Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
discover Discover

Color palettes that work
Purple Star emoji 65 items
By
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Marcia Mendes
7 Color Palettes that are easy to integrate in a contemporary style (with color references and examples)
Sections
7
 
DESERT CALM
 
SOFT BRUTALISM
 
NORDIC EARTH
 
MODERN TERRACOTTA
 
MONOCHROME LUXE
 
THE BBW (Black, Beige & White)

DESERT CALM

Soft neutral palette with linen, bone, mushroom tones and olive gray or charcoal gray

 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Bone white - Use it on walls
Chantilly Lace OC-65 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Warm Sand color - Use it on upholstery
Cream Fleece 233 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Mushroom Taupe - Use it on furniture or walls
Waynesboro Taupe 1544 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Olive gray - For accents
Rooftop Garden CSP-765 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Charcoal gray - Use it on vases or textiles
Notre Dame CSP-570 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Upholstery in bone white, natural materials like travertine or oak. Olive green on artwork
In a Living room
placeholderplaceholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Reinforcing the calm, with mostly beige and taupe
In a Bedroom
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Warm neutrals with natural materials like travertine, limkewash and oak
In a Bathroom
placeholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
The case for the charcoal kitchen
In a Kitchen
placeholderplaceholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Learn from me! This e-book makes it easier for you to understand how to work with colors (with images for examples)
Color Confidence: A Designer’s Guide to Harmonizing Your Home
placeholderplaceholderplaceholder

SOFT BRUTALISM

Polished concrete meets organic forms. A tactile, quiet palette with cool undertones that work with steel, glass and matte black

 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
A soft beige gray - use it on walls or furniture
Silk Grey
placeholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Warm light grey- for walls and furniture
Balboa Mist- OC 27
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
For walls and accessories
Wrought Iron 2124-10
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Soft concrete, Charcoal grey and wood
In the kitchen
placeholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Dark concrete walls and white ceramics appliances
In the bathroom
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Soft concrete, minimal and big proportions
In the living
placeholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
The case for a simple wallpaper with a warm concrete feel - ideal for a clean background for a natural wood chair
Cast Feldspar The Niko Vinyl Peel and Stick Wallpaper
placeholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Learn from me! This e-book helps you understand how you can coordinate colors in a way that is simple (with real images for examples)
Color Confidence: A Designer’s Guide to Harmonizing Your Home
placeholderplaceholderplaceholder

NORDIC EARTH

Scandinavian restraint meets earthy minimalism. Timeless and grounding, with cozy textures in wool, stone, and ash wood

 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Off-white / Cream for walls, lights or ceramics
White Dove OC-17 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
A clay beige, muted neutral. Great for ceramics or upholstery
Natural Cream OC-14 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Accent pieces, pottery, bowls, drapes
Hearthstone Brown 2109-20 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Dusty Olive - organic soft pop - use it on walls or upholstery (great to combine with a dusty pink, as well)
Saybrook Sage HC-114 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
For Upholstery
Cement grey
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
For accents like ceramics
Lake House 1175 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
With green main pieces
In the living room
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Sage green tile and cabinets combined with wood
In the kitchen
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Beige, earthy tones, clay vases with green plants as an accent
In the bedroom
placeholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
The case for a wallpaper
In the bathroom
placeholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Learn from me! This e-book helps you understand how you can coordinate colors in a way that is simple (with real images for examples)
Color Confidence: A Designer’s Guide to Harmonizing Your Home
placeholderplaceholderplaceholder

MODERN TERRACOTTA

Warm minimalism with depth. A timeless way to inject color into a neutral space, grounded in nature

 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Warm Clay- for upholstery or ceramics
Rustic Brick 2091-20 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Terracotta Clay- for ceramic or wall accents
Pilgrimage Foliage 2175-20 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Pale Terracotta - for Upholstery
Farmer's Market 054 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Clay beige - For a sofa, accessories
Clay Beige OC-11 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Bone white - For textiles
Swiss Coffee OC-45 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Terracotta/Copper on the walls, mixed with a warm gray
In the bathroom
placeholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
The case for earthy tones/beige with several terracotta accents
In the bedroom
placeholderplaceholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
A wall with personality, where Terracota works as an accent- great for a small area (or even a powder room)
Hilo Tropical Island Green Peel and Stick Wall Mural
placeholderplaceholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Terms like color tone, hue, tint may seem complicated but I make color coordination easy on this e-book. Just follow the guidelines
Color Confidence: A Designer’s Guide to Harmonizing Your Home
placeholderplaceholderplaceholder

MONOCHROME LUXE

High-end New York loft meets soft minimalism. A black-and-white palette warmed by stone and linen textures. Geometric and sharp accents

 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Clean white - for walls
Chantilly Lace OC-65 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
The sophisticated and calming neutral white
Cloud Dancer- 2026 Pantone Color of the year
placeholderplaceholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
True black - For tables, chairs and geometric objects
Black HC-190 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Soft charcoal - for accents
Iron Mountain 2134-30 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Crispy white with very geometric linear black accents
In the bedroom
placeholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
White kitchen island standing out
In the kitchen
placeholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Mostly white with black accents
In the living room
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Mostly black with white marble accents
In the bathroom
placeholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Just like a monochromatic style, this e-book makes it easy to coordinate color. Get it here
Color Confidence: A Designer’s Guide to Harmonizing Your Home
placeholderplaceholderplaceholder

THE BBW (Black, Beige & White)

Minimal, calm, architectural. Clean lines, tonal contrast, soft neutrals

 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Chalk white - for walls, upholstery or accessories
Simply White 2143-70 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Warm beige - walls, drapes
Muslin 1037 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
A soft black - for accents
Black Tar 2126-10 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Soft beige and black lamp and tub accent
In the bathroom
placeholderplaceholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Oak (beige), white and black TV module
In the living room
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Black and beige with white accents
In the kitchen
placeholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Beige and black sofa, black coffee table and white rug
In a boutique
placeholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Black and White wallpapers add to an already graphic style
York Wallcoverings 34 sq. ft. Cubist Cityscape Premium Peel and Stick Wallpaper
placeholderplaceholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
If you don't necessarily like these colors, build a palette of your own. My e-book can help you just do that even if you don't have a design background
Color Confidence: A Designer’s Guide to Harmonizing Your Home
placeholderplaceholderplaceholder

THE 2025 TREND- MOCHA MOUSSE

Velvety, warm, indulgent. A brown-on-brown symphony

 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Milk Chocolate- for upholstery
French Press AF-170 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
The 2025 color that started the trend
Pantone Color of the Year 2025
placeholderplaceholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Creamy Mocha - walls
Mocha Cream 995 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Soft taupe - for furniture
Pashmina AF-100 | Benjamin Moore
placeholderplaceholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Natural stone with Mocha tones
In the kitchen
placeholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Earthy dust brown tones
In the dining room
placeholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Walls and most furniture in mocha tones, with cream sofa as a contrast
In the living room
placeholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
The monochromatic look
In the bathroom
placeholder
 
Marcia Mendes profile picture
Find more about the Mocha Mousse Trend inside my e-book
Color Confidence: A Designer’s Guide to Harmonizing Your Home
placeholderplaceholderplaceholder