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

Near the Lake Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette comes from Pierre-Auguste Renoir's 1879–80 painting "Near the Lake," held by The Art Institute of Chicago. It is built on greens, from a soft mid-tone sage to a deep pine, with a pale green-cream and a warm rust for contrast, so it suits rooms where you want a calm, natural feel.

Quick answer

Use #E0DFCD on the walls, since its light value (LRV 73) keeps the room bright. Use #879272 for the main furniture or large pieces, #235F47 for an accent wall, bookcase or door, and #A1AF57 for pillows, throws or curtains.

Artist: Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Date: 1879–80
Movement: 19th-century French painting
Collection: The Art Institute of Chicago
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 73

Near the Lake by Pierre-Auguste Renoir — Pierre-Auguste Renoir, *Near the Lake*, 1879–80. 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 sage green

#879272 · 35.8% · LRV 27

Deep pine green

#235F47 · 23.3% · LRV 9

Warm brick rust

#774139 · 16.3% · LRV 8

Pale green cream

#E0DFCD · 11.1% · LRV 73

Mid meadow green

#5E9451 · 8% · LRV 24

Bright olive green

#A1AF57 · 5.5% · LRV 39

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.

Near the Lake reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

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

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

Detail of the painting where Warm brick rust is strongest — Warm brick rust

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

Detail of the painting where Mid meadow green is strongest — Mid meadow green

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

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 sage green `#879272`	Behr 780D-6 Witch Hazel Very close Valspar 5008-4B Cactus Shadow Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 2812 Rookwood Jade Close Farrow & Ball No. 34 Calke Green Close	27	Bed, sofa, curtains
Deep pine green `#235F47`	Behr M440-7 Rainforest Very close Valspar 6010-6 Poker Green Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6734 Espalier Close	9	One bold piece
Warm brick rust `#774139`	Behr PPU2-02 Red Pepper Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 7591 Red Barn Very close Valspar 1011-4 Posh Red Close Farrow & Ball No. 297 Preference Red Similar	8	Small accents, art, accessories
Pale green cream `#E0DFCD`	Valspar 6001-3A Ancient Olive Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 6175 Sagey Near-identical Behr N310-2 Arid Landscape Near-identical Farrow & Ball No. 282 Shadow White Close	73	Main walls
Mid meadow green `#5E9451`	Behr S390-6 Cliffside Park Very close Valspar 6004-8C Enchanted Forest Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6733 Grasshopper Similar	24	Small accents, art, accessories
Bright olive green `#A1AF57`	Sherwin-Williams SW 9032 Stay in Lime Very close Behr PPU10-05 Intoxication Very close Valspar 6009-10 Sassy Green Close Farrow & Ball No. 287 Yeabridge Green Similar	39	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 green 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#C8CAC3

North light is cooler and softer, so #E0DFCD can look a little grayer here. Its LRV of 73 still reflects enough light to keep a north-facing room from feeling dim.

South-facing room#E7E1CA

Strong south light brings out the green undertone in #E0DFCD and makes it look warmer and brighter. Expect the deeper greens to read richer and more saturated in the same room.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#C0B193

Warm evening bulbs push the palette toward gold and amber. The greens shift warmer, and the rust #774139 can look more prominent, so test your choices under your own lamps before committing.

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 Bright olive green in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale green cream

Muted sage green

Deep pine 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

Emerald Green Paint Color for Interior Walls Emerald

Sage Green Front Door Colors, Shown on Real House Schemes Front door · Sage green

Kitchen Paint Schemes: Five Complete Color Palettes Kitchen

More palettes like this

Houses of Parliament, London Claude Monet, 1900–1

Fruits of the Midi Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1881

Ballet Dancers Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1885–86

FAQ

Which color should I use for the walls?

Use #E0DFCD, the pale green cream. At LRV 73 it is light enough to bounce light around the room and gives the deeper greens and rust space to stand out.

Can I use the dark green on a whole room?

It is safer as an accent. #235F47 has an LRV of 9, so a full room of it can feel very dark, especially in low light. Try it on one wall, a built-in or a door.

How do I add the warm rust to a green room?

Use #774139 in small amounts, such as a vase, a picture frame or a single cushion. A little warm color pairs well with the greens and keeps the scheme from feeling flat.

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.