5 Paint Colors That Soothe and Energize

After a long, stressful day, sometimes a soft neutral is just what the doctor ordered. Benjamin Moore’s Elmira White walks the line between beige, grey, and white, and is a go-to color for designers. It imbues any room with a subtle calm, and is particularly suited for a spa-like bathroom. Elmira White is the paint color equivalent to wrapping yourself in a cashmere robe, and will induce a contented sigh whenever you walk in the room.

People often eschew the color pink as being too feminine, casting it aside for little girls’ bedrooms. Although this notion is so deeply ingrained in our culture nowadays, it wasn’t until World War I that pink became associated with femininity. For those with male co-habitants, it may take some convincing, but the color should not be discounted for the rest of the house. Touch of Pink by Benjamin Moore is a great example of a grown-up pink. It is airy, delicate, and an incredible mood-booster. This living room would transport you to the Bahamas on the dreariest winter day.

This minty green is a surprising but cheerful update for kitchen cabinets. It would be equally at home in just about any room in the house, from the bedroom to the living room. Farrow & Ball is much beloved by designers for their selection of complex colors, and Teresa’s Green is no exception. It is bright and fresh, yet distinctly sophisticated. This color might even have you whistling while you wash your dishes.

Yellow is a notoriously difficult color to get right, but when it works, it is a mood booster like no other. Hawthorne Yellow by Benjamin Moore is like a big dose of Vitamin D, and is just right for a sunny breakfast nook. Skip the lemony yellows, which can be sterile and unflattering, and bask in this golden hue. It is soft yet energetic, and will have you glowing in no time.

Light blue is a popular color for bedrooms, and with good reason. However, it’s easy to take a wrong turn toward baby blue, and end up with walls that look flat, icy, or juvenile. Palladian Blue by Benjamin Moore is the antidote. This blue is chipper yet decidedly mature, evocative of Lady Grantham’s bedroom in Downton Abbey. Waking up for the daily grind might be a little easier in this bedroom, surrounded by walls that mimic a sunny, cloudless sky.