Best Basement Paint Colors: 32 Shades to Transform Your Space

Ready to brighten your basement with a new paint color? A few coats of one of the best basement colors can help transform your space from drab to delightfully welcoming. 

The first step is determining your basement color palette and aesthetic, from cozy lounge area to bright, colorful game room. Check out our list of the top basement paint colors from the best paint brands for pulling off a basement transformation.

1. Light Yellow

Why yellow? In most homes, the basement gets the least sun exposure of the whole house. Some spaces are also darkened by low ceilings, which is why introducing "artificial sunshine" is an effective way to brighten the room. 

When choosing a yellow paint shade, skip neon yellows that have an artificial look. Those shades can unintentionally create a contrast that highlights the darkness of a basement instead of slightly warming up a shadowy space. Buttercup-inspired, lemon-like hues that create a sweet, warm look are perfect for basements.

For inspiration:

• Glidden® Canary Yellow

• Sherwin-Williams® Daisy

• Magnolia® Heirloom Yellow

• Farrow & Ball® Pineapple Delight

2. Spring Green

Subtle, earthy green shades can bring new dimension and character to a basement. Green can be especially great for a basement lacking large windows because it mimics the green space typically seen through outdoor views. 

Green paint ideas can be great kid-friendly choices for basements being used as playrooms or dens because it conceals marks—like finger prints and dents—better than hues like white and cream.

For inspiration:

• Benjamin Moore® Spring Green Meadow

• Glidden® Spring Green

• BEHR® Spring Grass

• Valspar® Spring Lawn

3. Beige

Beige is a reliable basement paint color for several reasons. First, it can make a basement feel more like a living or family room because beige is generally a go-to color in living areas of a home. Plus, it acts as a neutral background for any type of basement set-up, from a decked-out theater room to a playroom for the kiddos.

For inspiration:

• BEHR® French Beige

• PPG® Beige Llama

• Valspar® Beignet

• Glidden® Antique Parchment

4. Cool Gray

Gray is great for dressing up a basement to make it look more like a family room or den. A light, soothing shade of gray can also make the basement pop by providing a great contrast to white trim, doorways, and baseboards. 

Cool grays with blue undertones generally work better in basements than warm grays with yellow or brown undertones because they have a cleaner, crisper look that goes a long way when transforming a basement.

For inspiration:

• Glidden® Winter Chill

• Valspar® Gray Silt

• BEHR® Natural Gray

• Benjamin Moore® Seattle Gray

5. Navy Blue

Navy blue is the great paint choice for going bold in a basement. This rich color works well when the goal is to distinguish the basement as its own space for play, work, or entertainment. Navy works great for basement offices and bars alike because it has a universally upscale appeal. To avoid darkening the space, pair navy blue walls with white trim, furnishings, and baseboards to balance it out.

For inspiration:

• Benjamín Moore® Hale Navy

• Glidden® Rich Navy

• Magnolia® Blue Skies

• Valspar® Enchanted Navy

6. Deep Purple

Darker shades of purple are perfect for creating a home theater or video game room in your basement. When you paint walls with a dark color, it sets a darker, mysterious mood that puts the focus on the screen instead of the surrounding walls. But remember that dark hues in a room primarily used for things other than viewing movies on a big screen can make it feel smaller and more cramped. You can also consider using this shade as a pop of color on an accent wall instead.

For inspiration:

• Valspar® Purple Davenport

• Glidden® Perfectly Purple

• Magnolia® Plum Suede

• Benjamin Moore® Ruby Dusk

7. Sky Blue

Sky blue is a great choice for transforming a basement because it has a light, airy vibe that works well with various aesthetics, from farmhouse to modern. This shade of blue adds enough texture to a room that you could keep it empty as an accent wall or pair it with contrasting artwork and decor. If you have a guest bedroom in your basement, sky blue is also a top-notch bedroom paint color.

For inspiration:

• Valspar® Northern Sky Blue

• Glidden® Sweet Baby Boy

• KILZ® Blue Juniper

• Benjamin Moore® Baby Boy Blue

8. White

This option is likely unsurprising—white is a great choice for basement walls because it creates a clean-slate effect. The best white paint colors help to make a basement appear bigger, and it eliminates the "narrowing" effect caused by some darker, shadow-producing colors. 

Plus, white walls make it easy to decorate a basement without needing to commit to a specific color scheme, especially if it’s filled with several types of furniture or decor pieces. When considering types of paint to use, it's helpful to remember that gloss paint can create a more vibrant look in darker spaces compared to matte.

For inspiration:

• Glidden® Oyster White

• Glidden® Aria

• Valspar® Dove White

• Benjamin Moore® Chantilly Lace

How to Choose the Right Basement Paint Color

The best basement paint color for your home will depend on various factors. When choosing a basement paint color, consider the following: 

• The basement’s size

• Whether or not it gets natural light

• Where the light sources are

• How you plan to use the basement

• What style or mood you’re aiming for

• What condition the walls are in

• Whether you’re painting the ceiling the same color as the walls

If painting the basement is too big of a job to tackle as a DIY, hire a painter to transform it. A local interior painter will prime and paint your basement to perfection, giving you a great-looking, usable space.