'Accent walls show a lack of commitment' – Nate Berkus on choosing the best paint colors for open-plan spaces

Choosing the right paint colors for rooms often requires much thought and deliberation, especially when dealing with open-plan spaces.

With no clear boundary between different sections within open plan layouts, you'll often wonder what the best approach to decorating with paint colors is: can you use multiple shades throughout the space, and if so, how?

Luckily, interior design maestro Nate Berkus is well aware of the obstacles faced when choosing room color ideas in open-plan spaces and took to Instagram to weigh in with his views. In short, Nate's not a fan of accent walls in these social spaces, instead advising a more restricted approach with neutral paint ideas for a balanced and liveable look.

In homes with clearly defined, separate rooms, you can create different color schemes in each of them: if you want to go bold and bright with your living room color ideas, this doesn't need to be the case for kitchen color ideas, for example. However, knowing how to begin and end colors isn't so obvious in open-plan spaces. 'So the problem... is that when you have an open space, how do you start and stop a paint color?' says Nate in the Instagram video.

According to Nate, the solution to this interior design hurdle is to stick to neutral hues and carry one color across all walls. He's not a fan of accent walls in open-plan spaces, suggesting a cohesive approach to color is more effective.

'I think that accent walls show a lack of commitment, and I think it's very difficult to actually do a bold color in an open floor plan,' Nate continues in the video.

'Keep your ceilings white, and I think you have to pick one shade, one tone – it could be pale blue, it could be light yellow – preferably it’ll be more like an Alabaster, for the rest of the walls around you.'

'It's sort of the deal that you have to make with yourself when you select a home that has an open floor plan.'

Nate's approach of sticking to neutral tones ensures awkward cut-offs between bold paint colors and lighter hues are avoided, which can often be the case with accent walls. Instead, soft neutral hues will result in a cohesive look, aiding the flow throughout the various zones, much like in this bedroom within an open-plan apartment designed by Marie Flanigan Interiors.

While there's often much debate around ceiling ideas and what colors they should be, color experts agree with Nate's suggestion of painting them white. 'Ceilings are a much-neglected aspect of the home, often an afterthought, however, they play an important part in the feel of a room,' says Helen Shaw, Director of Color Marketing at Benjamin Moore. 'A fresh white paint works beautifully with all colors and is often a default.'

However, that's not to say color drenching can't also work in open-plan spaces, so long as you stick to decorating with neutrals. Colors like Sherwin-Williams' Alabaster, which Nate suggests above, are subtle enough to be carried across the ceiling, while bolder hues would likely overpower open-plan layouts.

For more expert ideas, take a look at our open-plan living room ideas which will help you ensure these social spaces are the most practical and stylish they can be – from clever furniture layouts to lighting ideas.