What colors coordinate with SW 6120 Believable Buff to create a Coastal, Traditional or Farmhouse design?
Sherwin Williams’ Believable Buff has been a go to neutral of mine for a long time. I first discovered it as a great neutral paint when staging homes for sale. It’s a tan that straddles the line. It’s not too warm (red) but not too cool (blue) either and it works really well as a warming backdrop color.
Warm neutrals like Believable Buff aren’t necessarily trendy at the moment, but it’s a warmer color instead of gray and honestly, easier to color match. Think of it as a wood floor for the wall; it keeps other cooler colors in the room from looking too cold, and provides that cosy backdrop without taking over the room.
In fact Believable Buff is one of those colors that doesn’t jump out at you the minute you walk in the room. It plays well with other textures and colors and let’s them shine instead. It’s not too gray, yellow or red – which makes it the perfect neutral.
So the next time you’re looking for a warm cozier neutral than gray consider SW 6120. Want something a little cooler with more gray? Try Repose Gray or Agreeable Gray.
SW 6120 Believable Buff Color Values
- CMYK: C6, Y13, M28, K0
- RGB: 237, 216, 185
- HEX: #edd8b9
I’ve pulled together several color schemes if you’re wondering what colors to use with Believable Buff. Use SW 6120 on your walls, cabinets or trim, but my suggestion is the best use of SW 6120 is on a wall.
1. Coastal Palette with SW 6120
Create a relaxed comfortable coastal color scheme using SW 6120 as the anchor ;). Think of it as the sand with White Snow, Sea Spray and Morning at Sea as the clouds, sky and ocean! This is a perfectly balanced natural palette to create a soothing, calm and serene vibe.
Use SW 6120 and SW 9651 for walls with SW 9154 for trim, molding, wainscoting or doors. For a more modern vibe, use SW 6634 for cabinets, kitchen islands, doors and powder rooms. Also don’t be afraid to try Morning at Sea in a study or den for a deep cozy atmosphere.
By the way SW 9154, 9651 and 6634 are part of Sherwin Williams new Emerald Designer Edition palette. This paint is available in flat (matte), satin and gloss finish. I always recommend satin finish for walls as it’s more reflective of light than flat and much easier to clean! Use satin or gloss finish for trim.
- SW 9154 White Snow
- SW 9651 Sea Spray
- SW 6634 Morning at Sea
2. Traditional Palette with SW 6120
Using SW 6120 in a traditional or country home is a no brainer. It easily adapts to the deeper warmer tones that go well with darker woods and finishes. I’ve used White Tail as a creamy white and it is just light and bright enough to offset the rich color of Carmelized and the deep teal of Marea Baja. Marea Baja is a more contemporary traditional color than the usual deep green and burgundy, but that’s what I like about it. Fresh and unexpected!
Paint walls with SW 6120 or SW 7103. Use SW 7103 for trim, molding, wainscoting and anywhere you want to keep it light and bright. For a dramatic kitchen, use SW 9185 Marea Baja on cabinets or the kitchen island. Try SW 9186 Carmelized in a study, office or guest bedroom. It also works well on the bottom half of a wainscotted wall with SW 7103 above.
All these colors are available in Sherwin Williams ColorSnap system with finish depending on the paint you choose; for example SW Super Paint – Paint and Primer in One) is available in flat, satin, velvet and semi-gloss finishes.
- SW 7103 White Tail
- SW 9186 Carmelized
- SW 9185 Marea Baja
3. Farmhouse Palette with SW 6120
Because Believable Buff is such a chameleon it can be used in a traditional or contemporary farmhouse home. Again think of SW 6120 as your wood floor, in other words it functions as that warming element that ties together the cooler colors of a modern farmhouse. Without it, all the cool whites, grays and deep grays are just too cold.
SW 9541 White Snow is a crisp neutral white for trim, cabinets or doors. If you want a more contemporary farmhouse look, use SW 9685 After the Storm on trim, doors and kitchen island. SW 9683 Lakeside is a great color choice for bathroom or kitchen cabinets as well as walls.
By the way SW 9541, 9683 and 9685 are part of Sherwin Williams new Emerald Designer Edition palette. This paint is available in flat (matte), satin and gloss finish.
- SW 9541 White Snow
- SW 9683 Lakeside
- SW 9685 After the Storm
How to Use a Color Scheme Throughout the House
Choosing a color palette or scheme is the first step in designing any space. With a selected group of colors that work well together you always have a blueprint or visual of what colors to use. Using consistent colors throughout your home makes it feel calmer, more pulled together and intentional. You never have to stop and wonder what do I do now or is this the right color.
Does this mean you can’t use any other colors? Of course not! It’s absolutely okay to use complimentary accent colors in accessories, furniture and flooring. Just make sure they coordinate with your main color palette.
Once you’ve picked your color palette, use it for wall colors, but also to pick other wall and flooring finishes like rugs and tile. Not sure about the tone in a rug sample? Hold it up to the paint swatch and look at it in natural light.
Use your paint swatches to pick tile backsplash and bathroom tile too. It doesn’t have to match but it should be in the same hue or tint. Don’t worry you don’t have to worry about what that means, just do the natural light test. Take both tile and paint sample outside or in a window with filtered natural light and compare. You want both colors to work together, cool with cool or warm with warm.
Use your color palette as a guide when picking the color of any large piece of furniture like a sofa. Same with curtains or window treatments. Every time you repeat your 4 colors, whether as a solid (painted wall), a texture (flooring) or a pattern (fabric) you’re making this color thing work. Your home will thank you!
When making those sometimes tough choices about what to buy, what to keep or what to get rid of in your home use your color palette to help you decide. Any of these palettes would be a slam dunk for getting a home ready to sell. Neutral but not boring!
Download free PDF for SW7029 Color Palette
Still not sure what color is right? A quick affordable solution is my Color Clarity service, why not try it?
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