17th-century Dutch painting · art-to-room palette

A Beach with Fishing Boats Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette is six warm earth tones, from a pale cream to a very dark brown, measured from Jan van Goyen's oil painting "A Beach with Fishing Boats," probably 1653, held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its sandy and wood tones suit rooms that want a calm, grounded base with warm contrast.

Quick answer

Use the pale cream #FEE0B5 on the walls, the sand beige #BDA284 as the main tone for larger surfaces, and the sandy taupe #A18263 as an accent. Bring in the brown #845C38 for wood and the ochre tan #A67542 for textiles.

Artist: Jan van Goyen
Date: probably 1653
Movement: 17th-century Dutch painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 78

A Beach with Fishing Boats by Jan van Goyen — Jan van Goyen, *A Beach with Fishing Boats*, probably 1653. 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.

Warm sandy taupe

#A18263 · 34.5% · LRV 24

Soft sand beige

#BDA284 · 30.6% · LRV 38

Burnt umber brown

#845C38 · 13.7% · LRV 13

Dark walnut brown

#54351E · 9.7% · LRV 5

Ochre clay tan

#A67542 · 8% · LRV 21

Pale buttery cream

#FEE0B5 · 3.4% · LRV 78

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.

A Beach with Fishing Boats reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Warm sandy taupe is strongest — Warm sandy taupe

Detail of the painting where Soft sand beige is strongest — Soft sand beige

Detail of the painting where Burnt umber brown is strongest — Burnt umber brown

Detail of the painting where Dark walnut brown is strongest — Dark walnut brown

Detail of the painting where Ochre clay tan is strongest — Ochre clay tan

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

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
Warm sandy taupe `#A18263`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6109 Hopsack Near-identical Behr HDC-NT-28 Soft Bronze Very close Valspar 3004-9B Crunch Granola Very close Farrow & Ball No. 40 Mouse's Back Similar	24	One bold piece
Soft sand beige `#BDA284`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6108 Latte Near-identical Behr PPU4-05 Basketry Very close Valspar 3002-9C Doe Eyes Very close Farrow & Ball No. 6 London Stone Close	38	Bed, sofa, curtains
Burnt umber brown `#845C38`	Behr PPU4-18 Spice Bazaar Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6096 Jute Brown Very close Valspar 2008-7A Natural Cork Similar	13	Wood and frames
Dark walnut brown `#54351E`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6069 French Roast Close Behr 240F-7 Root Beer Similar	5	Small accents, art, accessories
Ochre clay tan `#A67542`	Behr MQ4-6 Invitation Gold Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6391 Gallant Gold Very close Valspar 3004-7A Praline Cake Very close	21	One small textile
Pale buttery cream `#FEE0B5`	Behr 320C-2 Cream Yellow Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 7686 Hinoki Very close Valspar 3006-6B Shoreline Very close Farrow & Ball No. 67 Farrow's Cream Close	78	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 buttery 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#DBCBB4

In north light the cream wall will look cooler and a little grayer, so it can feel flat. Keep the wall cream and bring warmth in through the wood and textile tones.

South-facing room#FEE1B7

Strong south light brings out the yellow in the cream and makes the wall glow. Sand and taupe tones will look bright, so use them on a smaller area to avoid glare.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#D2B185

Under warm evening bulbs the whole palette shifts toward gold and amber. The browns deepen into a cozy warmth, and the cream stays soft rather than white.

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 Burnt umber brown and the rug border takes Ochre clay tan in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale buttery cream

Soft sand beige

Warm sandy taupe

Linen

Oiled oak

Lime plaster

Aged brass

Palette card for A Beach with Fishing Boats

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

House Paint Colors for the Outside of Your Home House exterior

More palettes like this

Portrait of a Man Bartholomeus van der Helst, 1647

The Musician Bartholomeus van der Helst, 1662

Christ with a Staff Rembrandt

FAQ

Which color should I use on the walls?

The pale cream #FEE0B5 is the lightest tone, with an LRV of 78, so it reflects light well. It is the closest to a wall color in this palette.

Can I use the darkest brown in a room?

Yes, but use it in small amounts. The very dark brown #54351E has an LRV of 5, so it works best on a door, trim, or a narrow accent area next to the lighter tones.

How do I choose between the beige and taupe?

Use the sand beige #BDA284 for large surfaces such as a sofa wall or floor-to-ceiling cabinets. Save the sandy taupe #A18263, which is darker, for a single accent wall or an alcove.

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.