What are Australia's most popular paint colours?

Take a stroll down the paint aisle at your local hardware store and you’ll find hundreds upon hundreds of options. But according to Taubmans, there are a few that always come out on top.

From pale neutrals to bolder alternatives, a glance at the sales data sees only slight deviations according to states.

“Environment, natural light and house styles drive the selection of colour palettes,” says interior designer Shaynna Blaze. “Even though the east coast of Australia has a lot of similarities, there are distinct differences that give us the different outcomes.”

What were the top three colours in your state? Check out the shades below – and see if you agree with the masses.

NSW

• Crisp White
• Viking Grey
• Windy Beach

New South Wales loves a Crisp White, especially in the coastal regions. The strong beach connection has lead to the popularity of blue-tinged greys such as Windy Beach and Viking Grey, explains Blaze.

QLD

• Crisp White
• All Black
• Whisper White

Queenslanders are used to living under the sun. The tropical climes – and the strong, warm light – has driven the popularity of stark white bases such as Crisp White and Whisper White, which works to offset the glare and heat in summer. A newcomer among the mix, All Black is perhaps a surprising choice for a state that has traditionally preferred white interiors. “There are a lot of traditional homes being modernised that take on the modern palette of black,” says Blaze.

VIC

• Crisp White
• All Black
• Cotton Sheets

An amalgam of traditional and ultra-modern architecture, Victoria drives the contrasting colours of All Black and Crisp White with the addition of a warm white, Cotton Sheets, to offset the grey skies and cool wintry days.

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Top paint colours outside of whites:

• All Black
• Charcoal Heather
• Viking Grey
• Centurion

And there you have it. Grey and white-based categories performed the strongest, working well with Nordic-inspired soft pastels and light-oak and ash-toned timbers that have been so popular of late.

“The pared-back palettes, and furniture with a Scandinavian influence, has had a big impact on interiors in Australia,” says Blaze. “We’ve kept the softer elements of Scandinavian design, adding deep blush and purples as contrast.”

There were also outliers, such as All Black. One trend that could explain its spike in popularity is high-contrast interiors featuring black and white and a single colour accent, influenced by Japanese and simple art-deco design. “Another player in this equation is the trend of ‘Japandi‘, a mix of both Japanese blacks and design style with the functionality and lightness of Scandi,” says Blaze.

What can we expect to see in the future? Blaze sees pastels growing in popularity. “The advance of dark timber stains such as walnut will influence a much deeper and richer pastel palette of blues, greens, pinks and blush,” she says.

And with that in mind, why not stay ahead of the colour curve, pick up a paintbrush (and a few tester pots) and give these shades a go?