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

Afterglow Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette is drawn from George Inness's 1893 oil painting Afterglow, held at The Art Institute of Chicago. It moves from deep browns and warm red-orange tones to a single pale yellow highlight, so it suits rooms that want warmth, depth and a glow.

Quick answer

Use the pale butter yellow on the walls, the toasted ochre as the main color on larger furnishings, and the walnut and amber browns on wood and upholstery. Keep the darkest espresso brown for small accents such as a door, shelving or trim.

Artist: George Inness
Date: 1893
Movement: 19th-century American painting
Collection: The Art Institute of Chicago
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 85

Afterglow by George Inness — George Inness, *Afterglow*, 1893. 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.

Deep espresso brown

#332118 · 64.6% · LRV 2

Dark russet brown

#61402A · 14.5% · LRV 6

Warm walnut brown

#795130 · 10.9% · LRV 10

Burnished amber brown

#996537 · 7.9% · LRV 16

Toasted ochre orange

#D28748 · 1.3% · LRV 32

Soft butter yellow

#FFEF90 · 0.8% · 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.

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

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

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

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

Detail of the painting where Burnished amber brown is strongest — Burnished amber brown

Detail of the painting where Toasted ochre orange is strongest — Toasted ochre orange

Detail of the painting where Soft butter yellow is strongest — Soft butter 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
Deep espresso brown `#332118`	Sherwin-Williams SW 2838 Polished Mahogany Similar Behr BXC-78 Cordovan Leather Similar	2	One bold piece
Dark russet brown `#61402A`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6090 Java Very close Behr 240F-7 Root Beer Close Valspar 2009-10 Roasted Coffee Similar	6	Small accents, art, accessories
Warm walnut brown `#795130`	Behr S240-7 Leather Work Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 9107 Über Umber Close Valspar 3010-8 Cowboy Hat Similar	10	Wood and frames
Burnished amber brown `#996537`	Behr S250-6 Desert Clay Close Valspar 3011-5 Autumn Surprise Close Sherwin-Williams SW 45 Antiquarian Brown Close	16	One small textile
Toasted ochre orange `#D28748`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6656 Serape Very close Valspar 3001-3A Hazelnut Coffee Very close Behr 280D-5 Glazed Pecan Very close	32	Bed, sofa, curtains
Soft butter yellow `#FFEF90`	Behr P300-4 Rise And Shine Near-identical Valspar 3008-2A Chickery Chick Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6908 Fun Yellow Close Farrow & Ball No. 233 Dayroom Yellow Similar	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 soft butter 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#DCD59C

In north light the pale yellow wall looks softer and a little cooler. It stays warm enough to feel inviting, but it may read slightly dimmer than it does in other light.

South-facing room#FFED9A

In strong south light the pale yellow wall reflects a lot of light and can look bright and open. Pair it with the browns to keep the room from feeling washed out.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#D2BA70

Under warm evening bulbs the yellow shifts toward cream and gold, and the browns take on a rich glow. This is when the palette feels most like the painting's late-day light.

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 Warm walnut brown and the rug border takes Burnished amber brown in every combination.

Mood board

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

Soft butter yellow

Toasted ochre orange

Deep espresso 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

Dark Paint Colors for Rooms, Measured From Paintings Dark

More palettes like this

Nantasket Beach Emil Carlsen, 1876

Phebe Russell Swain Welch Sheldon Peck, c. 1837

Early Morning, Tarpon Springs George Inness, 1892

FAQ

Can I paint a whole room in the darkest brown?

The darkest brown has a light reflectance value of 2, so it absorbs nearly all light. Use it on one wall, a door or a few accents rather than a full room, unless the room gets plenty of daylight.

Will the pale yellow wall work in a room with little daylight?

Yes, because its light reflectance value is 85, it bounces light well. In a dim room it will look warm and bright, especially if you add a lamp with a warm bulb.

Which browns should I use together?

The walnut and amber browns are close in tone, so they work well together on wood and upholstery. Add the toasted ochre as a larger piece, such as a sofa or rug, to bring in brightness.

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.