Just a word of precaution–if you at all value your time, don’t use the Sherwin Williams Color Visualizer.� It’s a rabbit hole of paint, people.� Five hours later you will look at the clock in disbelief.� (Then you’ll go back to playing with paint.)� But, if you decide to ignore my advice, you may want to use my technique and leave small strips of original wall paint visible.� I tested out some colors that ended up not looking much different from what I have on the wall, even though the little chip on the fan deck made me think they were worlds apart in terms of hue and undertone.
For my sister in law, most of the dark colors appear olive on her end.� That’s a monitor issue because in real life the paint chips are all different and, with the exception of Superior Bronze, none of them are remotely olive.� Kind of a bummer, since I would have valued her opinion.� Do you see a difference in the colors?� Which are your favorites?� You can say none of the above! Trust me, I have many, many more paint colors to play with.
Sherwin Williams, Porpoise
Sherwin Williams, Sable
Sherwin Williams, Superior Bronze
Sherwin Williams, Virtual Taupe
Sherwin Williams, Warm Stone
Sherwin Williams, Tony Taupe
Sherwin Williams, Natural Choice
Sherwin Williams, Rice� Grain
Sherwin Williams, Wool Skein
My monitor’s not great so I can’t be completely confident but I do like Porpoise. I know what you mean about the black hole of paint colours. I believe I spent two entire weekends on the Behr site…. dangerous.
Hi Jules. I actually painted the outside of my house Porpoise. I LOVE IT!!! Depending on the weather and the light it can look gray, chocolate brown or green. I think it could be an interesting choice. If you send me your direct email I will email you a picture of it. Or maybe you have your email already listed? Just back from seeing Young Victoria and coctails with the girls so I may have missed it. Let me know if you want to see it.
Hi Amy-I’ve been searching the internet on SW Porpoise pictures. I noticed you painted your house this color. I have selected it for a new home we are building and love deep colors but wanted to see if you are still happy. I love the khaki,brown, green,gray color idea but not a blue,grey. Thanks for any feedback!
Carol
Hi,
I’m thinking about painting my exterior porpoise and was hoping you would share your picture with me. What trim color did you use? Shutter color?
Thanks,
Kim
Amy, I’m about to use Porpose on the outside of my house and would love to see a photo of yours if you’re willing!
I say the porpoise, it looks grey to me, and I’ve painted my living room Red and Grey, and the bedroom is (at some point) going to be grey.
I love playing with software like that.
I say Porpoise or Superior Bronze. I like the darker hues as they contrast the white ceiling and lighter colored flooring. Pretty pretty!!! O would check the chip in person and go with whatever matches the stone best. But, both are lover-ly!
I vote for Tony Taupe or Rice Grain. I love the darker ones too but thought they might just be a bit dark in that space (especially in winter).
I LOVE the Sable. It’s such a deep rich color. It makes your fireplace really pop, and is a great contrast to your lighter wood floors, lighter couches, and it looks like you’ve got some great light coming in through the windows too. The lighter colors look so close to your color now, so I’m wondering if you’d really be happy with going through all the painting just to get something similar. And the greener-toned ones kinda blend (or clash) with your couches. If you really wanted the WOW factor like your kitchen has, I would go with the Sable.
Wow, am I opionated or what? Sorry…
I like the Tony Taupe and the Porpoise, in the that order.
I love what Sable does with the fireplace. It looks warm and yummy. I do not envy you in this process. I hate the process of picking paint!
I like the dark tones the best and of the two I like the second one, which I think is the Sable, because it warms up the room a bit. All of the other colors you chose are on the cool side of the color spectrum and since your furniture is also cool toned, a warm wall tone is a nice touch.
Jules, my expert Mister says: the darker the color the smaller the room feels, so try and stay in the light side so his first choice is Tony Taupe and his second choice is Warm Stone.
FYI > he is a master builder and master of Rancho Santa Fe home builder, has worked with all of the very best designers, architecs, etc. So we were sitting here together and he wanted for me to give you his opinion. That’s all.
Jules,
I really like the darker colors, except they make your stone fireplace ‘blend’ in too much. I think I would go with one of the light shades, even though they aren’t as fun.
Brandi
Virtual Taupe or Warm Stone are my favorite.
Sable & Virtual Taupe look like there’s some olive in them, to me. Warm Stone is my favorite.
SABLE.
Sable, hands down.
I’m liking all of the darker ones, except Superior Bronze. I want to hear what Maria thinks:)
Of the darker colors (which I prefer for your room), I like the Sable. Of the lighter colors, I like Wool Skein.
I like superior bronze or virtual taupe. They really warm up the room.
I like the way the darker colors turned out rather than the lighter ones. I don’t think the natural whites and off whites work as much….I’d go with something darker (one of the grays). I’m not trusting my monitor enough to distinguish between the grays BUT a couple of them looked olivey and I like that look! Go with the gray that has olive undertones (in real life)
Hope that didn’t make things harder! Good luck!
Sable and Virtual Taupe.
I have my very own paint issues up at my place. Grrr.
Found your blog through the BYW class. It’s lovely! Already having way too much fun with this SW Painting Ap!
Tony Taupe. Not too dark, not too light.
I’m feeling some love for the Porpoise … and Tony Taupe. Or I’d choose one of the lighter colors and then go wild and crazy and paint the fireplace stone black. GASP! (I wonder if you could really do that? It’s my new thing … ever since I saw a house that painted bricks black and I LOVED … but I digress…).
Of course, I’m seeing Olive too … so I’m sure I’m no help whatsoever …
And thank you for yet another diversion. I am, after all, one who managed to waste hours on their virtual paint chips. And I didn’t even have a paint project. Sigh.
I like the porpoise. The lighter colors don’t have any “wow” factor. And your room looks way open & airy enough to not worry about it looking smaller, darker.
I like Porpoise and Tony Taupe the best. The darker color of Porpoise ties in with your stone wall and makes it blend in a bit better (at least I think). I’m choosing paint for our bedroom right now and it’s HARD!!!!
Sable and Tony Taupe are my favorites. How will you ever choose? I’d better not even click on that link or I will get fired for spending all day pretend painting my house.
That’s a toughie… Tony Taupe or Bronze?
Could you please share where you purchased your entertainment center? Love it!
Megan–The entertainment center is a vintage Craigslist find. It’s huge and perfect, but if we rearrange this room, we will most likely have to sell it. :(
I LOVE the Sable. It looks fantastic, but I know it could be very dark in real life.
The like the last one, but I think you could also do a taupe that had a bit more yellow to it just to warm it up a bit.
Whatever you pick will look fab.
Just hopped over here from Young House Love. I love the Porpoise (as long as my monitor is correct in displaying it as gray). I think the art on the walls, the adjacent stone, and the furniture look best with Porpoise. Dolphin it up, I say! :)
Holy cow! I’m here at Stephanie’s house on her computer and they really do look olive!! I’ll have to fiddle with her monitor when she is not looking so she can see what I see at home. :)
Here I am, late to the party again. I love porpoise. Final answer.
Sable is pretty too, but it reads monochromic on my screen next to the fireplace.
Nothing lighter than Natural Choice. You have a behometh of a fire place, and while I love it, the colors lighter than Natural Choice are just too stark a contrast.
Thanks, Jules. I’ve been checking our local Craigslist for a few weeks hoping that something as perfect pops up.
I vote for Sable! :-)
I like Tony Taupe. :)
Love your blog! I’m a fellow BYW student and I stumbled across yours and smiled. I agree with the Sherwin Williams time suck. I got all excited after seeing your post and went to town using my camera and the wide angle lens to photograph two rooms. Now to buy paint and get busy!
Thanks for this great resource.
wowza. this is the pretty much coolest thing ever.
i adore tony taupe.
Superior Bronze (one of my faves) or Porpoise.
You’ve probably already painted it by now.
Sable is my favorite rich, warm, inviting, has personality and makes everything look good.
Tony Taupe would be my second choice. lighter and more neutral with a touch of personality