Seasonal color · Fall / Winter

Moody palettes for the darker half of the year.

Four schemes we are painting with this season, each with the finishes and pairings that make them work in real rooms. Updated as the seasons turn.

Deep aubergine dining nook lit by candles

Smoked Olive

Grounded neutrals in gray/green can lift your spaces on days with less sun, especially in sunlit living spaces or bedrooms. Bringing weight, not brightness, these hues are earthy and can feel like being in a forest at dusk. We love how spaces come alive with a calm energy, and the darkest shades seem incredibly traditional. Shown below are the hex color numbers, but you can consider Keim Interior Mineral Matte Paint colors from the Exclusiv collection such as #9382, #9385, #9345, #9351, or #9357.

FINISH
Matt mineral paint on walls, eggshell on trim in the same tone matched in a more durable finish.

#3E4232 #6B6A54 #A99B82 #D9CFBC #F2ECE1

Shadowed Plum

If you love dramatic and unusual colors, this collection may be for you. These deeply tinted hues can be striking in a dining room or personal space like a library. And these colors color fully arrive after dark, when shadows and moody lighting enhance the sensational impact. Shown below are the hex color numbers, but you can consider Sherwin-Williams colors such as SW6020 Marroned, SW6019 Poetry Purple, SW7525 Dhurrie Beige or SW6007 Smart White as alternatives.

FINISH
Dead flat walls are best in these lesser used, personal spaces, with ceilings painted out to match, for a full color drenching effect.

#3A2230 #5C3243 #8C6A63 #C4AC9A #EBE2D6

Burnt Clay

Warm enough for a hallway, grounded enough not to shout.

FINISH
Eggshell for wipeability; keep woodwork one shade deeper.

#6E3B29 #9C5B3C #C08A63 #DFC3A5 #F4EADD

Winter Chalk

The near-white that holds up against low, gray daylight.

FINISH
Matt walls, satin on doors, no brilliant white anywhere.

#4A4642 #8A837A #BFB6A8 #DED6C8 #F6F1E8

Color in focus

Shadowed Plum

Our fave plum: a deep, mineral aubergine that reads almost brown in daylight and turns sultry and velvety under lamplight.

Key undertones

Cool red-violet base
Gray-brown earth to keep it from going purple
A trace of oxblood that warms under low light
Chalky mineral matte, almost no sheen

Recommended spaces

Dining rooms used mostly after dark
Studies, snugs and panelled libraries
Small north-facing rooms painted out fully
Hallways where you want a pause between lighter rooms

Pairing suggestions

Warm chalk white ceilings — never brilliant white
Smoked olive woodwork for a two-tone scheme
Unlacquered brass, walnut and oiled oak
Undyed linen, wool bouclé and terracotta accents

Painting deep color · the short version

01
Prime the wall with a primer in deep gray. Deep pigments can have poor opacity and hiding and using a white primer fights the topcoat color.
02
Two full coats, applied at least four hours apart, rolled in one direction and laid off lightly while wet, from the top to the bottom of the wall. Use a 3/8" nap roller for best results on smooth walls.
03
For a full drench of color, paint the ceiling and trim in the same color if the room is small, or has ornate details. Contrast can make a dark room feel smaller, not bigger, and fussy, not classic.

Try these colors.

The winter edit

Moving from Fall to the Winter months, think of chalky off whites in warming tones, avoiding those with a gray undertone. And try embracing deep, dark colors too, to envelope a room in a cozy, warmth when it is icy cold outside.

Use these colors as paint colors, or add splashes of these color hues in fabrics or other materials, leaning toward authentic, natural materials such as stone, wool, or linen.

#D7C5B3
#EEECE3
#806257
#DAD2C6
#A49689
#756861
#E6DDD4
#E1D9C6
#7A6841