18th-century Dutch painting · art-to-room palette

Flora and Zephyr Color Palette & Paint Colors

Jacob de Wit's painting Flora and Zephyr gives a soft palette of stone, putty and warm beige with a little terracotta. It suits a calm living room or bedroom that needs a gentle, even background.

Quick answer

Paint the walls #DDDAC5 and use #C2B9A3 for the sofa or curtains. Add #59402F for wood and #B37252 for one warm accent.

Artist: Jacob de Wit
Date: 1743
Movement: 18th-century Dutch painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 70

Flora and Zephyr by Jacob de Wit — Jacob de Wit, *Flora and Zephyr*, 1743. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 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.

Warm Stone

#C2B9A3 · 46.2% · LRV 49

Light Putty

#CFC7AF · 23.4% · LRV 57

Soft Mushroom

#A7937A · 20% · LRV 31

Pale Limestone

#DDDAC5 · 7.2% · LRV 70

Dark Cocoa

#59402F · 1.8% · LRV 6

Terracotta Rose

#B37252 · 1.4% · LRV 22

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.

Flora and Zephyr reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Warm Stone is strongest — Warm Stone

Detail of the painting where Light Putty is strongest — Light Putty

Detail of the painting where Soft Mushroom is strongest — Soft Mushroom

Detail of the painting where Pale Limestone is strongest — Pale Limestone

Detail of the painting where Dark Cocoa is strongest — Dark Cocoa

Detail of the painting where Terracotta Rose is strongest — Terracotta Rose

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
Warm Stone `#C2B9A3`	Behr PPU8-18 Celery Powder Near-identical Valspar 6008-1C Soft Stones Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6149 Relaxed Khaki Very close Farrow & Ball No. 283 Drop Cloth Very close	49	Bed, sofa, curtains
Light Putty `#CFC7AF`	Behr PPU9-12 Prairie House Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 7738 Cargo Pants Very close Farrow & Ball No. 15 Bone Very close Valspar 6008-3B Dakota Trail Very close	57	Small accents, art, accessories
Soft Mushroom `#A7937A`	Sherwin-Williams SW 2827 Colonial Revival Stone Near-identical Behr MQ2-24 Golden Olive Very close Valspar 3004-9C River Oak Very close Farrow & Ball No. 40 Mouse's Back Close	31	One bold piece
Pale Limestone `#DDDAC5`	Behr HDC-WR15-1 Zero Degrees Near-identical Valspar 6003-3A Spring Reflection Very close Farrow & Ball No. 282 Shadow White Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6175 Sagey Close	70	Main walls
Dark Cocoa `#59402F`	Behr 280F-7 Breakfast Blend Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6090 Java Close Valspar 2009-10 Roasted Coffee Similar Farrow & Ball No. 36 Mahogany Similar	6	Wood and frames
Terracotta Rose `#B37252`	Valspar 2007-5A Cattle Drive Very close Behr HDC-AC-06 Campfire Blaze Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 7 Decorous Amber Very close Farrow & Ball No. 64 Red Earth Similar	22	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 limestone 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#C6C8BE

In north light, #DDDAC5 holds its warmth well. With an LRV of 70 it keeps the room bright without turning gray.

South-facing room#E4DDC4

Strong south light makes the neutrals look cleaner and lighter. This is a good palette for a room with large windows.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#BFAE8E

Under warm bulbs the beiges blend into one soft tone. #B37252 stands out as the only color with some energy.

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 Dark Cocoa and the rug border takes Terracotta Rose in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale Limestone

Warm Stone

Soft Mushroom

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

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FAQ

Is this palette too plain?

It is quiet on purpose. Add interest with texture and with the terracotta #B37252 in small amounts.

Which color is best for a ceiling?

#DDDAC5 or a lighter version of it. It keeps the ceiling soft instead of stark white.

Does it work with cool-toned furniture?

Most of the colors have a warm yellow undertone, so cool gray furniture may look out of place. Wood and cream upholstery fit better.

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.