The Best Moody Paint Colors Designers Swear By

Written byPaige Posted on

This post is all about the best moody paint colors that designers are obsessing over now.

If you’re tired of whites and grey that have dominated homes for the past 10 years, try painting some areas of your home in these popular moody colors.

So what’s the deal with this trend of using moody paint colors?

One of the top 2024 home decor trends was to incorporate dark, moody colors…and this trend is definitely going to continue into 2025!

Embracing this interior design trend of using dark moody paint colors in your home can truly transform your living space into a sophisticated and cozy sanctuary.

Dark colors like deep blues, rich greens, and charcoal grays are gaining popularity for their ability to add depth, drama, and a sense of luxury to any room.

These colors create a striking contrast with light-colored furniture, making them stand out beautifully against the dark backdrop.

Just a touch of dark – Iron Ore by Sherwin Williams stands out as a moody accent against the rest of our Pure White walls.

How to add darker colors to your home

After a decade of light grey walls and white shiplap, it would be normal to feel nervous about painting your home in darker colors.

And if most of your home leans more bright and neutral, you may be wondering how to blend the two different styles.

But you don’t have to feel nervous about going over to the darker side!

I’d recommend starting small by painting a powder room in a dark moody paint color. Or you could paint other rooms off the main living space, like a cozy family room or a home office.

Then, strategically incorporate the same dark color into other areas of your home. Paint your kitchen cabinets or island the same color as your powder room.

Bringing the moody color into other parts of your home like this will help it feel more like an intentional design choice.

The best moody paint colors

There are a range of colors to pick from dark greens to moody earth tones.

Here’s a list of 12 of the most loved dark and moody paint colors designers are using right now:

best moody paint colors graphic

Moody green paint colors:

  • Vintage Vogue by Benjamin Moore – If you’re wanting to try the sage green trend but don’t want it to feel too trendy, Vintage Vogue is for you.
  • Essex Green by Benjamin Moore – One of the most popular green paint colors is Essex Green. This beautifully mood color is a deep green that feels straight out of an English country house.
  • Greenblack by Sherwin-Williams – When you’re on the fence between green or black, this paint color is the perfect choice. The extremely dark color almost comes across as black, but it has a very definite green undertone.
moody bedroom with green vertical shiplap

This bedroom features vertical tongue and groove walls painted in Vintage Vogue by Benjamin Moore.

Moody blue paint colors:

  • Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore – A classic navy blue that isn’t too nautical. This blue has muted, light grey tones and works great with almost any other color.
  • Dark Night by Sherwin-Williams – This midtone moody blue is a gorgeous grown-up shade of teal with both blue and green undertones.
  • Inkwell by Sherwin-Williams – This deep blue is so dark that it almost appears black in low light, but it’ll reveal it’s beautiful blue-ness if exposed to natural light.
Walls and built-in cabinetry painted in Inkwell by Sherwin Williams gives this traditional living room a moody vibe

Walls and built-in cabinetry painted in Inkwell by Sherwin Williams gives this traditional living room a moody vibe.

Gray and black moody paint colors:

  • Anonymous by Sherwin Williams – This is a sophisticated greige neutral with deep grey-green undertones.
  • Urbane Bronze by Sherwin Williams – It’s easy to see why this warm grey-brown paint color has been one of the most popular colors for years.
  • Iron Ore by Sherwin Williams – Possibly the best soft black of all time, Iron Ore is one of the best moody paint colors that look stunning on doors, cabinetry and trim because of its warm charcoal undertones that contrast well with white walls. We selected Iron Ore for our kitchen island and mudroom lockers.

Moody earth tones of brown and red paint colors:

  • Cup o’ Java by Benjamin Moore – If you’re looking for a moody earth tone, try this shade of warm brown.
  • Townsend Harbor Brown by Benjamin Moore – A dark burgundy grounded with clay tones of brown that would look ideal painted on mudroom cabinetry.
  • Caponata by Benjamin Moore – A lush brown with purple undertones, this moody color would create a glamorous powder room or luxurious bedroom.