Ina Garten Says This Timeless Kitchen Color 'Goes With Anything'

Ina Garten is a font of good advice. Whether it's her tips to up your cooking game or her go-to rules for serving a cheese course at a dinner party, the Barefoot Contessa serves up pearls of wisdom. If you look at Garten's kitchen, there is an effortless elegance and calmness that might hit you with the first glance at the paint on the walls. It's a light gray, and one of the key qualities Garten appreciates about the color is its versatility. This nugget was dropped in response to a question featured on Garten's "Ask Ina" column.

A fan asked Garten, "I have always loved your decor and style and was hoping to confirm if you have ever used Farrow & Ball's 'Light Gray'? I'm remodeling my kitchen and family room and love the warmth of your space." The cookbook author revealed, "Yes! The walls of the barn are actually light gray. I think it's a beautiful, rich neutral that goes with anything."

Ina Garten's barn was the result of writing to her neighbor every year for 10 years to see if he would be willing to sell his property to her. When he finally was, she built a 2,000-square-foot barn, designed by architect Frank Greenwald. She chose black limestone for her 25 feet of counter space along with white creamy white cabinets and the light gray walls. It certainly looks cozy. The beauty of the walls' calming, neutral tone is that it serves as a classic foundation that allows you to customize and personalize your space.

It's important to love the space you're in when you're whipping up a recipe, so you might wonder if there's an even better option than light gray. The good news is that there are many options to choose from (here's a list of trendy kitchen paint colors you could try). For example, Farrow & Ball makes 132 bespoke paint colors and wallpaper. If you aren't sure if this light gray will look good in your own kitchen, you can speak to a color consultant. In some cases, that person will come to your home, look at the light and features of your space, and help you figure out what color will help set the mood for your own kitchen.