The best paint colours for autumn are warm, earthy shades drawn from the season itself: ochre and mustard yellows, terracotta and russet reds, rich browns and deep, mossy greens. They make rooms feel warmer as the light drops, and all three brands we stock have beautiful versions, from Farrow & Ball's India Yellow (66) to Little Greene's Bronze Red (15) and Paint & Paper Library's Muga (445).
As the days shorten, cool greys and bright whites can start to look flat and chilly, especially under lamplight. Earthy colours do the opposite. Their warmth is at its best in the low, golden light of an autumn afternoon and the soft glow of evening lamps, which is when we spend most time indoors.
Here are the colour families we would look at first, with picks from each brand.
Photo Credit: Paint & Paper Library; Colours Used: Morning Room (447), Muga (445), Bronze (283)
Ochres and golds
Yellows with an earthy, slightly brown base feel far more autumnal than bright lemon. They bring warmth to north-facing rooms and glow in lamplight.
- Farrow & Ball's India Yellow (66), a deep, mustardy yellow.
- Little Greene's Bombolone (339), a mellow, honeyed yellow from their Sweet Treats colours.
- Paint & Paper Library's Muga (445), a rich golden yellow, and the softer Morning Room (447), which sit together in the room above.
Terracottas and russet reds
Earthy reds are the colours of turning leaves and old brick. In a dining room or snug they feel cocooning; on a single piece of furniture they make a confident accent.
- Farrow & Ball's Red Earth (64), a rich terracotta, and the muted Etruscan Red (56).
- Little Greene's Bronze Red (15), a deep, warm red, and the muted, brownish Ashes of Roses (6).
- Paint & Paper Library's Scarlet 'n' Rust (316) and Beetlenut (413).
Photo Credit: Little Greene; Colour Used: Bombolone (339)
Browns, from biscuit to chocolate
Brown has returned as a sophisticated neutral, and it is at its most natural in autumn. Lighter browns are soft and calm; deeper ones feel rich and enclosing.
- Little Greene's Galette (340), a warm orange-brown, Affogato (342), a coffee brown, and the deeper Chocolate Colour (124).
- Farrow & Ball's Broccoli Brown (198) and Deep Reddish Brown (W101).
- Paint & Paper Library's Copper Beech (314), a warm, earthy brown.
Deep and mossy greens
Greens with a brown or olive cast feel like the season's woods and hedgerows, and they pair naturally with the ochres and reds above.
- Farrow & Ball's Olive (13), an earthy mid-green, and Reduced Green (313), a deep green-brown.
- Little Greene's gold-toned Light Bronze Green (123) and the near-black Obsidian Green (216).
- Paint & Paper Library's Bronze (283), a deep green-brown, The Botanist (574) and the softer Midelt Sage (711).
Photo Credit: Farrow & Ball; Colours Used: Broccoli Brown (198), Reduced Green (313)
How to bring autumn colours into your home
- Start small. A hallway, a cloakroom or the inside of a bookcase is a low-risk way to try a strong colour.
- Drench a cosy room. Earthy colours are ideal for colour drenching a snug or dining room, walls, woodwork and ceiling together.
- Pair two warm tones. An ochre with a brown, a russet with a mossy green, or a brown with a green-brown, as in the room above.
- Consider the light. Warm colours are a natural fit for north-facing rooms. Our guide to why a colour looks different at home explains why.
For a ready-made selection, see our Autumn Palette and The Earthy Edit. If you are wondering when to start, our article on why winter is the best time to paint makes the case for decorating in the colder months.
Questions we are often asked
Will warm colours make my room feel smaller?
Deep colours can make walls feel closer, which is often the cosy effect people want. In a small room, carrying the colour onto the woodwork and ceiling softens the edges, so the room feels enveloping rather than boxed in.
Will an autumn colour feel wrong in summer?
Not if you choose well. Softer ochres and browns work all year round, and strong summer light makes them feel fresher.
How do I choose between similar shades?
Order sample pots and look at them on large boards, in daylight and lamplight, over a couple of days.
