North-facing room
#C0C6CBNorth light is cool and even, so the pale grey wall #D4D8D9 may look a little bluer and cooler than it does in the painting. Warm up the room with the tan and ochre in textiles and wood to balance it.
18th-century French painting · art-to-room palette
A Woman Seated on a Balustrade Color Palette & Paint Colors
This palette comes from "A Woman Seated on a Balustrade" by Marie Denise Villers, ca. 1801, at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Most of the painting sits in deep browns and warm greys, with a pale cool grey and a soft tan to lift the darkest areas.
Quick answer
Use the pale grey #D4D8D9 on the walls, the soft tan #CCAB79 for large textiles or a main piece, and the deep brown #644D36 for upholstery or rugs. Pick up the ochre #8A754F in wood furniture or frames, and save the espresso #412F21 for a few small accents such as a door, a lamp base, or a picture frame.
- Artist
- Marie Denise Villers
- Date
- ca. 1801
- Movement
- 18th-century French painting
- Collection
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Image license
- Public domain (CC0)
- Wall color LRV
- 68
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
Warm taupe grey
Deep umber brown
Cool pale grey
Muted ochre brown
Soft wheat tan
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Deep espresso brown#412F21 |
|
3 | One bold piece |
Warm taupe grey#858279 |
|
22 | Small accents, art, accessories |
Deep umber brown#644D36 |
|
8 | One small textile |
Cool pale grey#B0B5B7 |
|
46 | Main walls |
Muted ochre brown#8A754F |
|
19 | Wood and frames |
Soft wheat tan#CCAB79 |
|
43 | 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.
This painting has no light tone, so the wall color above is a lightened version of its palest color (#D4D8D9).
How the lightest tone 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
#DDDBD3Strong south light makes the pale grey wall #D4D8D9 look brighter and more open. Deep browns will stay rich, and the tan and ochre will look warmer and more golden.
Evening, warm lamps (2700K)
#BAAD9AUnder warm evening bulbs, the grey wall takes on a softer, slightly warm cast. The tan, ochre, and brown tones will glow, and the room will 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.
Wood takes Muted ochre brown and the rug border takes Deep umber brown in every combination.
Mood board
Details from the painting next to the colors and materials that carry them into a room.
Cool pale grey
Soft wheat tan
Deep espresso 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
More palettes like this
FAQ
Can I use the espresso brown #412F21 on a whole wall?
It is very dark, with a measured LRV of 3, so a full wall will make a room feel closed in. Use it on one wall in a large room, or on a door, trim, or cabinet instead.
Which wood tones go with this scheme?
The ochre brown #8A754F is the closest match to the painting's wood tones, and it pairs well with the soft tan and deep umber. Choose furniture in that warm, mid-brown range so it sits comfortably with the walls.
Why is the wall color not one of the painting's colors?
The painting has no light tone, so the wall color #D4D8D9 is a lighter version of its palest color, the cool grey #B0B5B7. It is meant to give the room some lift without losing the palette's balance.
Image: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 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.