19th-century American painting · art-to-room palette

Alice Color Palette & Paint Colors

Nearly black browns surround a pale cream and a muted sand, with one warm clay. The palette suits a formal dining room or a study with strong contrast.

Quick answer

Paint the walls the cream #E3D2AF and use the sand #CBB895 on the main furniture. Use the dark #3E2C24 as an accent and the clay #996D53 for wood.

Artist: William Merritt Chase
Date: 1892
Movement: 19th-century American painting
Collection: The Art Institute of Chicago
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 66

Alice by William Merritt Chase — William Merritt Chase, *Alice*, 1892. The Art Institute of Chicago, open access. The bar shows each color's measured share of the canvas.

The 6 colors in this painting

Measured from the image and ordered by how much of the canvas they cover. LRV is how much light a color reflects, from 0 for black to 100 for white.

Near-black brown

#221A18 · 62.2% · LRV 1

Espresso brown

#3E2C24 · 21.3% · LRV 3

Warm sand

#CBB895 · 6.8% · LRV 49

Pale cream

#E3D2AF · 4.9% · LRV 66

Clay brown

#996D53 · 3.7% · LRV 18

Soft apricot

#CEA17D · 1.2% · LRV 40

Where each color lives in the painting

Left, every pixel of the canvas snapped to its nearest palette color. Right, the detail where each color is strongest.

Alice reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Near-black brown is strongest — Near-black brown

Detail of the painting where Espresso brown is strongest — Espresso brown

Detail of the painting where Warm sand is strongest — Warm sand

Detail of the painting where Pale cream is strongest — Pale cream

Detail of the painting where Clay brown is strongest — Clay brown

Detail of the painting where Soft apricot is strongest — Soft apricot

Closest paint colors

The nearest color from each brand. “Near-identical” and “Very close” are hard to tell apart on a wall; with “Similar”, compare a sample with the painting. Brands with nothing close are left out.

Painting color	Closest paints	LRV	Use it for
Near-black brown `#221A18`	Sherwin-Williams SW 7630 Raisin Similar Behr 790B-7 Bitter Chocolate Similar	1	Small accents, art, accessories
Espresso brown `#3E2C24`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6006 Black Bean Close Behr N150-7 Chocolate Therapy Close Valspar 1011-8 Antique Burgundy Similar Farrow & Ball No. 36 Mahogany Similar	3	One bold piece
Warm sand `#CBB895`	Behr MQ2-22 Hayloft Near-identical Valspar 3006-10A Prairie Dance Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6135 Ecru Very close Farrow & Ball No. 16 Cord Close	49	Bed, sofa, curtains
Pale cream `#E3D2AF`	Behr UL180-18 Yellowstone Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6393 Convivial Yellow Very close Farrow & Ball No. 8 String Very close Valspar 3004-8B Hazy Yellow Very close	66	Main walls
Clay brown `#996D53`	Sherwin-Williams SW 7705 Wheat Penny Very close Valspar 3010-7 Pale Cordovan Very close Behr 240F-5 Toasted Chestnut Close Farrow & Ball No. 42 Picture Gallery Red Similar	18	Wood and frames
Soft apricot `#CEA17D`	Behr MQ2-7 City Sunrise Very close Valspar 2006-5C Sweet Cardamom Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6115 Totally Tan Very close Farrow & Ball No. 28 Dead Salmon Similar	40	One small textile

Paint names belong to their brands. Matches are measured from screen colors and are approximate; Light & Pigment is not affiliated with any paint brand.

How pale cream looks in your light

The wall color shifted for the light it will live in. Check the version closest to your room before buying a sample.

North-facing room#C9C2B1

North light cools the cream #E3D2AF (LRV 66) a little, so it may read closer to beige.

South-facing room#E9D6B3

South light brings out the yellow in the cream and makes the apricot #CEA17D look lighter.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#C2AA81

Warm bulbs make the cream glow and turn the dark browns into soft shadows.

Try the palette in a room

Pick which painting color goes on the walls, the big furniture and the bold piece. Floors, shadows and light follow your choices.

Walls

Bed, sofa, island

Bold piece

Wood takes Clay brown and the rug border takes Soft apricot in every combination.

Mood board

Details from the painting next to the colors and materials that carry them into a room.

Pale cream

Warm sand

Espresso brown

Linen

Oiled oak

Lime plaster

Aged brass

Save this palette

A card with the painting, all 6 colors and a room scheme. Pin it, or take it to the paint store.

Save to Pinterest Download card

Guides that use colors from this painting

Farmhouse Kitchen Color Palette from Six Paintings Farmhouse style

More palettes like this

For Sunday's Dinner William Michael Harnett, 1888

A Friendly Warning Thomas Hicks, 1881–90

Portrait of Fred Adelbert Haywood School of William Matthew Prior, February 16, 1848

FAQ

Can I paint a room in #221A18?

It covers 62% of the painting but has an LRV of 1, which is close to black. It suits one wall, a door or built-in shelving.

What is the lightest color here?

The cream #E3D2AF at LRV 66, so it is the best choice for most of the wall area.

How do I add warmth?

Use the clay #996D53 and the apricot #CEA17D in wood, textiles or a rug.

Image: The Art Institute of Chicago, Public domain (CC0). Palette, posterized image, details and room views generated by Light & Pigment from that image. Colors look different on screen than on a wall, so always test a sample.