Neutrals are more than beige, white and gray. There are various neutral shades and not all neutrals will look great in every home. Knowing whether you have an east, west, north or south facing room will help you choose the best shade for your space. Light Reflective Value (LRV) tells you how much light a paint will reflect which effects the way a color will look in a room based on how much light it receives throughout the day.

If you’re going for a crisp, airy look, you’ll want to look for neutral colors with a neutral LRV (typically between 50-60 LRV). Colors like Grayish SW 6001, Front Porch SW 7651 and Worldly Gray SW 7043 fall within this LRV range and tend to work well regardless of lighting and offer a clean inviting atmosphere that’s perfect for a kitchen, bathroom or small guest bedroom.

In your quest to brighten your space, be careful about going too bright with your paint choice. For example, an all-white kitchen can look fresh and provide opportunities to play with colorful decor and accessories, but choosing too bright of a white can make the space feel sterile rather than inviting.

Dark shades can add a sense of drama to a room but they also tend to have a lower LRV and may not work in a room with little natural light. Dark shades like Virtual Taupe SW 7039, Iron Ore SW 7069 and Attitude Gray SW 7060 can be great neutral exterior paint colors where there will receive a lot of natural light. Dark neutrals can be even more appealing when paired with lighter neutrals in a space like the kitchen where many homeowners have white cabinets and want to add depth with a darker neutral.

North facing rooms tend to get the least amount of natural light so many homeowners opt for paint colors with warm undertones to counteract the lack of natural light throughout the day. To counteract the blue light in north facing rooms, look for a paint that has a 60 LRV or higher. Colors like Rivers Edge SW 7517, Drift of Mist SW 9166 and Olympus White SW 6253 provide enough light reflection to showcase an expansive and inviting space.