Kitchen colour schemes from 12 still life paintings

Pewter and lemon, oyster grey and claret, cream and cherry red: twelve still lifes by Claesz, de Heem, Manet, Cézanne and the Peales, each a ready made kitchen palette.

Still life painters spent their lives looking at kitchens: bread, lemons, pewter, glass, ham and fruit on a scrubbed table. That makes their pictures the best colour guides a kitchen could have. Every palette below is already tested by one of the great painters of food.

Here are twelve still lifes in three groups: the silvery Dutch and Flemish table, the French table, and the American table. Borrow the colours for walls, cabinets and linen, then hang the picture as the finishing note.

The Dutch and Flemish table

Silvery greys, olive and lemon for calm, timeless kitchens.

1. Still Life

A half peeled lemon, a glass of wine, bread and pewter dishes on a white cloth.

Pieter Claesz, Still Life, c. 1625. Oil on panel. Art Institute of Chicago.

Pieter Claesz of Haarlem painted this quiet table around 1625, when he was perfecting the near monochrome breakfast piece.

Pewter grey, linen white, lemon and claret.

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2. Silver Wine Jug, Ham, and Fruit

A silver wine jug, a carved ham, a tipped glass and fruit spilling from a basket.

Abraham van Beyeren, Silver Wine Jug, Ham, and Fruit, c. 1660–66. Oil on canvas. Cleveland Museum of Art.

Abraham van Beyeren painted this lavish banquet piece in the 1660s.

Silver, smoky blue, rose and ham pink.

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3. Still Life with a Glass and Oysters

Oysters, a spiralling lemon peel and a tall glass of white wine on a ledge.

Jan Davidsz de Heem, Still Life with a Glass and Oysters, ca. 1640. Oil on wood. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Jan Davidsz de Heem painted this small panel around 1640, early in his career in Antwerp.

Oyster grey, olive and lemon gold.

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4. Still-Life with Crayfish, Oysters, and Fruit

Crayfish, oysters, grapes and a peeled lemon tumble across a stone ledge.

Cornelis de Heem, Still-Life with Crayfish, Oysters, and Fruit, late 1600s or early 1700s . Oil on canvas. Cleveland Museum of Art.

Cornelis de Heem, son of Jan Davidsz, carried his father’s rich style into the late 1600s.

Coral red, sage and old gold.

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The French table

Creamy whites, apricot and soft greens for country and Parisian kitchens.

5. Still Life with Fruit and Asparagus

A wicker basket of plums and apricots beside a bundle of asparagus tied with string.

Louise Moillon, Still Life with Fruit and Asparagus, 1630. Oil on panel. Art Institute of Chicago.

Louise Moillon painted this panel in Paris in 1630, when she was about twenty and already a sought after painter.

Apricot, plum, asparagus green and walnut.

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6. The Brioche

A glazed brioche crowned with a white flower, with fruit at its side.

Édouard Manet, The Brioche, 1870. Oil on canvas. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Édouard Manet painted The Brioche in 1870, a tribute to the eighteenth century master of still life, Chardin.

Golden crust, cream and peach.

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7. Dish of Apples

A tilted white dish of red and yellow apples on a rumpled cloth.

Paul Cézanne, Dish of Apples, ca. 1876–77. Oil on canvas. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Paul Cézanne painted this dish around 1876–77, as apples became his favourite way to study form.

Apple red, butter yellow and soft grey.

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8. Still Life with Ham

A glistening ham, a silver ewer, bread and wine on a laid table.

Philippe Rousseau, Still Life with Ham, 1870s. Oil on canvas. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Philippe Rousseau, a favourite of Paris collectors, painted this generous table in the 1870s.

Cream, sage grey and ham pink.

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The American table

Warm woods, cream and fruit colours for family kitchens.

9. Still Life with Cake

A slice of cake and a glass of wine on a dark polished table.

Raphaelle Peale, Still Life with Cake, 1818. Oil on wood. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Raphaelle Peale, eldest son of Charles Willson Peale, painted this in Philadelphia in 1818; he is often called America’s first still life painter.

Cake gold, walnut and olive.

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10. Still Life with Watermelon

A split watermelon with peaches and dark grapes.

Sarah Miriam Peale, Still Life with Watermelon, 1822. Oil on panel. Harvard Art Museums.

Sarah Miriam Peale, Raphaelle’s cousin, painted this panel in 1822; she was among the first American women to earn a living as a painter.

Watermelon red, leaf green and peach.

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11. Wine, Cheese, and Fruit

Wine, cheese and ripe fruit on a laid table.

John F. Francis, Wine, Cheese, and Fruit, 1857. Oil on canvas. Art Institute of Chicago.

John F. Francis painted this generous table in 1857; his lunch pieces were made to hang in American dining rooms.

Cream, claret and honey.

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12. Still Life: Peaches and Grapes

Soft peaches and a cluster of dark grapes with green leaves on a wooden ledge.

John A. Woodside, Still Life: Peaches and Grapes, Ca. 1825. Oil on wood. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

John A. Woodside of Philadelphia painted this small panel around 1825.

Peach, plum and leaf green.

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For a kitchen, pick one colour from the picture for cabinets or a wall, a second for textiles, and let the picture carry the rest. Pewter grey, cream and lemon is the easiest scheme to live with; claret, olive and cream feels like a country house. For more, see kitchen wall art, dining room wall art and yellow wall art.

Questions

What colours work best in a kitchen?

Warm whites, cream, sage, olive, pewter grey, butter yellow and deep claret all feel natural with food, wood and stone.

How do I choose a kitchen colour scheme?

Start with one picture you love and take two or three colours from it: one for cabinets or walls, one for textiles and one small accent.

Is a still life good art for a kitchen?

Yes. Fruit, bread and glass belong in a kitchen, and the warm light of a still life makes the room feel welcoming.

What size art suits a kitchen?

A medium print above a dresser or open shelf, or a pair either side of a window, works in most kitchens.