The 5 Best Paint Brands—and Interior Designers' Favorite Colors From Each

Behr

For Danielle Nash, an interior designer and project director at Freemodel, there is no better paint brand than Behr. Not only is Behr paint readily available at home renovation stores like Home Depot—it's also top quality. Behr can also blend up some magic if you're in a pinch and need a paint match to a piece of furniture or painting (or, well, anything). 

Because Nash specializes in presale renovation, she is always on the hunt for versatile and aesthetically pleasing neutrals. Her favorites from Behr include:

• Swiss Coffee (a warm cream)
• Blank Canvas (a goes-with-everything white)
• Tranquil Gray (the perfect taupe-gray)
• Spun Wool (a warm taupe)
• Light Drizzle (a pale, neutral gray)

Price at time of publish: from $20.98

Benjamin Moore

Interior designer Shivani Vyas is a fan of Benjamin Moore for a few reasons. For starters, they have high-quality and durable paint options in many colors, no matter your design vision. "But the best part is Benjamin Moore offers small 8-ounce color samples in screw-top jars for times when you want to hand-paint a sectional preview versus just using peel-and-stick samples," she says. If you want to go the extra mile or need time to live with the color on your wall before committing, this big benefit sets Benjamin Moore apart. 

Sierra Fox, interior designer and the founder of studio mtn recommends these colors, ranging from a moody, warm brown to a soft and versatile gray-meets-taupe.

• Rural Earth (a rich chocolate brown)
• Baby Fawn (a cool taupe-gray)
• Stingray (a gray-green)
• Soft Sand (a soft blend of gray, brown, and pink)
• Inukshuk (a universal gray)

Price at time of publish: from $52.99

Sherwin Williams

When interior designer Kate Dawon wants more nuanced colors, she turns to Sherwin Williams. This paint brand offers more gradations of colors than any other brand she's tried. "If I need a very specific shade of blue, green, black—whatever the color is—I know that they'll have options that are just slightly different in hue, making a perfect match easier to find. It also has a great sheen that always looks elegant," she says.

You can order quart-sized paints to test them out at home, and Sherman Williams' website allows you to apply color to walls digitally, giving you a visual representation without the commitment.

Here, some of Dawson's go-to Sherman Williams hues:

• Aleutian (a cool denim blue)
• Black of Night (an inky black with green undertones)
• On the Rocks (a cool gray)
• Magical (a punchy purple)
• Dragon Fruit (a bold fuchsia)

Price at time of publish: from $52.49

Farrow & Ball

Barbi Walters, the owner and principal designer at Lynden Lane Co., begins the design phase by exploring different color palettes. Whether she's redesigning a kitchen from top to bottom or doing a minor home makeover, she appreciates the 132 colors Farrow & Ball offers to get the inspiration flowing.

"What we love most about their brand is the distinct way Farrow & Ball paints respond to light, creating a new story with every shadow, moving through the day with you, adding both vibrancy and depth to your designs," she says. "Their hues also are the perfect complement to mixed designs of modern and vintage touches.” In fact, she adds that some colors even have a historic tale behind their name that you can use for further layering in your design.

Here, recommended Farrow & Ball colors include a light gray, a dusty pink, a strong blue, and more.

• London Clay (a warm brown)
• Skimming Stone (a warm light gray)
• Hague Blue (a deep, dark blue)
• Setting Plaster (a dusty pink)
• Stone Blue (a lively blue)

Price at time of publish: from $46

Portola Paints

According to Walters, this family-owned paint brand is a step above in finishes and application. "Portola Paints give you the options of a traditional matte design versus an artisanal Roman clay finish that's timeless and appears soft to the touch or a lime wash finish that offers a suede-like texture for modern appeal," she says. As a bonus, their paints are eco-friendly and hand blended in small batches, so you'll indeed have something special—and a story to tell—when guests compliment your home.

These colors are among Walters' favorites, from a deep, mossy olive green to an earthy white:

• Highland (an olive green)
• Dimly Lit (a warm off-gray)
• Whitney Portal (a deep silvery brown)
• Society (a mid-tone pink)
• Full Circle (an organic white with blush undertones)

Price at time of publish: from $25