Color trends come and go, but the rich, classic palette of our forefathers has undeniable staying power. Combined in contemporary ways, these colonial-inspired hues take on a decidedly 21st-century edge for a look that’s soulful, nostalgic and fresh all at once.
Low-Key, High Impact
Nuanced blues and greys tie together adjacent spaces in this Sag Harbor home by S. R. Gambrel. Moody contrasting trim delineates the architecture but isn’t overpowering.
Foreground Wall in Silver Half Dollar by Benjamin Moor
Foreground Trim in Steel Wool by Benjamin Moore
Background Wall in Mount Saint Anne by Benjamin Moore
Background Trim in Vanderberg Blue by Benjamin Moore
Background Wainscoting in Hemlock by Benjamin Moore
Golden Hour
To update a bathroom in an 1840s carriage house in Charleston, architect Gil Schafer chose an inspired spin on monotones. The deep curry hue of the washstand and trim is sumptuous and stately yet cheerful, and makes the off-white walls positively glow.
Washstand, Trim and Door in Summerdale Gold by Benjamin Moore
Walls in White Swan by Benjamin Moore
Floor in Hampshire Gray by Benjamin Moore
Lived-In Charm
In a California dining room, architect Gil Schafer updated the original cabin elements to capture the casual spirit of the former summer camp. Designer Rita Konig continued this thread, enveloping the room with a deep Americana green punctuated unexpectedly by black trim. The results feel rooted in the past without looking dated.
Walls in Vermoulu 6 by Emery & Cie
Trim in Off-Black by Farrow & Ball
Ceiling in White Dove in Benjamin Moore
Floor in Pavilion Gray by Farrow & Ball
Or If White Paint Is What You’re Looking for …
We asked the pros for their favorite hues.
See them all here>
Looking for More Gorgeous Rooms?
The creative team at Schumacher has compiled 100 to-die-for rooms by some of today’s most brilliant designers into a slender and attractive cloth-bound volume.
To order “One Hundred Rooms to Know and Love” ($18),
click here >
Planning a Trip to Colonial Williamsburg?
You Should!
Anthony Baratta, the iconic and well-loved decorator and first Designer in Residence for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, shares his short favorite spots around Williamsburg, Virginia—one of the greatest living museums of American history.
