12 Beautiful Moody Paint Colors for Your Walls

February 06, 2023

Twelve beautiful moody paint colors to add warmth to your space.


If you've been contemplating adding some warmer tones to your walls and are hesitating to take the plunge, this is for you! 

The older I get, the more I appreciate a dark paint color...either on an accent wall or throughout a whole room. These darker, warmer tones have become a bit trendy over the past few years, but I've been drawn to these moody spaces for a long time. 

I've gathered ten of the loveliest cozy paint colors to share with you today! Hopefully they provide some inspiration to try a darker tone in your own home. 

The Green Paint Colors

Ahhh...the greens! A color I've fallen more in love with recently. You can change the vibe of a room so easily just by the shade of green you pick. 

A lighter green like the Softened Green paint color I used in our last guest room creates a softer, more traditional look. But a darker green will add some lovely drama to a space that feels like a big, warm hug. 

I love the lovey Fig Tree color by Behr that Ashley used for her living room: 
fig tree green paint color
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It sounds like she had the hardware store add a bit a black to make it a little darker, so head over to her blog for the exact paint formula!

Libbie created a modern accent wall with some 1x2 boards and this pretty Retreat paint color from Sherwin-Williams
Retreat paint color wall

I love the more subdued, dusty undertone of that green color!

Over the past few years I've started incorporating more of the moody green colors into our home as well. 

I painted our DIY electric fireplace in this dark Jasper paint color (by Sherwin-Williams). 
Jasper paint color on fireplace

It looks great against this dark gray, but would also be a lovely contrast against lighter, neutral walls. 

My love for green accents in our home started with my DIY office bookcases painted in Vintage Vogue by Benjamin Moore: 
vintage vogue paint color on bookcase

I later used it to paint a freestanding bookcase for our living room. I love both of these green tones!

The Blue Paint Colors


Oh how I love the blues! I've been drawn to blue accents in our home for years, but it wasn't until the past five years or so that I've gotten the guts to paint walls dark blue. 

I love this pretty, dusty blue gray hue aptly called Moody Blue (from Sherwin-Williams) Rhoda used in her sitting room:
Moody Blue paint color

I've noticed lately that I really love when the color of the walls is carried through to the ceiling and trim. I want to do that more in our rooms with some of these darker paint colors. 

I always use a satin for the walls and a semi-gloss sheen for trim or molding.

I love this bedroom board and batten wall Stephanie painted in Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore
Hale Navy board and batten wall

It looks like she painted her doors this pretty color too! If you're nervous about adding a dark color in your house, an accent wall like this is a great way to test the waters.

I also love this dark blue (called Ink Black by Behr) Amanda used for her bedroom:  
Ink Black walls with picture molding

You can't go wrong adding molding to a deep, moody wall! It adds a custom touch that elevates the whole space. 

I added similar picture frame molding on our dining room walls painted with Cyberspace by Sherwin-Williams: 
Cyberspace walls with picture molding

Brass or gold accents look especially lovely against these dark walls!
I used that same Cyberspace color on the fireplace and built ins in our family room as well: 
Cyberspace fireplace and built ins

This blue is my all time favorite dark wall color -- I love it!!

The Gray and Black Colors


Yes, gray has been a bit overdone over the past ten years or so. A lighter gray on cabinets, walls and floors can tend to wash out the space. 

But a deeper gray feels SO cozy and comforting -- it's one of my favorite colors to use, especially in rooms where we spend time sleeping or relaxing. 

I've used Westchester Gray by Sherwin-Williams in two of those spaces in our home. Our bedroom is so calming with this color on the tray ceiling and lower part of the walls: 
bedroom with big windows

The upper two-thirds of the walls are covered with a peel and stick grasscloth wallpaper that creates some lovely contrast. 

Our bedroom has a lot of natural light, so it's easy to brighten up this room when we want to. 

I used this color on the trim and walls in our basement as well: 
Westchester Gray paint on bookcases

The first dark gray I fell in love with was Peppercorn by Sherwin-Williams. I used it on our bottom kitchen cabinets, fireplace and bedroom accent wall in our previous home: 
Peppercorn gray base cabinets

Peppercorn fireplace built ins
See more about this fireplace build here!

Would you paint a room all black? Black paint colors have become very trendy recently, especially on home exteriors!

I haven't tried this color on our walls just yet, but oh how I love it when I see photos! I think the key is keeping the upholstery and accessories light, like Erica's living room painted in Iron Ore by Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore paint color on walls

The look is definitely growing on me, but I think I'd start with a small room, perhaps a bathroom? 

Honorable moody mention:  Pink?!

Yes...even pink can feel moody and cozy. I would've never considered this a calming, comforting color until I saw this room! 

I absolutely LOVE this beautiful dusty pink called Sulking Pink (by Farrow and Ball) that my friend Monica used: 
Sulking Pink wall color

I'm really drawn to this beautiful color -- it feels so calming to me. 

Before you go dark on your walls!

Consider a few things before going to the dark side. :) 
  • It's a myth that a dark wall color will make a room feel smaller. It depends on the room and the amount of natural light it gets. Dark colors recede and can sometimes make a smaller room feel more spacious!  
  • When shopping for your dark paint color, be sure to get paint samples to test in the room first. You can also get peel and stick samples that are easy to move around on the walls. 
  • Start with an accent wall if the moody look makes you nervous. A dark accent wall can make a room feel bigger!
  • Using dark paint on bookcases or built ins is another great way of adding moody hues to your home. 
  • Bright white outlet covers are jarring against dark walls -- these paintable outlet covers install in seconds and don't require any rewiring!


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