila uses several shades of gray, which adds depth and drama to the monochromatic palette. To create storage, the designers had wall-to-wall cabinets customized in one area. The cabinet doors were painted an elegant, light oyster (almost pearl-like) gray.

Dark gray

IMAGE Seong Kwon

The darkest shade of gray (just a touch lighter than black) is a dramatic and heady color choice, and goes well in modern homes. Interior designer Kristine Neri painted this guest room a dark gray color, and added midcenturymodern furniture pieces to give the space a masculine feel.

Chocolate

IMAGE Dairy Darilag

Another alternative to black is a deep, dark chocolate brown. The warmth makes it ideal for tropical modern interiors, as seen on this accent wall in a home designed by Wilan Dayrit. The Triboa Bay wooden wall decor looks striking when contrasted against it. 

Blush

IMAGE Michael Angelo Chua

Contrary to popular belief, a wonderful blush or Millennial pink can work in modern interiors and not just in little girls' rooms. The subtlest pink tint goes well with white, gray, beige, or pale wooden furniture. 

Robins' egg blue

IMAGE Michael Angelo Chua

Another unexpected "neutral," robins' egg blue is a touch lighter than aqua-tinted Tiffany blue, and way more versatile. Instead of using the hue in classical, feminine interiors, try using it in modern-Scandinavian rooms for a fresher look, as seen in the Maven model unit by Heima.