Paint colors for your home, inside and out
16th-century painting · art-to-room palette
This palette comes from Joos van Cleve's The Last Judgment, painted on wood around 1525 to 1530 and held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its warm browns, deep red and olive green suit rooms that want a grounded, cozy scheme with one light wall to hold the space open.
Quick answer
Use the light parchment shade on the main walls, the olive green as the main color on a feature wall or cabinetry, and the burnt umber and deep brick red for accents such as pillows, art, or a rug. Keep the very dark espresso for small details like trim, a door, or a deep shelf.
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.
Left, every pixel of the canvas snapped to its nearest palette color. Right, the detail where each color is strongest.
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 espresso brown#2D2218 |
|
2 | Small accents, art, accessories |
Warm parchment beige#DCC4B0 |
|
58 | Main walls |
Burnt umber brown#754A34 |
|
9 | One bold piece |
Olive moss green#7B784D |
|
18 | Bed, sofa, curtains |
Warm oak brown#916146 |
|
15 | Wood and frames |
Deep brick red#88271C |
|
7 | 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.
The wall color shifted for the light it will live in. Check the version closest to your room before buying a sample.
#C5B9B1In north light the parchment wall reads a little cooler and softer, with its warm red-orange undertone easing back. Its light reflectance of 58 keeps it bright, though it sits just under the level where a wall feels fully light.
#E4CBB3Strong south light lifts the parchment wall and brings out its warm red-orange undertone, so it can look golden by midday. Its reflectance of 58 bounces a good amount of that light around the room.
#BEA182Under warm evening bulbs the parchment wall takes on a richer, honey-toned glow, and the olive green looks warmer and deeper. The burnt umber and brick red become more saturated, so test accent pieces under your own lamps before buying.
Pick which painting color goes on the walls, the big furniture and the bold piece. Floors, shadows and light follow your choices.
Wood takes Warm oak brown and the rug border takes Deep brick red in every combination.
Details from the painting next to the colors and materials that carry them into a room.
A card with the painting, all 6 colors and a room scheme. Pin it, or take it to the paint store.
You can, but the espresso reflects very little light, with a light reflectance of 2. It works best in a room with plenty of daylight or several lamps, and it is better suited to a den, dining room, or powder room than a small space with little window light.
Use the warm parchment beige on the walls. Its light reflectance of 58 keeps a small room feeling open, and the darker colors can go on furniture, textiles, or one accent wall.
Yes. The olive green has a warm yellow undertone, while the beige and browns lean red-orange, so the group stays in the same warm family. Use the olive on one wall or on cabinetry and let the beige and browns carry the rest of the room.
Image: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 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.
