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Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,823
Registered: ‎11-08-2014

CARAMEL, AND RELATED COLORS

[ Edited ]

 

Here's an example of a neutral I don't use much at all, yet I appreciate it in other people's houses!  Caramel is an earth shade with golden undertones;  my particular "earthy" neutral has always been taupe, which has that more pink undertone, and comes across "cooler".

 

But here's pretty, golden caramel--  also known as buff, straw, tan or camel, more or less.  Strictly speaking, caramel seems to me to have a wee bit more orange in the undertone than some of the others:

 

Oct_ColourSPotlight_PDF-scaled.jpg

 

 

I'd enjoy caramel and golden tans, camels, but they can fight with my taupes and cocoas, etc.,  so I tend to like them from more afar, in my own house.

 

Taupe loves pinks, roses and blush, as well as blue, aqua etc., so I do like taupe.  My couch is more of a deep cocoa, also compatible with taupe, b/c of a rosy-brown undertone...

 

But back to caramel, below.  What a pretty amber this wall is-- it has "life", and I bet when sun hits it, it is very cozy.  And is a natural when paired with red, many blues and greens.   

 

 

Feature-10.jpg

 

 

The adorable "Unsellables" twins took an under 800 square foot house, and made it over, using caramel in a key spot-- the fireplace.  It had been a rather overwhelming dark gray.

 

See it looming on the right--

 

BEFORE--

Screenshot 2024-01-02 at 12.29.05 PM.png

 

BEFORE--

Screenshot 2024-01-02 at 12.52.25 PM.png

 

 

They re-painted it in a warm caramel,  which seems so compatible with the cozy-organic, natural style they came up with for the living room--

 

AFTER-  

Screenshot 2024-01-02 at 12.27.07 PM.png

 

Goes nicely with the tall green wainscoting they installed on the opposite wall, too.   The tawny, golden-based leathers continue the warm tone set by fireplace...

 

AFTER--

Screenshot 2024-01-02 at 12.27.44 PM.png

 

Edited to add--   One caveat, that I'd like to add to the mix.  Some shades, like the wall color in the magazine image at the top of the post, strike me as a little too saturated for an entire room-- unless you really like saturated colors, then bring it on.  Were I inclined toward caramel myself, I'd have to have a much more watered down version, at least on walls, to be happy.  "Density" of color is for me, at least as important as the actual shade....

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,066
Registered: ‎06-24-2011

Re: CARAMEL, AND RELATED COLORS

I think comparing the 2 fireplace colors is like comparing apples to oranges. So many other features in the room were changed in the UNSELLABLES pics, such as: the furniture, the window treatment, accessories, etc. The twins should've had pics only of the fireplace in order to compare. There's no constant in the comparison. Maybe in some redecorated rooms, the charcoal color fireplace would work nicely.

 

I'm not into tan (caramel) walls. When I first moved to the West Coast, every new open house had tan walls. They were dark, and overwhelming when wood furniture was in the room.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,755
Registered: ‎07-11-2010

Re: CARAMEL, AND RELATED COLORS

I LOVE that wall color.  My furniture is "earthy" in tone - dark brown couch, pumpkin-ish chair, accents of reds, golds & greens in pillows, green/tan area rug with a touch of reddish brown.  Can't describe the wall color as I didn't pick it but loved it when I bought my house.  It's a warm shade, medium in tone.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 21,088
Registered: ‎10-25-2010

Re: CARAMEL, AND RELATED COLORS

I prefer cool colors, rather than warm colors.  Neutral colors are okay too...neither warm or cool like taupe.

 

I would never paint a wall a caramel color, but it could be okay for a rug or pillow as an accent.

 

 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,968
Registered: ‎01-27-2014

Re: CARAMEL, AND RELATED COLORS

I love these colors!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,854
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: CARAMEL, AND RELATED COLORS

@Oznell - These are definitely my colors, and I have them in our home! A slightly lighter tone of the first swatch is in our living/dining room area. It's beautiful when the sun hits it! We we're getting ready to paint our family room caramel, but we haven't done it yet.  Right now it's cream. We have terracotta in the den. 

 

I'm not a grey person. DS' room is grey. There was already an aqua carpet in there- more green than blue. It's actually really pretty. When we went to get paint the SA discussed an interesting option we went with. There is a mural on one wall in different shades of white and grey that is a picture of earth from space. DH and I put it up. Then he painted the other walls grey. So it looks like you are standing on the surface of the moon looking toward earth. Of course he stopped being crazy about it when he entered the teen years, but he never asked to change it. We haven't either. He's always been interested in science!  

 

 

Every millennial home I enter is grey. I am surprised there isn't one who wants another choice. Our one nephew and his wife have grey walls and darker grey sofas and chairs. Their bedroom is also grey. Accents around their home are white and grey - no other colors. 



If someone loves grey they should certainly decorate with it. It's more popular than the warm neutrals I like!  Smiley Wink

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,756
Registered: ‎06-10-2015

Re: CARAMEL, AND RELATED COLORS

Meh, just another version of beige & tan.

 

I really like those sisters and their show.

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Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,975
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: CARAMEL, AND RELATED COLORS

@Oznell  I'm more of a taupey person (have more cooler tones in my home) too but I do love warm neutrals as well...I'm not really too set on anything and like you can appreciate it in others homes because unfortunately we can't have everything we love in one house...so I'm forced to love and appreciate many things from afar. haha

 

I love that show "unsellables" and that particular picture is quite a transformation. I particularly like the last picture with the lovely sage green wainscoting next to the warm tones and light wood floors...nice color combo.Smiley Happy

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Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,823
Registered: ‎11-08-2014

Re: CARAMEL, AND RELATED COLORS

@JudyL ,  and, @beach-mom ,  your colors as described sound so pretty!

 

I know, @GingerHead ,  we have to agonize and make our selections-- can't have everything, unfortunately!  I do like some warm and cool neutrals together-- let's see, like, oh, charcoal and gold.  That can be fabulous.  But I do believe you are right, if you go down the taupe route, the yellow based tans, etc. tend to look jarring with them, and vice versa...

Honored Contributor
Posts: 35,495
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: CARAMEL, AND RELATED COLORS

[ Edited ]

I have two leather recliners exactly the color of the wall in the upper left of the first post. They mix well with ivory, oatmeal,and other softer colors in my house.  Vera Bradley has some beautiful pillows and throws mixing these shades of gray and caramel.  

 

And I have no issues using them with taupe and grays. My kitchen counter tops have all those shades in the granite and I have some grays mixed in fabrics in other rooms. We have dark wood floors that are a very neutral shade.  

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