Paintings for Warm White Walls

A touch of cream softens the gallery look and flatters golden palettes, so the warmest paintings come first.

Warm White #F5F0E6

Ochres, umbers and warm greens echo; cool blues give gentle contrast.

Warm palettes 1,211
Cool palettes 12
Soft and muted 1,315

Feast of the Gods, Honoré Daumier 36 × 48 in landscape print (91 × 122 cm), centered 61¼ in from the floor, 8 in above the sofa. Drawn to scale on a 12 × 8 ft wall.

Wall color

Default greige

Warm palettes

Golds, reds and browns. The warmest come first, to answer the cream in the wall. The strongest 24 of 1,211.

Feast of the Gods, Honoré Daumier, c. 1849/1850, with later additions by other hands, oil on wood

Honoré Daumier Feast of the Gods, c. 1849/1850, with later additions by other hands National Gallery of Art

The face of a young man with peachy-colored skin and dark hair fills this vertical painting. The man is lit from our left but is angled to slightly to our right, so his face is mostly in shadow.

Edgar Degas Self-Portrait with White Collar, c. 1857 National Gallery of Art

A heronǳ silhouette sits amongst the brush in a golden hued forest.

George Inness The Home of the Heron, 1893 Art Institute of Chicago

Joseph Gerrish, John Singleton Copley, 1770, oil on canvas

John Singleton Copley Joseph Gerrish, 1770 Art Institute of Chicago

Carmencita, William Merritt Chase, 1890, oil on canvas

William Merritt Chase Carmencita, 1890 The Met

Wooded Landscape, Gustave Courbet, 1860–65, oil on canvas

Gustave Courbet Wooded Landscape, 1860–65 Art Institute of Chicago

The painting depicts a forest floor under tall trees, with a grassy path leading into the distance. The sky is obscured by dense green foliage and tree limbs.

Narcisse Virgilio Díaz de la Peña Forest Scene, 1874 National Gallery of Art

Roses in a Vase, Henri Fantin-Latour, 1878, oil on fabric

Henri Fantin-Latour Roses in a Vase, 1878 Cleveland Museum of Art

The Camp Meeting, Worthington Whittredge, 1874, oil on canvas

Worthington Whittredge The Camp Meeting, 1874 The Met

Shown from the chest up, an older man with pale, peachy skin, wearing a high-collared black coat and a cream-white, ruffled collar, is shown against a deep wine-red background in this vertical portrait painting.

Gilbert Stuart George Washington (Vaughan portrait), 1795 National Gallery of Art

This painting depicts the upper half of a woman's body. She is turned slightly to the left and faces us, with pale skin, soft, rosy cheeks, dark brown eyes, and a neutral expression.

Gilbert Stuart Ann Calvert Stuart Robinson (Mrs. William Robinson), c. 1804 National Gallery of Art

The Letter, Camille Corot, ca. 1865, oil on wood

Camille Corot The Letter, ca. 1865 The Met

The Third-Class Carriage, Honoré Daumier, 1864, oil on canvas

Honoré Daumier The Third-Class Carriage, 1864 The Met

A man with pale white skin sits and a man with light brown skin stands in front of a cave-like, rocky outcropping in this vertical portrait painting.

Benjamin West Colonel Guy Johnson and Karonghyontye (Captain David Hill), 1776 National Gallery of Art

Tivoli, Sanford Robinson Gifford, 1870, oil on canvas

Sanford Robinson Gifford Tivoli, 1870 The Met

The Denial of Saint Peter, Caravaggio, 1610, oil on canvas

Caravaggio The Denial of Saint Peter, 1610 The Met

After the Hunt, Gustave Courbet, ca. 1859, oil on canvas

Gustave Courbet After the Hunt, ca. 1859 The Met

Sunrise, George Inness, 1887, oil on canvas

George Inness Sunrise, 1887 The Met

Christmas-Time, The Blodgett Family, Eastman Johnson, 1864, oil on canvas

Eastman Johnson Christmas-Time, The Blodgett Family, 1864 The Met

The Raffle (Raffling for the Goose), William Sidney Mount, 1837, oil on mahogany

William Sidney Mount The Raffle (Raffling for the Goose), 1837 The Met

The head and chest of a man with pale pink skin, a honey-blond beard, and curly, mahogany-brown hair around a receding hairline fills this vertical portrait painting.

Peter Paul Rubens Peter Paul Rubens, c. 1620 National Gallery of Art

The image shows a woman's upper body. She is looking directly at the viewer with a calm expression. The woman has fair skin, dark brown hair styled away from her face, blue eyes, and delicate features.

William Jennys Mrs. Asa Benjamin, 1795 National Gallery of Art

This painting shows a green landscape from an elevated viewpoint. In the distance, light blue water meets a pale-yellow sky, and the sun casts a golden glow over the landscape.

George Inness Lake Albano, Sunset, c. 1874 National Gallery of Art

The head and shoulders of a young woman with gold-tinted, pale skin looks out over our right shoulder from against a tomato-red background in this vertical painting.

James McNeill Whistler Alice Butt, c. 1895 National Gallery of Art

Cool palettes

Blues, greens and grays. The warmest come first, to answer the cream in the wall. 12 paintings.

Vivid, lush view of rolling waves in purple, white, blue, and green against a bright blue sky with a watercolor-like blending of blues and purples. Sea and sky nearly become one.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir Seascape, 1879 Art Institute of Chicago

Rear Admiral George W. Melville, Thomas Eakins, 1905, oil on canvas

Thomas Eakins Rear Admiral George W. Melville, 1905 National Gallery of Art

Painting of a pond seen up close spotted with thickly painted pink and white water lilies and a shadow across the top third of the picture.

Claude Monet Water Lilies, 1906 Art Institute of Chicago

Edward VI (1537–1553), When Duke of Cornwall, Hans Holbein the Younger, ca. 1545; reworked 1547 or later, oil and gold on oak

Hans Holbein the Younger Edward VI (1537–1553), When Duke of Cornwall, ca. 1545; reworked 1547 or later The Met

Portrait of a Woman, Corneille de Lyon, c. 1540, oil on wood

Corneille de Lyon Portrait of a Woman, c. 1540 Cleveland Museum of Art

Shown from the chest up, a man with short, orange hair and green-tinted, pale skin looks at us, wearing a vivid blue painter's smock in this vertical portrait painting.

Vincent van Gogh Self-Portrait, 1889 National Gallery of Art

Lucie Berard (Child in White), Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1883, oil on canvas

Pierre-Auguste Renoir Lucie Berard (Child in White), 1883 Art Institute of Chicago

A small brown dog and a pale-skinned little girl wearing a white dress sit in matching celestial-blue armchairs in this horizontal painting. To our right, the girl sits with her legs angled to our left.

Mary Cassatt Little Girl in a Blue Armchair, 1878 National Gallery of Art

Painted almost entirely in tones of topaz, lapis, and sky blue, the façade of a building abutting a waterway fills this horizontal painting. Brushstrokes are visible throughout and they blend to make the scene appear hazy.

Claude Monet Palazzo da Mula, Venice, 1908 National Gallery of Art

Ship in Full Sail, T. Davies, 1827, oil on canvas

T. Davies Ship in Full Sail, 1827 National Gallery of Art

Boy in a Blue Coat, George Bellows, 1915, oil on canvas

George Bellows Boy in a Blue Coat, 1915 Cleveland Museum of Art

Painting of a crowd of well-dressed light-skinned people in an open, snowy field surrounded by large rolling hills.

George Bellows Love of Winter, 1914 Art Institute of Chicago

Soft and muted

Gentle, low-color paintings that keep a pale room calm. The warmest come first, to answer the cream in the wall. Showing 1 to 48 of 1,315.

Portrait of Dr. William McNeill Whistler, James McNeill Whistler, 1871–73, oil on panel

James McNeill Whistler Portrait of Dr. William McNeill Whistler, 1871–73 Art Institute of Chicago

Self-Portrait, Anthony van Dyck, ca. 1620–21, oil on canvas

Anthony van Dyck Self-Portrait, ca. 1620–21 The Met

Spring Flowers, Claude Monet, 1864, oil on canvas

Claude Monet Spring Flowers, 1864 Cleveland Museum of Art

Diana and Her Nymphs Departing for the Hunt, Peter Paul Rubens, c. 1615, oil on canvas

Peter Paul Rubens Diana and Her Nymphs Departing for the Hunt, c. 1615 Cleveland Museum of Art

Dr. James Stuart, Gilbert Stuart, c. 1815, oil on wood

Gilbert Stuart Dr. James Stuart, c. 1815 Cleveland Museum of Art

A young man and child, both with pale skin, are framed within the rectangular opening of a stone window in this vertical painting. At the center, the young man leans toward us over his forearms, which rest on the wide ledge.

Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin Soap Bubbles, probably 1733/1734 National Gallery of Art

Painting of a small stream in the middle of the woods. In the center of the painting, there is a small waterfall over a large boulder.

Albert Bierstadt Mountain Brook, 1863 Art Institute of Chicago

Cupid and Psyche, Jacques-Louis David, 1817, oil on canvas

Jacques-Louis David Cupid and Psyche, 1817 Cleveland Museum of Art

A Maid Asleep, Johannes Vermeer, ca. 1656–57, oil on canvas

Johannes Vermeer A Maid Asleep, ca. 1656–57 The Met

A woman with pale, smooth skin stands wearing a loosely draped, champagne-peach dress in this vertical portrait painting. Her body faces us but she turns her head to look down and off to our right with brown eyes.

Thomas Gainsborough Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, 1783 National Gallery of Art

Shown from the lap up, a woman with pale skin wearing a white satin dress and tall white bonnet sits sewing with her body facing our left in this vertical portrait painting.

Gilbert Stuart Catherine Brass Yates (Mrs. Richard Yates), 1793/1794 National Gallery of Art

The Proposal, William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1872, oil on canvas

William-Adolphe Bouguereau The Proposal, 1872 The Met

Boy Drinking, Annibale Carracci, 1582–83, oil on canvas

Annibale Carracci Boy Drinking, 1582–83 Cleveland Museum of Art

Pierre Puvis de Chavannes The Prodigal Son, probably c. 1879 National Gallery of Art

A woman wearing a white and pale pink robe and holding a sickle sits on billowing clouds flanked by a lion and two young people in this vertical, oval painting. All three people have pale skin with rosy cheeks and blond hair.

Antoine Watteau Ceres (Summer), c. 1717/1718 National Gallery of Art

Impressionist painting of seated man, girl with brown, black hues.

Edgar Degas Henri Degas and His Niece Lucie Degas (The Artist's Uncle and Cousin), 1875–76 Art Institute of Chicago

A Young Girl with Daisies, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1889, oil on canvas

Pierre-Auguste Renoir A Young Girl with Daisies, 1889 The Met

A pair of arched cave openings yawn in a steep, rocky cliff face that fills this horizontal painting.

Gustave Courbet La Grotte de la Loue, 1864 National Gallery of Art

Still Life with Herrings, Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin, c. 1735, oil on canvas

Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin Still Life with Herrings, c. 1735 Cleveland Museum of Art

From a grassy riverbank, we look across the placid surface of a river lined along the far bank with trees and farm animals in this horizontal landscape painting.

John Constable The White Horse, 1818-1819 National Gallery of Art

Paul Cézanne Man with Pipe, 1892/1896 National Gallery of Art

A Boy in a Red-Lined Cloak, Jean-Honoré Fragonard, 1780s, oil on wood

Jean-Honoré Fragonard A Boy in a Red-Lined Cloak, 1780s Cleveland Museum of Art

A shaft of warm light from our left pierces a dark wood filled with tall trees in this horizontal landscape painting. The light falls on a stout white trunk and a portion of the moss-green forest floor near the center of the composition.

George Inness Sunset in the Woods, 1891 National Gallery of Art

Mrs. Jerathmael Bowers, John Singleton Copley, ca. 1763, oil on canvas

John Singleton Copley Mrs. Jerathmael Bowers, ca. 1763 The Met

Café Wepler, Édouard Vuillard, c. 1908–10, reworked in 1912, oil on fabric

Édouard Vuillard Café Wepler, c. 1908–10, reworked in 1912 Cleveland Museum of Art

Three Miracles of Saint Zenobius, Sandro Botticelli, ca. 1500, tempera on wood

Sandro Botticelli Three Miracles of Saint Zenobius, ca. 1500 The Met

Shown from the chest up against a black background, a man with peachy skin wears a gold and rose-pink cloak in this vertical portrait painting.

Giovanni Bellini Giovanni Emo, c. 1475/1480 National Gallery of Art

Still Life with Flowers and Prickly Pears, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, ca. 1885, oil on canvas

Pierre-Auguste Renoir Still Life with Flowers and Prickly Pears, ca. 1885 The Met

Shown from the hips up, an elegantly dressed woman with smooth, pale skin and ash-brown hair piled high on her head looks off into the distance to our left in front of a loosely painted landscape in this vertical portrait.

Thomas Gainsborough The Hon. Mrs. Thomas Graham, c. 1775/1777 National Gallery of Art

The head and floppy ears of a dog with a delicate muzzle are loosely painted in this vertical portrait. The dog’s head is cocked to our left, and it looks at us with large, glistening black eyes.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir Head of a Dog, 1870 National Gallery of Art

Hulking mountains are mostly backlit against a watery blue sky edged with shell pink along the horizon, which comes about two-thirds of the way up this horizontal landscape painting.

Thomas Cole Sunrise in the Catskills, 1826 National Gallery of Art

Shown from the knees up, a pale-skinned woman wears a wide, pleated collar and a black gown in this vertical portrait painting. Her body is angled to our left, and she looks at us from the corners of her light brown eyes.

Anthony van Dyck Portrait of a Flemish Lady, probably 1618 National Gallery of Art

Young Man in the Costume of a Majo, Édouard Manet, 1863, oil on canvas

Édouard Manet Young Man in the Costume of a Majo, 1863 The Met

A profusion of flowers in shades of white, orange, blue, and deep pink, with earthy-green leaves, burst from the narrow opening of a glass vase in this vertical still life painting.

Jan Davidsz de Heem Vase of Flowers, c. 1660 National Gallery of Art

Pope Pius VI Descending the Throne to Take Leave of the Doge in the Hall of Saints Giovanni e Paolo, 1782 and Pontifical Ceremony in Saints Giovanni e Paolo, Venice, 1782 (pair), Francesco Guardi, c. 1783, oil on canvas

Francesco Guardi Pope Pius VI Descending the Throne to Take Leave of the Doge in the Hall of Saints Giovanni e Paolo, 1782 and Pontifical Ceremony in Saints Giovanni e Paolo, Venice, 1782 (pair), c. 1783 Cleveland Museum of Art