Art-to-room palette

Portrait of a Man Wearing an Ivy Wreath Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette pairs a soft neutral grey with warm browns, ochres, and pale gold, taken from a painting in the Art Institute of Chicago. It suits rooms that need a calm base with warm wood and golden textiles.

Quick answer

Use #BCBCBC on the largest walls. Put #F9D888 on the ceiling or a lighter wall, and #AB895B on an accent wall or large furniture. Keep #8A653C for wood trim, frames, and floors, and use #D1AF6C in curtains or cushions. Use #5B422A only in small amounts.

Artist: Ancient Egyptian
Date: Roman Period, early to mid–2nd century
Collection: The Art Institute of Chicago
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 71

Portrait of a Man Wearing an Ivy Wreath by Ancient Egyptian — Ancient Egyptian, *Portrait of a Man Wearing an Ivy Wreath*, Roman Period, early to mid–2nd century. 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.

Soft Neutral Grey

#BCBCBC · 63.4% · LRV 50

Deep Red Brown

#5B422A · 13.1% · LRV 6

Warm Ochre Tan

#AB895B · 11% · LRV 27

Deep Honey Brown

#8A653C · 9% · LRV 15

Pale Warm Yellow

#F9D888 · 1.9% · LRV 71

Light Gold Ochre

#D1AF6C · 1.6% · LRV 45

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.

Portrait of a Man Wearing an Ivy Wreath reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Soft Neutral Grey is strongest — Soft Neutral Grey

Detail of the painting where Deep Red Brown is strongest — Deep Red Brown

Detail of the painting where Warm Ochre Tan is strongest — Warm Ochre Tan

Detail of the painting where Deep Honey Brown is strongest — Deep Honey Brown

Detail of the painting where Pale Warm Yellow is strongest — Pale Warm Yellow

Detail of the painting where Light Gold Ochre is strongest — Light Gold Ochre

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
Soft Neutral Grey `#BCBCBC`	Behr PPU16-11 Grape Creme Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 7668 March Wind Very close Valspar 4004-1B Urban Sunrise Very close Farrow & Ball No. 242 Pavilion Gray Close	50	Bed, sofa, curtains
Deep Red Brown `#5B422A`	Behr 280F-7 Breakfast Blend Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6097 Sturdy Brown Close Valspar 3011-8 Dark Earth Similar	6	Small accents, art, accessories
Warm Ochre Tan `#AB895B`	Behr BIC-44 Chamois Leather Very close Valspar 3008-7A Grecian Olive Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6131 Chamois Close Farrow & Ball No. 66 India Yellow Similar	27	One bold piece
Deep Honey Brown `#8A653C`	Behr S260-7 Nugget Gold Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6125 Craft Paper Very close Valspar 3011-5 Autumn Surprise Similar	15	Wood and frames
Pale Warm Yellow `#F9D888`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6695 Midday Near-identical Valspar 3002-2A Toasted Pecan Very close Behr 350C-3 Applesauce Very close Farrow & Ball No. 74 Citron Very close	71	Main walls
Light Gold Ochre `#D1AF6C`	Behr 310F-4 Rye Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 9026 Tarnished Trumpet Very close Valspar 3007-5B Earthen Sienna Very close Farrow & Ball No. 51 Sudbury Yellow Very close	45	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 warm yellow 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#D8C697

North light is cool and dim, so the grey can look flatter and slightly cooler. The warm golds will help keep the room from feeling cold.

South-facing room#FADB94

Strong south light brings out the warmth in the browns and golds. The grey will look lighter and cleaner, and it may need a little more contrast from the wood tones.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#CFAD6C

Warm evening bulbs push the yellows and browns forward and make the room feel cozy. The grey can pick up a faint warmth, so test the wall beside your lamps before committing.

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 Honey Brown and the rug border takes Light Gold Ochre in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale Warm Yellow

Soft Neutral Grey

Warm Ochre Tan

Linen

Oiled oak

Lime plaster

Aged brass

Palette card for Portrait of a Man Wearing an Ivy Wreath

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

Grey Bathroom Paint Colors for Walls, Measured From Paintings Grey · Bathroom

Grey Kitchen Paint: Three Shades From Paintings and What to Pair With Them Grey · Kitchen

South Facing Bedroom Colors That Stay Cool in Strong Light South-facing · Bedroom

Black Trim House Colors: Exterior Schemes That Work House exterior · Black

More palettes like this

Funerary Papyrus of Tayuhenutmut Ancient Egyptian, Third Intermediate Period, probably Dynasty 21 (about 1069-945 BCE)

FAQ

Which color should I use on the walls?

Use #BCBCBC on the largest walls, since it holds the most share of the palette. Its light reflectance value of 50 keeps the room bright without looking stark.

Can I use the darkest color in a small room?

Use #5B422A in small amounts, such as a door, a shelf, or a narrow accent. Its light reflectance value of 6 is very dark, and a large area of it can make a small room feel closed in.

How do I pair the warm colors with the grey?

Use the wood tone #8A653C and the textile tone #D1AF6C to add warmth against the grey walls. Keep #AB895B for one accent surface so the room stays balanced.

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.