What colors go with SW 6523 Denim?
I’ve selected these color palettes to evoke a Modern Farmhouse or Grandmillenial interior design look.
SW 6523 is a mid range blue that evokes the color of a well worn pair of jeans. Denim is one of Pottery Barn’s fall/winter colors for 2021 and I consider it a versatile neutral. It’s got just the right amount of personality to add contrast and interest to your home.
Blues can be warm or cool depending on their undertone. See a blue with yellow/green tones in it? That’s a warm blue.
A blue that leans towards reddish/purply undertone is a cool blue. Of course just to make things confusing you can also have a blue that’s neutral. That’s where Denim falls. It’s a cool neutral blue which makes it very easy to use around your home.
Sherwin Williams refers to it as a purple tone but Green and Black predominate which is true for neutrals.
If you’ve been asking yourself what color works with the new soft pink colors, Denim may be just the color you’ve been looking for. It makes pink tones less girly and gives a much needed definition to any neutral palette. Plus just like the fabric, it really goes with almost anything!
SW 6523 Denim Color Values
- RGB: 80, 107, 132,
- HEX: #506b84
- LRV: 14
I’ve pulled together two coordinating color schemes to help you make the most of Denim. Because sometimes you just need someone to say this goes with this or put these colors together and you don’t have to worry if they’ll look good!
SW 6523 Denim can be used to paint doors/trim, cabinets or walls. I’d suggest using a semi gloss or gloss finish on cabinets and trim, with satin or velvet finish on walls. I’m not a fan of matte finishes even though they’re usually cheaper.
Flat or matte finish is a nightmare to keep clean and shows every single fingerprint and mark especially with a darker color. Do yourself a favor and pick a finish with some sheen like Satin. It’s easier to clean and helps light bounce off the paint color and reflect around the room.
Modern Farmhouse Palette
The key to pulling off the Modern Farmhouse style is keep it neutral. Both your paint, wood floors and cabinets should feel cool rather than warm toned. You know the difference between yellow pine or oak and farmhouse planks with gray and white right? That’s the idea. Stay away from those gold tones and you’re on the right track.
To make Modern Farmhouse warm and inviting don’t forget to add in some monochromatic patterns and textures. Chunky knits, woven blankets and home decor in plaids, stripes and non-fussy patterns will do the trick.
Denim paint is the perfect accent color to keep your farmhouse style modern not retro.
Yes you can use SW 6523 for walls, cabinets and trim, but in a Modern Farmhouse I’d steer clear of using it too much or it will overwhelm your room. Denim is meant to be an accent color and is best when paired with warm neutral colors.
I always think a white helps frame and pull together all the colors in a room. It keeps it feeling fresh and light. For a farmhouse feel I’m going with a warm white that’s also from the Pottery Barn collection; SW 7103 Whitetail. Use SW 7103 to paint trim, doors, cabinets and walls.
It’s easy to control how light or warm your modern farmhouse feels by the color you use the most. So for example, Whitetail for a lighter brighter look or Drift of Mist for a warmer cozier vibe.
Drift of Mist is one step darker than Whitetail. It’s a warm gray that’s perfect to use throughout the house as your “base” color. For an updated farmhouse look, I’d use this one color on your trim, doors and walls especially if you have shiplap, wainscotting or panel details. Using one neutral color on both trim and walls is not only a fresh look, but it’s easier to paint!
Lastly Roycroft Mist Gray is a warm soft gray to use when you want a deeper tone. For example in a bedroom, bathroom, study or on cabinets or built-in bookcases.
Don’t forget these paint colors can also be interpreted in fabrics, wallcovering, tile and upholstery. For example, a chair could be upholstered in “denim” fabric. Pillows in a “denim” print on the sofa or bed. “Denim” throws, blankets and accents like pottery, lamps and vases help pull your color palette throughout the house. Rugs, tile and floor coverings are another way to add “denim” to a room.
With modern farmhouse, the emphasis is on neutral, but touches of denim and lots of textures and subtle patterns will keep it warm and inviting.
- SW 7103 Whitetail
- SW 7516 Drift of Mist
- SW 2844 Roycroft Mist Gray
Grandmillenial Color Palette
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Grandmillenial style is best described as making grandma’s style feel new. Mixing old with new, using prints and patterns for warmth and coziness but updating for the 21st century. Think Grandma’s sofa with a curved wooden back upholstered in a fresh linen with understated floral pillows.
There aren’t really any rules about Grandmillenial style, except keep the colors soft and nostalgic. Bright primary or cool modern shades just won’t give you the same vibe.
Which is why I know SW 6523 Denim is a great base color for you to start with. What’s more iconic and classic than denim? It’s so easy to find colors that work with Denim because it’s really a neutral in disguise.
For this color palette I’ve chosen the classic pairing of blue with pink/rose. Now you may think this is too feminine but keep in mind “Denim” will keep it from being too sweet. Pink is having a moment and it’s such a flattering color to live with that both men and women will appreciate it’s warmth and versatility. These shades aren’t cool girlie pinks, they’re more warm skin tones to be honest.
Use Whitetail for your trim, doors, bookcases and cabinets; Faint Coral for walls, inside bookcases or shelves, cabinetry in bathrooms, bathrooms and powder rooms; Malted Milk will work well to tone down the pink in a room or it pairs well with Denim. Use SW6057 on cabinets, doors, walls or anywhere you want a soft warm color.
If you do want to add a deeper tones to this palette, sand or tan will also work with all of these colors. So for example if you already have a tan sofa or wood floors, any of these colors in the palette will freshen up those tans or browns.
Once again experiment with your patterns, textures and prints. I have the rose & blue color scheme in my home and I absolutely love it. It’s so easy to live with!
- SW 7566 Westhighland White
- SW 6329 Faint Coral
- SW 6057 Malted Milk
How to Use a Color Scheme
Choosing a color palette or scheme is the first step in designing any space. Once you select a group of colors that go together you always have a visual of what colors to use. You never have to stop and wonder what do I do now? Using consistent colors throughout your home makes it feel calmer, more pulled together and intentional.
Does this mean you can’t use any other colors? Of course not! But use these color palettes for the big color choices if you want your home to feel “done”.
I’m suggesting using these paint colors for your walls, but you can also use them 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. It doesn’t have to match but it should be in the same hue or tint. Don’t 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 and cool or warm and warm.
Use your color palette to choose the color of any large piece of furniture like a sofa or curtains or window treatments. Every time you repeat these 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!
Also use your palette to help you make those tough choices about what to buy, what to keep or what to get rid of in your home.
Still not sure what color is right? A quick affordable solution is my Color Clarity service. Why not try it!
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