The Rugh Design Color Wheel
To recap, we have been working on adding ALL of the Sherwin-Williams paint colors to the Rugh Design Color Wheel. We plan to have all 1700 colors up by the end of 2018 and each week we will release 25 new colors with my hand picked color schemes. In addition to the new 25 colors a week I will highlight 1 color from Sherwin-Williams that I personally love or stands out.
Recently, we have highlighted Antique White (warm off-white with yellow-beige undertone), Pussywillow (gray with slight blue undertone), Kilim Beige (coffee with cream color) and Navajo White (soft creamy yellow). Going forward you can find all of our Color Wheel Update posts here.
I realized as I was preparing to write this week that my 3 of of my 4 latest Color Wheel Update posts have been creamier whites and beiges. This must be my subconscious working here.
A few months ago, I wrote a longer post entitled “Black is Back: Timeless & Trending.” Then, last week I wrote a post detailing The Best White Paint Colors: Undertones Explained. Black and white are huge color trends right now, not to mention absolutely classic, so I wrote about them and featured some inspirational pictures.
A big part of my job is to keep my clients and readers in the loop with the latest color trends. That being said, now that I have outlined black and white, here is a surprise for you: warmer beiges are coming back! I know, I know. What about the gray trend? Hear me say that I don’t think the gray trend is over and gone. It takes awhile for the latest trends to go into full effect.
So, don’t freak out and tear out your freshly painted gray cabinets! Just know that the warmer beiges are creeping back in. Honestly, from what I have noticed, the warmer beiges that are back actually have more of a “mushroom” undertone. I describe the mushroom color as having a bit of a green undertone, thus toning down the golden yellow in the beige.
So, I don’t think the beige that is coming back is the same as the Tuscan golds. So, please don’t start crying if you just got rid of your Tuscan decor and painted your house a fresh color. Tuscan is not back. Soft mushroom or green-beige is really the shade of beige that is trending. The nice thing about the mushroom beige is that you can mix it up with grays and yellows for a fresh feel (not the outdated and overly golden Tuscan look). Barbara Barry is famous for it!
I love the inspirational picture that I found in the latest Veranda magazine. It features white shiplap walls (hello fresh and farmhouse) along with warmer tones in the furniture, pillows and artwork. The best part is the accents in black. The interior combines the current trends in one space using warm beige, black and white for the colors, while incorporating contemporary design elements with some rustic and traditional pieces (wicker!).
Okay, that was a super long introduction to the actual featured color. However, I wanted to fill y’all in on the reason I have been subconsciously (maybe not so subconsciously?) featuring warmer creams and beiges lately. That leads us to the color for this week: Wool Skein.
Featured Color: Wool Skein SW 6148
So, the warmer beige colors are on trend right now. Wool Skein is a perfect example of a beige that has a slight green undertone that causes it to not feel too golden. It’s a soft mushroom color that is gorgeous for interiors and is a great transition color if you are either stuck in the Tuscan trend still or are ready to get away from the grays.
I have specified Wool Skein in some of my Color Consultations and will most likely continue to do so! If you are looking for a medium toned mushroom color, look no further than 2 or 3 shades darker than : Universal Khaki and/or Urban Jungle. Universal Khaki is perfection on these walls!
Okay, now that you have a basis for Wool Skein, check out my Pinterest gallery for some inspiration. See below and let me know which one you like the most. If you have your own pictures, send them to me and I will post them! Also, check the Wool Skein color scheme page for my hand pick color schemes!
Where to use Wool Skein SW 6148
So, not only is beige back in, but it pairs really well with my favorite color: blue! Several of the Wool Skein inspirational pictures that I found have it with blue accents on pillows, drapery and accent chairs. Tobi Fairley has flawless taste and has used Wool Skein as the main wall color in several of her interiors using blue as an accent color.
Staying with Tobi Fairley as my go-to Wool Skein inspiration, she designed a simply gorgeous bathroom using Wool Skein as the wall color with cream trim. I love the subtle hint of blue as an accent in the tile flooring and the contrast of the traditional cherry wood vanity.
Using Wool Skein as your main overall color or as a bathroom color on walls are just a few examples of how to use this amazing color. I also love the idea of using Wool Skein as the color of choice for kitchen cabinets. Once again, Tobi Fairley nailed it! She uses Wool Skein on the cabinets (with a glaze) and on the walls. It would also be really pretty and fresh to use Wool Skein on the cabinets and a soft cream white, like Creamy on the walls to create a bit of contrast. LOVE the island accent color in Topsail (also with a glaze)!
Well, interiors can’t have all of the fun! Exteriors need some love too and Wool Skein does not disappoint as a main house color. Like I always mention, paint colors get significantly lighter on exteriors so make sure to test them out first. Wool Skein becomes more of a creamy beige on exteriors, but I still love how it looks. Pictured below is exterior brick painted in Wool Skein that contrasts perfectly with the warm medium toned stained wood front door.
If you are considering Wool Skein, the best way to find out if it is right for your space, is to grab a Peel & Stick Paint Sample and test it out.
Our paint samples are handed painted with 2 coats of the real Sherwin-Williams color and are perfect for sampling color before you take the dive into gallons of paint. The Peel and Stick Paint Samples make it easy to have confidence in your paint color choice and will save you time, effort and money while testing colors in your space. Get started now with Wool Skein!
If you are still having trouble deciding, contact me for a Color Consult to nail down the best color for your interior or exterior. I have a passion for color and love being able to help clients find the right color to make their home beautiful!
Leave me a comment if you have Wool Skein in your home or would like to try it. I would love to hear from you! Also, stay tuned for the next featured color from the Color Wheel…
The Best of the Rest
Wool Skein had the spotlight, but I also wanted to highlight a color from the Color Wheel update, Shell White. This white has a warm yellow undertone and is a great choice for trim and ceilings in an interior that is leaning more towards the yellow-beige tones. The inspiration picture below is a perfect example! The scheme is a yellow-beige with blue accents. Shell White shines as the trim and ceiling color with a some beige on the walls to give a bit of contrast.
Check out the colors we updated on the Color Wheel this week below. Click on the swatch to see my color scheme picks!
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If you are need of some color help check out my Interior and Exterior Color Consultation packages. I also have many different eDesign packages for all your interior needs. And yes, I did write a book.
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– Laura
After weeks of sampling (agonizing over( numerous colors trying to find the “perfect neutral”, I chose Wool Skein. Surprisingly it’s more green that my swatch led me to believe. While it’s beautiful and I plan to continue using it, I’m a little nervous about pairing it with the blue-greens that I tend to gravitate towards. Can you recommend 1 or 2 SW blue-greens? Thank you!
Hi Pam,
I’m sorry that Wool Skein didn’t turn out exactly as you thought. Even with sampling, it can be tricky to find the right color with lighting, etc. If you truly want to tone down the green, consider going warmer with your accents. However, I’m like you and love the blue-greens. Some of my favorites to pair with Wool Skein are: Quietude, Comfort Gray and Sea Salt.
Keep me posted on everything and let me know if I can help with anything else!
Laura
Thank you! After living with it I’m actually very happy with it. It’s funny that I painted an adjacent bathroom sea salt before I saw your reply. As much as wool skein has grown on me (& I hope it continues so), I love the shoji white used in an adjacent room and would use that color throughout if I were to start from scratch.
Oh, I’m glad! Shoji White is a gorgeous color. 🙂 Keep me posted on everything!
Laura
I painted Wool Skein in my North facing Kitchen/keeping room and it looks mint green. My husband hates it. We have a wall of windows and plenty of lighting but it’s not the creamy beige I love in the photos.
Oh, no! I’m so sorry. 🙁 Wool Skein does have a bit of green in the undertone. It sounds like the north light brought out the green undertone a bit too much. If you do have a chance to repaint, try a beige with a warmer undertone. Let me know if you need help selecting the right color through a Color Consultation!
Thanks so much for reaching out,
Laura
Hi Laura
I just had my kitchen and hallway and mudroom painted wool skein and I love it! My home has oak trim and I want to get it painted a white or cream. Is there a trim color you recommend? I also plan to get my great room painted wool skein.. my kitchen has medium dark cherry cabinets…and we are planning to replace the old linoleum floor with a wood floor but I am not sure what color/shade and type of wood..I was thinking maple or bamboo in a lighter shade… any ideas I would appreciate. Thank you
Hi Charlotte!
Thank you for your comment. However, it sounds like you are in need of more than I can offer by responding to your comment. Please check out my Interior Color Consultation packages in my shop and select the Trim/Cab package.
For flooring and other selections you can view my À la Carte eDesign packages.
I would love to be your color consultant!
Hi Laura!
We have wool skein in all the walls of our house but I would like to lighten it up a bit. I like the color a lot, but what would a lighter tone be? Within the same shade?
Hi Patricia,
If you are looking to lighten up Wool Skein a little bit, Panda White is one shade lighter. It’s located in the White & Pastel section of the Sherwin-Williams deck. Test out a sample first to see how it looks. There are also several other whites that have a warm beige undertone similar to Wool Skein like Moderate White or Steamed Milk.
Keep me posted on what you end up deciding!
Thanks so much,
Laura
I love your blog Laura. So helpful! We’re repainting most of the interior of our house, transitioning from beige/wheat colors, but I’m not interested in the stark gray/white look. I did not want to paint the trim because there’s so much of it. But, our trim is a very off white (duron Bottany Beige) that is difficult to match to neutrals. Colonnade Gray worked fine in our great room but not others that had tile or countertops like our batrhoom. I though Wool Skein might work. I tried large swatches in three different rooms and all were noticeably ‘green’ looking. I moved on to Accessible Beige and, so far, I am loving the ‘mushroom’-y color of this paint. It’s going everywhere–hallways, foyer, kitchen, master bed and bath. Just thought I’d chime in on another Wool Skein attempt that turned green.