North-facing room
#B9BFCDIn north light, the wall color #C9CEDC looks cooler and more blue. It stays light and clear, so it works well in a room that gets little direct sun.
19th-century French painting · art-to-room palette
The Customs House at Varengeville Color Palette & Paint Colors
This palette comes from Claude Monet's 1897 oil painting "The Customs House at Varengeville," held at the Art Institute of Chicago. It pairs soft blue-grays with dusty rose and mauve tones, so it suits rooms that need calm light and a quiet, slightly warm base.
Quick answer
Use the pale blue-gray #C9CEDC on the main walls, the dusty rose-clay #AC9695 on a large piece of furniture or a feature wall, and the deep mauve-brown #9C8180 on trim, doors or a smaller accent. Bring in the warm taupe #A49277 through textiles such as curtains, cushions or a throw.
- Artist
- Claude Monet
- Date
- 1897
- Movement
- 19th-century French painting
- Collection
- The Art Institute of Chicago
- Image license
- Public domain (CC0)
- Wall color LRV
- 62
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.
pale blue-gray
dusty rose-clay
deep mauve-brown
soft sky blue
slate blue-gray
warm taupe-khaki
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
pale blue-gray#C9CEDC |
|
62 | Main walls |
dusty rose-clay#AC9695 |
|
33 | Bed, sofa, curtains |
deep mauve-brown#9C8180 |
|
24 | One bold piece |
soft sky blue#B5CBD7 |
|
57 | Small accents, art, accessories |
slate blue-gray#768B8E |
|
24 | Small accents, art, accessories |
warm taupe-khaki#A49277 |
|
30 | 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 blue-gray 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.
South-facing room
#D5D3D6In strong south light, #C9CEDC looks brighter and a little less blue. The rose tones in #AC9695 also appear warmer, so test a sample on the wall before committing to a large area.
Evening, warm lamps (2700K)
#B3A79BUnder warm evening bulbs, #C9CEDC shifts toward a softer gray and the blue undertone recedes. The rose and mauve colors look richer and cozier, which makes this palette a good fit for living rooms used mostly at night.
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.
Wood takes a warm mid-brown and the rug border takes warm taupe-khaki in every combination.
Mood board
Details from the painting next to the colors and materials that carry them into a room.
pale blue-gray
dusty rose-clay
deep mauve-brown
Save this palette
A card with the painting, all 6 colors and a room scheme. Pin it, or take it to the paint store.
Guides that use colors from this painting
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Sage Green Kitchen Walls: Shades From Paintings and What to Pair Them With
Lavender Color for a Bedroom: Three Shades and What to Pair with Them
Bedroom Yellow Color: Shades Measured From Paintings
Pink Paint Colors for Bedrooms, Measured from Monet Paintings
More palettes like this
FAQ
Which color should I use on the walls of a small room?
Use #C9CEDC on the walls. Its LRV of 62 reads light and bounces light around, which helps a small room feel more open. Keep the darker tones for furniture, trim or textiles.
Can I use the dark mauve-brown as a wall color?
You can, but it will absorb more light. #9C8180 has an LRV of 24, so it works best on one wall or in a room with good daylight. Pair it with the pale blue-gray on the other walls to keep the space balanced.
How do I bring in the cooler blues from the painting?
Use #B5CBD7 or #768B8E in small amounts. The soft sky blue #B5CBD7 suits cushions, a rug or a painting. The slate blue-gray #768B8E works well on a single accent chair, a bookcase or a door.
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.