Nothing can turn a new apartment or house into a home faster than painting the walls . But with so many colors and shades out there, choosing the perfect hue can often be overwhelming. To make the process a little easier, we polled Kelly-Moore Paints on what shades their customers choose time and time again.
The brand was founded in 1946 by William H. Kelly and William E. Moore and began as a manufacturing facility and store in San Carlos, California. The employee-owned company now has a second facility in Hurst, Texas, and is sold at dealers and in over 150 Kelly-Moore stores in the Midwest and the Western United States. (There are over 100 stores in California alone.) Kelly-Moore’s California location not only inspires many of their colors but has also influenced their commitment to the environment. The company was the first to offer recycled-reclaimed paints and 0-VOC waterborne colorants. While many brands focus on custom-mixing only, Kelly-Moore still offers a selection of stock, or ready-mixed colors, which helps ensure color consisitency.
Kelly-Moore offers over 1,700 colors, from vivid red to deep black, but all of the most popular shades are classic neutrals. Warm shades Swiss Coffee, Snip of Tannin and Antique White are customer favorites and a few cooler hues, such San Francisco Fog and Whitest White, also make the list. But while it's neutrals may be the best-selling shades, the company isn’t afraid of trends. Grays have been chosen as Kelly-Moore Paint’s Color of the Year for the past two years. In 2016 Horizon Gray, an understated and calm neutral, was the it-color and this year Kettleman, a deep shade took the top spot. The company’s color experts see warmer neutrals , such as browns, becoming the dominant hues in 2018 along with muted reds, greens, oranges, and blues. But no matter what the coming year brings, the company’s best-selling shades aren’t going anywhere. Thanks to their warm or neutral undertones, they’ll pair perfectly with the trends to come. Browse Kelly-Moore Paints' top ten best-selling colors and find the perfect neutral shade for your next project.
23 Swiss Coffee, Courtesy of Kelly Moore Paints
Swiss Coffee, Kelly-Moore’s top seller, is a creamy off-white that looks great with browns and aqua blues.
49 Antique White, Courtesy of Kelly Moore Paints
Antique White adds warmth to interiors and is a great base for wine and muted brown accents.
46 Acoustic White, Courtesy of Kelly Moore Paints
Slightly cooler than Antique White and Swiss Coffee, Acoustic White is a clean neutral that never looks too stark.
KMW43 Whitest White, Courtesy of Kelly Moore Paints
If you’re looking for a crisp, pure shade to pair with bright colors, then Whitest White may be the perfect pick.
42 Wise Owl, Courtesy of Kelly Moore Paints
Kelly-Moore suggests using Wise Owl, a dark beige, with brick reds and clay browns.
41 Snip of Tannin, Courtesy of Kelly Moore Paints
Snip of Tannin looks great in a space with bold tones, such as teal, violet, gray, and olive green.
36 Navajo White, Courtesy of Kelly Moore Paints
Navajo White is a rich neutral works well in living rooms and bedrooms.
KM5822 San Francisco Fog, Courtesy of Kelly Moore Paints
The Bay Area–based company paid tribute to local weather conditions when they named San Francisco Fog, a soft gray.
216 Malibu Beige, Courtesy of Kelly Moore Paints
Malibu Beige compliments soft pinks, leaf greens, and muted blues and purples.
14 Frost, Courtesy of Kelly Moore Paints
Frost is another easy neutral that is a great pick for walls or trim.