What goes with it, and 3 palettes

Earth tones color palettes

Earth tones are the colors of soil, clay, stone and plants: browns, rusts, ochres, olives and warm creams. They are easy to combine because they share a warm undertone, so the work is in balancing light and dark, not in matching.

#9C6B47

What colors go with earth tones

Cream #F1EBE0

A warm cream lightens a room full of earth tones.

Rust #A9502F

Rust is the brightest of the earth tones, good as an accent.

Olive #6E7148

Olive adds a green to the browns without breaking the mood.

Ochre #C49A45

Ochre brings sunshine to a palette of browns.

Charcoal #3B3B3D

A little charcoal or black sharpens soft earth tones.

Dusty blue #8FA3B3

A muted blue cools an earthy room just enough.

Earth tones palettes, on real rooms

Hex codes to match against paint and fabric samples. Colors on screens and in daylight never quite agree, so hold a sample up in the room before you commit.

Clay and Moss

Clay, moss and ochre on cream, an earthy room with a lot of warmth. Pictured: a Coastal living room.

Cream Walls #F1EBE0
Clay Sofa #9C6B47
Moss Cushions and plants #6B7044
Ochre Throw and armchair #C49A45
Walnut Wood furniture #5C4232

Design with this palette

Earthy Bedroom

Warm clay walls with rust and olive bedding, grounded and cozy. Pictured: a Japandi bedroom.

Warm clay Walls #C2A184
Rust Bedding #A9502F
Olive Throw and cushions #6E7148
Walnut Bed frame and wardrobe #5C4232
Cream Curtains and rug #F1EBE0

Design with this palette

Earthy Kitchen

Clay cabinets with cream and ochre, a warm kitchen made of earth colors. Pictured: a Japandi kitchen.

Cream Walls #F1EBE0
Clay brown Cabinets, upper and lower #8A5E40
Stone beige Countertop and backsplash #D8CBB4
Ochre Pendant and stools #C49A45
Bronze Hardware and faucet #7A6247

Design with this palette

How to use a palette

Every palette here is listed from the most of the room to the least. Keep roughly to that order and the colors hold together.

1
Most of the room: the first color

The walls, and often the ceiling. A light, quiet color that everything else sits against.
2
A third: the next two

The big pieces: the sofa, the rug, the wood. They set the mood of the room.
3
A tenth: the last two

Cushions, a lamp, frames, a vase. Small, so a bold accent stays an accent.