Shown above, SIMILAR colour, Sherwin Williams Repose Gray
Historic Paint Colors: The Best Palettes for Traditional Houses
Color trends may come and go, but some paint palettes just seem to have staying power. Consider the 10 historical color combinations showcased here for home interiors.
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Color trends may come and go, but some paint palettes just seem to have staying power—perhaps because they’re rooted in the past. Interior paint schemes grounded in period architecture can look as fresh now as they did in their heyday, especially when given a bit of a twist. Consider the 10 historical color combinations showcased here.
Historic Interior Paint Colors
Victorian: Layered Brights
Amp up the color without veering into kitsch by sticking to one part of the spectrum. This kitchen, in an 1889 Stick Victorian, showcases three shades of green: a dark trim color taken from the original floor tile, plus two shades that echo hues used in other rooms.
A strong yellow runs up the walls and onto the ceiling to help draw the eye up and brighten the small space; it’s a visual trick that also would work where ceilings are low. A Victorian-era kitchen might have included more stained wood, says colorist Sara McLean of Dunn-Edwards Paints. “But the layers of over-the-top color here are true to the home’s original character.”
Victorian Palette
Victorian Palette Tried Another Way
To get a similar effect that’s a tad subtler, swap in colors that share the same undertone (here, yellow).
Craftsman: Warm Tones
In a room where orange-tinged woods are the standout detail—in furniture, flooring, or casings—choose colors that enhance those existing hues. “One option is to balance warm wood tones with cool colors like blue or slate gray,” says Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams.
The other way to go, as seen in this dining room, “is to create a look that’s all about warmth,” says Wadden. That means using related colors, like yellow and red. The scarlet and honey shades here turn up the volume on the usually subdued earth tones in a Craftsman color scheme.
Craftsman Palette
Craftsman Palette Tried Another Way
Colors borrowed from nature make sense for showing off unpainted wood. For a more traditional take on this look, dial down the wall color with an earthier shade of red.
Spanish Revival: Deep and Rich
The dark beams, iron railings, and arch details in this Spanish Revival–influenced interior inspired a lush, neutral palette with classic browns and golds. “The less traditional blue accent calls attention to the style’s signature graceful curves,” says Behr color expert Erika Woelfel. Warm white overhead hints at typically stuccoed walls and makes the painted wood beams really pop.
Spanish Revival Palette
Spanish Revival Palette Tried Another Way
Vary the intensity, pairing saturated accents with more modest wall and ceiling hues.
Mid-Century: Bold Strokes
Ready to take a risk? If you’re itching to try a strong color on your walls, “the secret is finding a balance between color and neutrals,” says Behr’s Erika Woelfel. “Using color strategically keeps the look clean and uncluttered.” In this kitchen, pairing silvery gray on the ceiling and upper cabinets with charcoal on lower cabinets and trim “anchors the intense blue-green wall color,” Woelfel says. The palette evokes the classic mid-century combination of turquoise, black, and white, but the less dramatic contrast keeps the room from looking too retro.
Mid-Century Palette
Mid-Century Palette Tried Another Way
This kitchen’s cool grays recall mid-century chrome, but warmer shades work too. These neutral off-white and greige tones bring welcome balance to a daring wall color.
Clark + Kensington 1. Laugh Out Loud; 2. Silent White; 3. Running Bases
Colonial: Muted Hues
If your walls have never been anything but white, expand your comfort zone with a subtle tint like the barely-there blue in this space. “With darker trim in the same color, it’s a monochromatic scheme that’s easy to live with,” says Benjamin Moore color and design expert Andrea Magno.
The dynamic hint of red peeking in from the next room shows off the grayed-out quality typical of Colonial colors—a result of the natural, and often costly, pigments used. Back then, the brighter the walls, the bigger the budget. Today, of course, color isn’t a luxury. So why not try a new hue?
Colonial Palette
Colonial Palette Tried Another Way
Though many Colonial colors are low-key, saturated shades are also part of the palette. A trim color that’s darker than the walls is visually interesting and historically accurate.
Thanks to Sara McLean, color specialist, Dunn-Edwards Paints; Sue Wadden, director of color marketing, Sherwin-Williams; Peggy Van Allen, Valspar color consultant; Erika Woelfel, vice president of color and creative services, Behr; Andrea Magno, color and design expert, Benjamin Moore.
You Can’t Go Wrong With These Warm White Paint Colors
Right now, we’re loving warm white. A warm white wall shade, draped in notes of ivory and hints of cream, shines as a choice of paint hue—similar to our Crane Island Idea House, full of neutrals. Try one of these warm white paint colors to bring light and warmth to your space.
02 of 20
Sherwin-Williams’ Westhighland White (SW 7566)
Coated from head to toe in Sherwin-Williams’ Westhighland White (SW 7566), this cozy bedroom features pops of dark wood and a patterned canopy bed that’ll make you feel right at home. The varying shades of wood help center the space, allowing the warmth of this paint shade to balance the room’s darker decor. Using Westhighland White on the floors and ceiling draws the eyes towards the natural light.
03 of 20
Benjamin Moore’s Acadia White (OC-38)
Benjamin Moore’s Acadia White (OC-38) (also known as Ivory White) has been around for quite a while, and we don’t see it going anywhere soon. Lindsay Bierman doubled down on the formula for a warmer ivory hue in this living room. The soft fabrics bounce off the glow from the painted walls uniting the space.
04 of 20
BEHR SILVER CITY MQ2-59
Silver City is a gray paint color with a bit more meat on its bones. Let’s see what this bad boy’s all about…
IS SILVER CITY A WARM OR COOL GRAY?
Silver City isn’t terribly warm or cool, making it more of a stormy gray. This means that if you have a north-facing room , it could look a bit cooler than expected. However, if your room has southern exposure or afternoon western sunshine, Silver City could look a ‘bit’ warm.
WHAT’S THE LRV OF SILVER CITY?
Silver City is slightly darker than the average shade of gray (used for walls), with an LRV of 57. Still in the light range, but it’s a HEAVY light, so it might not be the best for a dark room .
WHAT ARE SILVER CITY’S UNDERTONES?
Regarding undertones, this bad boy EASILY swings between a very subtle green or violet (it’s one of the gray ninjas , for sure). The less committed a color is to an undertone, the more EASILY SWAYED it is by exposure , interior finishes, and personal perception.
Shown above, SIMILAR colour, Sherwin Williams Knitting Needles
WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO SILVER CITY?
- Sherwin Williams Knitting Needles is close but DOES cater to violet, helping you see Silver City’s tendency to grab a tiny touch of green.
- Similar to Sherwin Williams Silverplate, but not QUITE as stormy/muted and slightly less undertone.
SAMPLIZE peel-and-stick paint samples are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER, and ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots.
While sadly, Behr hasn’t signed up with Samplize, ALL of the other top brands have, and I highly recommend you check them out.
- Samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1 DAY
- they’re more affordable than the samples pots/rollers/foam boards that are needed for traditional paint sampling
Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE
BEHR STERLING 780E-30
Sterling sets itself apart from the previous shades of gray – let’s find out why…
IS STERLING A WARM OR COOL GRAY
Unlike the previous grays that are stormy and warm, Sterling is a COOOOL gray. A color like this can balance the warmth of a south-facing room nicely but could be a wink cold for a north-facing room.
WHAT’S THE LRV OF STERLING?
With an LRV of 65, Sterling is tucked quite nicely in the light range, not too heavy, and not washed out.
WHAT ARE STERLING’S UNDERTONES?
Sterling is soft and fresh with its soft blue-purple undertone . This undertone makes Sterling an interesting choice with crisp white trim and even some marble surfaces.
WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO STERLING?
- Sherwin Williams Reflections, but Reflections is LIGHTER, a touch brighter, and just a wink more purple.
- If you want to take things a WINK cooler, check out Behr Gray Shimmer, which has an LRV of 69.
BEHR EON N370-2
Have I saved the best til the last? We’ll see!
IS EON A WARM OR COOL GRAY?
Eon is a beautiful, muted, calming, WARM gray paint color. However, its warmth isn’t overwhelming; it’s only a polite nod.
WHAT’S THE LRV OF EON?
Eon has an LRV of 65, making it a great, moderately light paint color – darn close to my magical LRV number for almost any room!
WHAT ARE EON’S UNDERTONES?
Eon has a soft, pretty green undertone…and it’s not that subtle about it, either.
WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO EON?
- Benjamin Moore Moonshine is similar but more likely to lean blue than Eon.
- Benjamin Moore’s Titanium comes across a TOUCH warmer and slightly less green than Eon.
Now, I REALLY wanted to find a Behr gray that was similar to one of my FAVE GRAY PAINT COLOURS, Benjamin Moore Collingwood – but no can do Sue. If you’re curious about what Collingwood looks like, you can read about it HERE .
PEOPLE ALSO ASK…
WHAT’S THE BEHR VERSION OF SHERWIN WILLIAMS AGREEABLE GRAY?
BEHR’S Toasty Gray N320-2 is definitely comparable to Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray. While NO colors will be the same, there will always be shifts in either LRV, undertones, or temperature (or all three); these two colors are definitely similar.
If you’ve never heard of Agreeable Gray, it’s one of the most POPULAR neutral paint colors right now, followed closely by Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray.
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ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN EARLY 2020, UPDATED IN 2023
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Comments
Kylie,
I think you are the one and only reason I’m still sane after becoming in the “paint hues” know! You helped me through this meticulous journey so much! I can’t thank you enough for what you do. You’re excellent at this!
Take care!
Kim
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KylieMawdsley
Oh Kim, what a nice note to get – THANK YOU! I never know what sticks and what doesn’t, so I’m glad you found it helpful :).
Rachel
Thank you! Thank you! I recently moved to a new state and only have The Home Depot which has totally thrown me for a loop with paint colors. I appreciate your effort and sharing!
Megan
Love your takes on colors. I wish I would have found you a few years ago when I painted my home. I have silver city throughout my downstairs townhome. It definitely gives off a light blue color with my accent walls in radiant silver by BEHR. I am currently trying to figure out a good color for a half bath (no windows) downstairs and I’m finding when bringing home color samples that it doesn’t go well with silver city. It’s a very tricky color. debating on going darker or white.
Patricia
I just painted several rooms with Behr Solemn Silence. I wanted a real silvery gray with no blue. After living with paint chips on the walls as well as splotches of paint samples on the walls for a year I chose Solemn Silence because I thought Dolphin Fin looked a little muddy. Well, in a lot of light the Solemn Silence actually looks like a very light blue. Even with blue things on the wall it looks blue. I thought blue would make it look more gray. No such luck.
Sarah
We just bought a house painted entirely in dolphin fin. Every room, ceiling and all. The kitchen cabinets appear to have one coat of primer… I’m not a fan of stark white cabinets (so hard to keep clean) and I want a warm kitchen. I love SW Accessible Beige. Is there a SW color could I paint cabinets that would complement Accessible Beige walls without being blindingly white and dirt showing? Is there a ceiling/trim SW color that would work with both Accessible Beige and Behr Dolphin Fin? I have no eye for undertones at all and I’m afraid I’ll choose something that clashes horribly. I was thinking Accessible Beige walls, Aesthetic White for cabinets, and Alabaster or Pure White for ceiling and trim but I don’t know if those will work with Dolphin Fin (or each other, for that matter–hah!).
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