Stone V is one of those grounded, putty-stone shades that wants warmth around it — push it cool and it goes flat and a bit muddy. So the golden rule: never a brilliant white on the trim. Reach for a creamy limewash-toned off-white instead, something soft that lets Stone V hold its warmth rather than fighting it.
From there you've got three directions worth taking.
For a fresh, slightly unexpected lift, Dulux Almost Pistachio (LRV 80.3) works a treat — it's pale and chalky enough to read almost as a soft white from across the room, but that whisper of green keeps the scheme alive next to all that earthy stone. Lovely on a ceiling or adjoining wall.
For depth and drama, go to Mylands Cigar BH.20 (LRV 11.8) — a proper rich tobacco brown that picks up the warmth in Stone V and pulls the whole thing into cosy, library-ish territory. Cracking on joinery, a fireplace surround, or a feature wall in a snug.
And if you want a bit of contrast with punch, Paint & Paper Library Blue Blood (LRV 16.4) is the one. A deep, characterful blue that grounds the scheme without going cold — it stops everything feeling too brown and gives the eye somewhere to land.
The trick with Stone V is texture over pattern. Layer in linen, jute and terracotta, and keep your metals warm — aged bronze door furniture, unlacquered brass on the lighting. That's what makes it feel collected and intentional rather than beige-by-accident.
Practical tip: paint a decent-sized board in Stone V and live with it against your chosen accents for a couple of days. It shifts a lot between north light and warm evening lamplight, so check it at both before you commit a whole room.