How to choose paint colors based on your home’s style, era
Standing in front of an array of hundreds — perhaps thousands — of 2- or 3-inch paint chips at the hardware store can be intimidating. A theoretically calming color like green can become a decision minefield, populated with names like Leapfrog, Raw Tomatillo and Fresh Grass. Beige suddenly seems like the easiest choice.
But you may be able to find the color inspiration you need within the architecture of your home or the era in which it was built. Live in a Colonial revival constructed in 1890? Consider a palette of rich blue, ochre and russet. For a 1928 apartment in an Art Deco building, think jewel-toned, Jazz Age pops of jade, amethyst and sapphire. “Every period in architectural history has colors that define it,” says building conservationist Mary Jablonski. “So go ahead and put a little color into your life.”
Even if you aren’t trying to create a historical replica, shades from your home’s past can at least serve as a jumping-off point to make the decision process a lot easier, says Sue Wadden, director of color marketing for Sherwin-Williams, which offers a resource for homeowners called Color Through the Decades. “If you’ve got some paralysis, this is a great way to help make decisions,” she says, simply because you’ll be starting with a more streamlined range of options.
Andrea Magno, director of color marketing for Benjamin Moore, concurs.
For instance, if you’re lost in a sea of blues, focusing on the brand’s history-inspired collection will immediately narrow your choices. “There are about 18 blues ranging from light to dark — a smaller selection of color making the process easier to manage,” she says.
Or maybe you want to lean away from your home’s period. Paint can help with that, too. Let’s say you want to inject a mid-century modern vibe into the living room of your Victorian rowhouse. Painting the walls pale chartreuse will set the stage for Atomic-era furnishings much better than a deeper color from the age of Victoriana.
For interior designer Rayman Boozer, whose clients come to him for his bold use of color, it’s about creating a space that reflects your own history along with that of your home. “There has to be a thread that ties everything together,” Boozer says. “It’s a color story waiting to be told.”
Take, for example, a 1920s-era Chicago home that Boozer is cur
rently designing. He could have leaned into Art Deco-inspired ruby red accent walls, but instead, he took inspiration from the slightly earlier Arts and Crafts movement, which better suited the homeowners’ tastes, referencing the deep blues of Lake Michigan and Chicago’s natural green spaces.
No matter what style of building you live in or when it was built, history can always be a guiding light, says Boozer. “If you loved your grandmother’s house and you want to replicate it, if those are colors that bring you comfort and security, then go for it.”
Historical paint colors by architectural era — and how to use them
These broadly defined architectural eras are merely a starting point; if you want to find colors more specific to the exact age of your home, including variations appropriate for the region where you live, visit your local or state historical society for inspiration.
One place to start online is the digital archive of trade catalogs maintained by the Association for Preservation Technology — a library of nearly 300 publications dating to 1867 featuring paint chips along with full-color illustrations and photographs of popular colors across the decades. If you live in a 20th-century home, especially one built after 1950, then you can also find inspiration from old home design magazines and books, many of which can be found online or in used bookstores.
The color suggestions below were sourced from period catalogs, historical associations, and period-specific palettes from various paint companies.
Colonial to Greek revival (mid-1600s to mid-1800s)
Color inspiration: Burnt umber, bayberry, sage green, flaxen yellow
Paint was an unstable medium until technology evolved during the 19th century which allowed for more standardization of colors. Tones used to vary wildly from one region to another based on locally available pigments derived from native minerals and plants. For example, New England’s classic “Barn Red” came from local iron oxide deposits. Those who could afford them used more vibrant colors in public rooms, such as the parlor and dining room, while less expensive, paler milk paints could be found in private areas such as bedrooms.
Victorian to Queen Anne (1830s-1900s)
Color inspiration: Aubergine, claret, peacock blue, teal green
With the Industrial Revolution came innovation in the paint industry, including the use of zinc oxide in house paint, which helped colors stay brighter longer. This meant that the Victorians could really embrace deeper tones, and they reveled in showing off contrasting colors in the same room. Retired architectural historian Susan Maycock says of the era, “Whatever paint color you like, think of how it would look if it were made out of velvet.”
Craftsman to Arts and Crafts (1890s-1930s)
Color inspiration: Adobe, pumpkin, nutmeg, willow green
As a rebuttal to the excesses of the Victorians, the Arts and Crafts movement embraced nature-inspired colors and popularized them throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The homes of this style and era ranged from cottages and bungalows to the classic American Foursquare, and were painted to echo the landscape, whether the pine forests of the Pacific Northwest or the desert sands surrounding Phoenix.
Prewar to Art Deco (1900s-1940s)
Color inspiration: Vermillion, Robin’s egg blue, salmon, pewter
Generally speaking, “prewar” refers to apartment buildings built in cities across the country to house a growing middle class, often featuring decorative moldings, while Art Deco architecture incorporated geometric design elements made from a variety of materials, including glass and metal. The new use of titanium dioxide in white paint during the 1920s began to make it possible to create clean, bright spaces with bold accent walls.
Ranch to midcentury modern (1940s-1960s)
Color inspiration: Turquoise, lilac, sunshine yellow, flamingo
Modern technology continued to impact the paint industry, allowing for an expanded array of pastel colors that ranged from baby soft to candy colored, and these hues could be found not only on walls but also on appliances and furniture. The paint roller, a World War II invention, also added to the ease of do-ityourself painting and led to more women undertaking solo home decorating projects. The palest pastels work as neutrals against brighter tones in the same color family.