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

Early Morning, Tarpon Springs Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette is a set of six muted colors measured from George Inness's 1892 painting "Early Morning, Tarpon Springs." It pairs a soft cool blue with warm browns, clay, and olive, so it suits rooms that need calm walls and earthy furnishings.

Quick answer

Use the soft cool blue on the walls and the sunlit clay brown on wood floors or trim. Bring in the olive sage for textiles, the warm ochre tan as a main surface such as a sofa or rug, and the warm taupe as a deeper accent.

Artist: George Inness
Date: 1892
Movement: 19th-century American painting
Collection: The Art Institute of Chicago
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 49

Early Morning, Tarpon Springs by George Inness — George Inness, *Early Morning, Tarpon Springs*, 1892. 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.

Muted Warm Taupe

#847565 · 45% · LRV 19

Soft Cool Blue

#A7BDC8 · 25.6% · LRV 49

Sunlit Clay Brown

#A3836C · 11% · LRV 25

Dusky Rose Brown

#94796A · 7.5% · LRV 21

Olive Sage Green

#8E8F68 · 6% · LRV 26

Warm Ochre Tan

#C7976C · 4.9% · LRV 35

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.

Early Morning, Tarpon Springs reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Muted Warm Taupe is strongest — Muted Warm Taupe

Detail of the painting where Soft Cool Blue is strongest — Soft Cool Blue

Detail of the painting where Sunlit Clay Brown is strongest — Sunlit Clay Brown

Detail of the painting where Dusky Rose Brown is strongest — Dusky Rose Brown

Detail of the painting where Olive Sage Green is strongest — Olive Sage Green

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

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
Muted Warm Taupe `#847565`	Sherwin-Williams SW 7514 Foothills Near-identical Behr MQ2-38 Grizzly Very close Valspar 2006-9B Scented Candle Close Farrow & Ball No. 290 Salon Drab Similar	19	One bold piece
Soft Cool Blue `#A7BDC8`	Valspar 4007-5C Memorybook Blue Very close Behr MQ5-50 Opal Waters Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 9146 Faded Flaxflower Very close Farrow & Ball No. 89 Lulworth Blue Close	49	Main walls
Sunlit Clay Brown `#A3836C`	Sherwin-Williams SW 9092 Iced Mocha Near-identical Behr MQ2-42 Warm Cognac Very close Valspar 3001-7B Tender Twig Very close Farrow & Ball No. 40 Mouse's Back Similar	25	Wood and frames
Dusky Rose Brown `#94796A`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6067 Mocha Near-identical Valspar 2005-9B Zanzibar Spice Very close Behr MQ2-19 Home Sweet Home Close Farrow & Ball No. 295 Sulking Room Pink Similar	21	Small accents, art, accessories
Olive Sage Green `#8E8F68`	Behr 740D-5 Twig Basket Very close Valspar 6002-4B Garden of Paradise Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6431 Leapfrog Close Farrow & Ball No. 287 Yeabridge Green Similar	26	One small textile
Warm Ochre Tan `#C7976C`	Sherwin-Williams SW 9186 Caramelized Very close Behr HDC-CL-15 Burnished Caramel Very close Valspar 3002-7C Pale Blush Close Farrow & Ball No. 66 India Yellow Similar	35	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 soft cool blue 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#A3B4C0

North light is cool and even, so the soft cool blue can look grayer and more subdued. Keep the room's furnishings warm to balance it.

South-facing room#BAC6C6

Strong south light brightens the soft cool blue and can make it look lighter and more open. Browns and clay tones will look warmer and more saturated in this light.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#A09D90

Under warm evening bulbs, the soft cool blue will look softer and slightly greener. The browns and ochre tones will deepen and feel cozier.

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 Sunlit Clay Brown and the rug border takes Olive Sage Green in every combination.

Mood board

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

Soft Cool Blue

Warm Ochre Tan

Muted Warm Taupe

Linen

Oiled oak

Lime plaster

Aged brass

Palette card for Early Morning, Tarpon Springs

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

Victorian Living Room Colors Victorian style

Rustic Paint Colors: A Whole-House Palette Rustic style

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

More palettes like this

Croquet Scene Winslow Homer, 1866

A Marine George Inness, c. 1874–75

For Sunday's Dinner William Michael Harnett, 1888

FAQ

Can I use the soft cool blue on every wall?

It has a light reflectance value of 49, so it bounces enough light to work on most walls. In a room with little daylight, paint one wall first and check it at different times of day.

Will these colors work in a small or dark room?

The blue is light enough to help a small room feel open. Use the darker browns, such as the warm taupe and dusky rose brown, on fewer surfaces so the room does not feel closed in.

How close are the paint matches to the original colors?

Each listed paint is the closest commercial match measured from the painting's colors, not an exact copy. Always test a sample on your own wall and compare it in your room's light before you buy.

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.