Earth Tones and Forest Green: The Authentic Craftsman Color Palette

The Authentic Craftsman Color Palette

Walk into a well-preserved Craftsman bungalow from 1910 and you’ll notice something immediately: the colors feel grounded, warm, and deliberately natural. These weren’t accidental choices. Arts and Crafts designers developed specific color philosophies that distinguished their homes from the ornate Victorian palettes they rejected.

The Philosophy Behind Craftsman Colors

Gustav Stickley, the furniture maker and publisher of The Craftsman magazine, advocated for colors “found in nature at rest.” This meant earthy tones that harmonized with the natural wood, stone, and handcrafted materials central to the movement.

Craftsman colors reject bright primaries and artificial hues. Instead, they draw from autumn forests, weathered stone, aged leather, and oxidized metals. The goal was creating interiors that felt honest and organic rather than manufactured and decorated.

Essential Earth Tones

The foundation of any Craftsman palette starts with earth:

Warm Browns: Think of oak bark, not chocolate. Craftsman browns have golden and amber undertones, reflecting the quarter-sawn oak prevalent in built-ins, trim, and furniture. Benjamin Moore’s “Saddle Brown” (2164-10) and Sherwin-Williams “Steady Brown” (SW 6110) capture this warmth.

Soft Tans: These serve as wall colors that don’t compete with woodwork. They’re not beige or cream but genuinely tan, like sun-dried grass or sandy clay. Consider Benjamin Moore “Lenox Tan” (HC-44) or Sherwin-Williams “Whole Wheat” (SW 6121).

Terra Cotta: Used sparingly as accent colors, these muted oranges appear in tile work, pottery, and occasional trim. They reference clay, brick, and sunset. Benjamin Moore “Potters Clay” (1221) exemplifies the tone.

Forest Greens: The Signature Color

No color says “Craftsman” more distinctly than deep forest green. This wasn’t bright kelly green or blue-green teal but the dark, complex green of pine forests in shadow.

Exterior trim green: Craftsman homes frequently paired earth-toned siding with deep green trim around windows, doors, and porch elements. This green approximated the color of Douglas fir needles or moss on stone. Sherwin-Williams “Ripe Olive” (SW 6209) and Benjamin Moore “Forest Green” (2047-10) hit this mark.

Interior accent green: Slightly lighter versions appeared on interior woodwork in dens and libraries. These greens complemented the golden tones of oak furniture while adding depth to rooms lit by warm incandescent light.

Tile and pottery green: Matte-glazed Grueby tiles, popular in Craftsman fireplaces, featured distinctive cucumber greens and sage tones. These softer greens work well in kitchens and bathrooms where the deep forest shades might feel too heavy.

Dusty Reds and Burgundies

Craftsman reds aren’t fire-engine bright. They’re the color of old brick, dried blood, or autumn maple leaves weeks after falling. These muted reds add warmth without shouting.

Accent walls: A single wall in a deep, dusty red creates dramatic focus in dining rooms and libraries. Benjamin Moore “Dinner Party” (AF-300) captures the sophisticated, aged quality these spaces need.

Exterior elements: Deep burgundy occasionally appears on front doors and shutters, providing contrast against tan or brown siding while maintaining the earthy palette.

Textiles: Craftsman rugs and upholstery frequently incorporated these reds in geometric patterns, paired with gold, brown, and green.

Golden Yellows and Ambers

Quarter-sawn oak naturally trends golden, and Craftsman color schemes often echo this with warm yellow accents:

Wall glazes: Period Craftsman homes sometimes featured walls with subtle golden glazes over base coats, creating depth and movement in candlelight. Modern equivalents use Benjamin Moore “Stuart Gold” (HC-10) as wall color.

Stained glass: Craftsman light fixtures and windows incorporated amber and honey-colored glass, casting warm light throughout interiors.

Hardware finishes: Brass and bronze hardware picks up these golden tones, creating visual continuity between architectural elements.

Soft Blues and Blue-Grays

While not dominant in Craftsman palettes, certain blues appear in specific applications:

Bedroom ceilings: Pale blue ceilings, referencing sky, appeared in some Craftsman bedrooms. These weren’t bright but muted toward gray.

Bathroom tile: Matte blue tiles in bathrooms provided variation from the predominant earth tones. These blues were soft, almost dusty, never bright or navy.

Exterior accent: Occasionally, muted blue appeared on porch ceilings or in trim details, particularly on homes influenced by coastal California Arts and Crafts traditions.

What to Avoid

Certain colors undermine Craftsman authenticity regardless of how they’re applied:

Bright whites: Craftsman interiors avoided stark white. Trim was typically stained to match woodwork or painted in cream, tan, or even green. White walls read as blank and cold against warm wood tones.

Gray as a dominant color: While blue-grays have minor roles, the current trend of gray everything contradicts Craftsman philosophy. Gray reads as industrial, not natural.

Saturated primaries: Bright red, blue, and yellow belong to other design movements. Craftsman colors are always muted, complex, and grounded.

Cool undertones: Even when using browns and tans, ensure they trend warm (yellow and red undertones) rather than cool (gray and blue undertones).

Practical Application: Room by Room

Living room: Warm tan walls, forest green or brown trim, golden oak built-ins, dusty red accents in rugs and upholstery.

Dining room: Consider a single accent wall in deep burgundy or forest green. Remaining walls in warm tan or gold. Trim matches oak woodwork.

Kitchen: Sage green or warm cream on upper walls, natural wood or painted lower cabinets. Tile backsplash in matte greens, browns, or terra cotta.

Bedroom: Softer versions of the palette work here. Warm cream walls, wood trim, textile accents in green and gold.

Bathroom: Opportunity for matte tile in blue, green, or terra cotta. White fixtures are acceptable; they were standard in the period.

Exterior: Brown, tan, or olive body color. Deep green or brown trim. Burgundy or forest green front door. Stone foundation and porch columns in natural gray or brown.

Modern Paint Matches

For those restoring or building new Craftsman homes, these specific colors work well:

Benjamin Moore Historic Collection: HC-44 Lenox Tan, HC-83 Tyler Gray (actually warm taupe), HC-116 Guilford Green

Sherwin-Williams Historical Collection: SW 6110 Steady Brown, SW 6121 Whole Wheat, SW 6209 Ripe Olive, SW 0012 Rustic Red

Farrow & Ball: Card Room Green, London Clay, Vert de Terre, Oxford Stone

When selecting colors, always test samples on actual walls and view them in both natural and artificial light. Craftsman colors shift dramatically depending on light quality, which was intentional for homes designed before electric lighting standardization.

The authentic Craftsman palette creates spaces that feel timeless precisely because they reference timeless natural elements rather than fashion trends. Get these colors right, and your home’s character emerges naturally.