North-facing room
#C3BFA7In north light the pale wheat cream wall reads softer and a little cooler, so it can look grayer than its warm base suggests. It still bounces enough light to keep a small room from feeling closed in.
19th-century French painting · art-to-room palette
The Sacred Grove, Beloved of the Arts and the Muses Color Palette & Paint Colors
This palette comes from Pierre Puvis de Chavannes's painting The Sacred Grove, Beloved of the Arts and the Muses, and it runs from pale wheat cream to deep umber. Its colors are olive, sage, moss and putty, all with a warm yellow or green cast, so they suit rooms that need calm, earthy depth.
Quick answer
Use the pale wheat cream (#D9CDA1, LRV 61) on the walls and the warm putty beige (#BDB196) on the main large surfaces such as cabinets or an accent wall. Bring in the deep warm olive (#757259) for textiles, the soft moss green (#969966) for small accents, and the dark umber brown (#534D36) for wood or trim.
- Date
- 1884–89
- Movement
- 19th-century French painting
- Collection
- The Art Institute of Chicago
- Image license
- Public domain (CC0)
- Wall color LRV
- 61
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.
deep warm olive
muted sage grey
soft moss green
warm putty beige
dark umber brown
pale wheat cream
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
deep warm olive#757259 |
|
17 | One small textile |
muted sage grey#7E7E68 |
|
20 | Small accents, art, accessories |
soft moss green#969966 |
|
30 | One bold piece |
warm putty beige#BDB196 |
|
45 | Bed, sofa, curtains |
dark umber brown#534D36 |
|
7 | Wood and frames |
pale wheat cream#D9CDA1 |
|
61 | Main walls |
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 wheat 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.
South-facing room
#E1D3A8In strong south light the wall warms up and looks brighter, and the putty and olive tones show more clearly. Keep the umber wood and deep olive textiles where the sun lands directly, because they can look heavy if the room is very bright.
Evening, warm lamps (2700K)
#BCA67AUnder warm evening bulbs the wheat cream and putty take on a golden glow, and the olive and umber settle into a richer, cozier mood. Test the wall with the lamps you use most, since bulb color changes these yellow-based tones more than daylight does.
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.
Wood takes dark umber brown and the rug border takes deep warm olive in every combination.
Mood board
Details from the painting next to the colors and materials that carry them into a room.
pale wheat cream
warm putty beige
soft moss green
Save this palette
A card with the painting, all 6 colors and a room scheme. Pin it, or take it to the paint store.
Guides that use colors from this painting
More palettes like this
FAQ
Can I paint a whole room in the deep warm olive?
You can, but it is a dark color at LRV 17, so the room will feel enclosed. Paint the walls in the pale wheat cream instead and use the deep olive on a single chair, curtains or a rug.
How do I use the dark umber brown in a room?
Use it for wood, trim, a door or a bookcase, where a deep warm brown anchors the room. Keep it to the smaller share of the scheme so it grounds the wall colors rather than overpowering them.
Do these colors work together in a small room?
Yes, if the walls stay light. Use the pale wheat cream on the walls and ceiling, the warm putty beige on one surface, and add the olive, moss and umber in small pieces such as pillows, art or wood accents.
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.