Forget Basic Neutrals: Erin Napier's Favorite Kitchen Paint Color Is Warm And Welcoming

There are countless factors that can help your kitchen feel more welcoming, but one of the most immediate and important is the matter of color — an unappealing hue can ruin an otherwise gorgeous kitchen, whereas finding the right one will have you itching to break out the rollers. Erin Napier, co-host of HGTV's "Home Town", found her favorite kitchen paint color by eschewing basic neutrals and embracing the warm, welcoming magic of a little "dinge."

In a 2021 blog post on the official website of her store, Laurel Mercantile, Napier names her choice for the kitchen as Benjamin Moore Misty Air, which is described as "an off-white with pleasing green undertones." Explaining her choice, Napier writes: "In our kitchen, I wanted the walls to be a time-worn cream that would contrast nicely with the Dover White trim, oven and hood vent. Misty Air, after many tests, read perfectly cozy and worn and creamy in the late afternoon sun in our kitchen." Napier was so taken with the effect, she used the same color to decorate her laundry room as well. Tasting Table shares Napier's affinity for Benjamin Moore — although Misty Air did not make the list, several other paints offered by the American manufacturer did feature on our run-down of the 9 absolute best white paint colors for your kitchen.

Napier's secret to making her surroundings feel comfortable and lived-in can be encapsulated in one word: "Dingy." You might not expect this to be desirable quality when it comes to décor, but nevertheless, Napier advises: "Choose whatever color you like that has a bit of yellow in it to make the color feel integrated and truly part of its environment instead of too-new, too-bright, not quite right, and out of place. It is so subtle, but an important delineation between a house that's comfortable in its color vs. a house that's squeaky."

It is unsurprising that Napier opted for a kitchen color with green undertones, as she defends the use of green in decorating against those who do not consider it a neutral color, arguing: "Look out of your window and tell me what naturally occurring color you see the most of!" (Check out these 10 gorgeous green kitchen ideas that will spark your remodel plans if you agree.) Another favorite that Napier listed on her blog included Sherwin-Williams Dover White, which Napier named her "all-time favorite white," praising its ability to make any room feel "warm and cozy." If Napier's words have inspired you to put on your overalls and get to work, be sure to make a checklist of the 15 mistakes to avoid when painting your kitchen — after all, the best paint color in the world won't do any good if it isn't applied correctly.