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

The Storm Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette comes from the dark, warm tones in Pierre-Auguste Cot's 1880 painting "The Storm," which hangs in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It runs from near-black to a pale cream, with browns, ochres, and tans in between, so it suits rooms that want warmth and depth.

Quick answer

Use the pale cream #FEEBD1 as the main wall color and the soft golden ochre #C0A66D for larger furniture or a second wall. Bring in the russet brown #60412B for wood, the deep ochre #756147 as an accent, and the muted wheat #9D8760 for textiles like rugs and curtains.

Artist: Pierre-Auguste Cot
Date: 1880
Movement: 19th-century French painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 85

The Storm by Pierre-Auguste Cot — Pierre-Auguste Cot, *The Storm*, 1880. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 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 charcoal

#262B27 · 65.3% · LRV 2

Deep russet brown

#60412B · 12.2% · LRV 6

Deep ochre brown

#756147 · 12% · LRV 13

Muted wheat tan

#9D8760 · 5.8% · LRV 25

Soft golden ochre

#C0A66D · 3.2% · LRV 40

Pale cream linen

#FEEBD1 · 1.5% · LRV 85

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.

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

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

Detail of the painting where Deep russet brown is strongest — Deep russet brown

Detail of the painting where Deep ochre brown is strongest — Deep ochre brown

Detail of the painting where Muted wheat tan is strongest — Muted wheat tan

Detail of the painting where Soft golden ochre is strongest — Soft golden ochre

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

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 charcoal `#262B27`	Behr S-H-790 Black Suede Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6216 Jasper Similar Farrow & Ball No. 256 Pitch Black Similar Valspar 4011-2 Dark Kettle Black Similar	2	Small accents, art, accessories
Deep russet brown `#60412B`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6090 Java Very close Behr 280F-7 Breakfast Blend Close Valspar 2009-10 Roasted Coffee Similar	6	Wood and frames
Deep ochre brown `#756147`	Behr BNC-34 Spiced Latte Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 6103 Tea Chest Close Farrow & Ball No. 290 Salon Drab Close Valspar 3007-9A Twilight Jungle Close	13	One bold piece
Muted wheat tan `#9D8760`	Behr N260-5 Distant Land Very close Valspar 3008-7A Grecian Olive Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6138 Artifact Close Farrow & Ball No. 40 Mouse's Back Similar	25	One small textile
Soft golden ochre `#C0A66D`	Sherwin-Williams SW 9028 Dusted Olive Very close Behr 300F-4 Almond Toast Very close Valspar 3007-7C Golden Popover Very close Farrow & Ball No. 66 India Yellow Similar	40	Bed, sofa, curtains
Pale cream linen `#FEEBD1`	Valspar 2005-2C Sweet Almond Near-identical Farrow & Ball No. 203 Tallow Very close Behr YL-W2 Spanish Lace Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6665 Gardenia Very close	85	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 cream linen 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#DBD3C6

In north light the cream #FEEBD1 looks softer and slightly cooler, so its warm undertone shows less. The golden ochre #C0A66D can look flatter and grayer, so test it in the room before you commit.

South-facing room#FEEACD

Strong south light makes the cream #FEEBD1 look bright and warm, and it reflects a lot of light at its LRV of 85. The ochres and browns will glow, but the charcoal will look even darker against the bright walls.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#D2B895

Under warm evening bulbs the cream #FEEBD1 takes on a richer yellow cast. The golden ochre and wheat tones deepen and feel cozier, and the russet brown wood will look especially warm.

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 Deep russet brown and the rug border takes Muted wheat tan in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale cream linen

Soft golden ochre

Deep ochre 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 Bedroom Colors Farmhouse style

More palettes like this

Joan of Arc Jules Bastien-Lepage, 1879

Unfinished Study of Sheep Constant Troyon, c. 1850

The Garden of the Tuileries on a Winter Afternoon Camille Pissarro, 1899

FAQ

Can I paint a whole room in the near-black charcoal?

The charcoal #262B27 has an LRV of 2, so it reads very dark. It works best on a single wall, a door, or built-in cabinetry, where it adds depth without closing in the whole room.

Which color should I use on the ceiling?

The pale cream #FEEBD1 is a good choice for a ceiling. Its LRV of 85 reads light and bounces light around the room, which keeps the darker tones from feeling heavy.

How should I test these colors before painting?

Paint a sample board or a large swatch on the wall where you plan to use it. Look at it in the morning, in the afternoon, and under your lamps at night, since each light will change how the warm undertones look.

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.