Taupe is a neutral color that can lean slightly warm or cool depending on its exact hue and saturation. Determining whether a particular taupe is warm or cool can help with color coordinating and interior design. This article examines the definition of taupe, characteristics of warm and cool tones, and how to tell if a specific taupe shade is warm or cool.
What is taupe?
Taupe is a neutral color halfway between brown and gray. It takes its name from the French word for mole, as its original definition referred to the average color of the European mole.
Taupe has an inherently muddy, earthy tone due to its combination of brown and gray. It’s considered a neutral because it lacks the vibrancy of pure primary and secondary colors.
True taupe contains equal parts of red, green, and blue. Changing the balance of these three colors alters taupe’s temperature, making it lean slightly warm or cool.
Characteristics of warm and cool tones
The terms “warm” and “cool” refer to color temperature. Warm colors lean towards the red, orange, and yellow side of the color spectrum. Cool colors lean towards the blue, purple, and green side.
Warm tones evoke feelings of comfort, energy, cheer, passion, and enthusiasm. They seem to advance toward the viewer.
Cool tones evoke feelings of calmness, relaxation, sadness, and professionalism. They seem to recede from the viewer.
Here are some key characteristics of warm and cool tones:
Warm tones
– Contain more red, orange, yellow
– Bright, vivid, energetic
– Associated with fire, sunlight
– Advance visually
– Stand out in a composition
– Increase appetite
– Enliven and energize interior spaces
Cool tones
– Contain more blue, purple, green
– Passive, serene, soothing
– Associated with water, ice, shade
– Recede visually
– Create sense of peace and tranquility
– Decrease appetite
– Make interior spaces feel cooler
How to determine if a taupe is warm or cool
There are a few techniques you can use to identify whether a taupe leans warm or cool:
Compare to pure grays
Hold the taupe sample next to a pure gray. Does the taupe look more brown or more gray? Brown indicates a warm taupe, while more gray means a cool taupe.
Look at light vs. shadow
Examine how the taupe changes between light and shadow. Warm taupes get more brown/orange in the light. Cool taupes get more blue/green in the shadow.
Consider the undertones
Neutral taupes have undertones that are barely perceptible. Do you detect a subtle hint of red, orange, or yellow (warm)? Or blue, purple, or green (cool)? Even a faint undertone can indicate the taupe’s temperature.
Observe in different lighting
View the taupe under incandescent bulb and natural light. Incandescent accentuates warm reddish undertones, while natural light accentuates cool bluish undertones. See which light brings out undertones.
Test with coordinating colors
Pair the taupe with unambiguous warm colors like red, yellow, or orange and cool colors like blue, green, and purple. If the taupe clashes with the cool colors but matches the warm ones, it’s likely a warm taupe. The reverse would indicate a cool taupe.
Analyze the name or description
Many paint companies identify taupe shades as “warm taupe” or “cool taupe.” Manufacturer names can offer clues about the intended temperature of the color.
Warm taupe colors
Here are some examples of popular warm taupe paint colors:
| Paint Color | Brand |
|---|---|
| Barely Brown | Behr |
| Doeskin | Benjamin Moore |
| Rooibos Tea | Valspar |
| Café Cream | Sherwin Williams |
| Latte | Glidden |
These warm taupe shades contain subtle undertones of red, yellow, or brown. In lighting, the warm taupe colors shift slightly towards camel, beige, biscuit, or sand tones while maintaining their neutrality.
Warm taupes pair beautifully with materials like wood, leather, and brick. They create inviting, cozy spaces.
Cool taupe colors
Here are some popular cool taupe paint colors:
| Paint Color | Brand |
|---|---|
| Slate Tile | Behr |
| Gray Cashmere | Benjamin Moore |
| Stone Lion | Valspar |
| Netural Gray | Sherwin Williams |
| Rockport Slate | Glidden |
These cool taupe shades have subtle hints of blue, green, or gray. In certain lights, the colors shift towards a blue-gray, mushroom, or weathered stone.
Cool taupes complement materials like metal, glass, concrete, and marble. They make soothing, elegant spaces.
Using warm vs. cool taupe in design
The temperature of taupe has different effects when used in interior design:
Warm taupe
– Inviting living room, dining room, bedroom
– Adds coziness to a space
– Pairs well with warm woods and natural textiles
– Can make a room feel smaller due to advancing quality
Cool taupe
– Relaxing bathroom, office, library
– Calming, neutral backdrop
– Works with stainless steel, concrete, marble
– Can make a room feel larger due to receding quality
Whether you opt for a warm or cool taupe depends on the mood you want to create in the space. Warm evokes comfort and cheer, while cool evokes tranquility and softness.
Conclusion
Taupe is an adaptable neutral that can take on warm or cool properties. Examining its undertones and behavior in light reveals taupe’s temperature. Warm taupes contain red, yellow, or brown hints and lean towards beige. Cool taupes have blue, gray, or green hints and lean towards mushroom or slate. The temperature of taupe has a significant impact on how it interacts with other colors and affects the feeling of a room. As a versatile neutral, taupe offers many possibilities for elegant interior design in both warm and cool directions.