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

A Marine Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette is drawn from George Inness's oil painting "A Marine" (c. 1874–75, The Art Institute of Chicago). It moves from near-black olive through deep greens to a pale sage and a soft ochre, so it suits rooms that want quiet, earthy color.

Quick answer

Use the pale sage #CDCFAE on the walls and the soft ochre #C1BA6D on one larger piece or feature area. Keep the darkest greens for trim, doors, or a single accent wall, and use the khaki olive for textiles.

Artist: George Inness
Date: c. 1874–75
Movement: 19th-century American painting
Collection: The Art Institute of Chicago
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 61

A Marine by George Inness — George Inness, *A Marine*, c. 1874–75. 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.

Near-black olive

#1C2311 · 34.3% · LRV 2

Dark moss green

#353C1C · 27.3% · LRV 4

Deep olive green

#525932 · 21.1% · LRV 9

Warm olive khaki

#83814C · 9.4% · LRV 21

Pale sage green

#CDCFAE · 5.6% · LRV 61

Soft ochre yellow

#C1BA6D · 2.2% · LRV 48

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

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

Detail of the painting where Dark moss green is strongest — Dark moss green

Detail of the painting where Deep olive green is strongest — Deep olive green

Detail of the painting where Warm olive khaki is strongest — Warm olive khaki

Detail of the painting where Pale sage green is strongest — Pale sage green

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

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 olive `#1C2311`	Behr S-H-780 Thorny Branch Similar	2	Small accents, art, accessories
Dark moss green `#353C1C`	Behr S-H-760 Olive Leaf Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6181 Secret Garden Similar	4	One bold piece
Deep olive green `#525932`	Behr N340-7 Kilimanjaro Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6433 Inverness Close Valspar 6010-5 Dark Meadow Close Farrow & Ball No. 298 Bancha Similar	9	Small accents, art, accessories
Warm olive khaki `#83814C`	Behr MQ6-61 Basil Chiffonade Near-identical Valspar 6005-6C Green Jalapeño Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6418 Rural Green Close Farrow & Ball No. 34 Calke Green Similar	21	One small textile
Pale sage green `#CDCFAE`	Behr 770C-3 Sand Fossil Very close Valspar 6002-3B Paris Mint Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6429 Baize Green Very close Farrow & Ball No. 32 Cooking Apple Green Very close	61	Main walls
Soft ochre yellow `#C1BA6D`	Behr PPU9-07 Fresh Sprout Very close Valspar 6007-6A New Avocado Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6710 Mélange Green Close Farrow & Ball No. 251 Churlish Green Close	48	Bed, sofa, curtains

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 sage green 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#BCC0B0

In north light the pale sage wall will look cooler and a little greyer, and its green undertone will show more. Pair it with warm wood or brass to keep the room from feeling flat.

South-facing room#D8D4B2

In strong south light the pale sage wall will look brighter and softer, with less visible green. Its light reflectance keeps the room open even on sunny days.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#B5A881

Under warm evening bulbs the sage wall will look more neutral and muted, and the ochre will read warmer and richer. The dark greens will recede and feel cozy.

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 a warm mid-brown and the rug border takes Warm olive khaki in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale sage green

Soft ochre yellow

Dark moss green

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

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

Dark Green House: Forest Green Exterior Paint Colors House exterior · Dark green

More palettes like this

Early Morning, Tarpon Springs George Inness, 1892

A Friendly Warning Thomas Hicks, 1881–90

The Home of the Heron George Inness, 1893

FAQ

Can I paint a whole room in the darkest greens?

You can, but it will feel enclosed and dim. The near-black olive and dark moss green have very low light reflectance, so they work best on trim, doors, or one accent wall, with the pale sage on the others.

Which wall color should I start with?

Start with the pale sage green #CDCFAE, which has a light reflectance of 61. It is the lightest color in the set and keeps the room bright while the darker shades add depth.

What should I pair with the soft ochre?

Pair the soft ochre with the deep olive and warm olive khaki for a layered, earthy look. Keep the ochre to one main piece or area so it does not compete with the walls.

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.