Lesson 8: Color palettes and how to describe them

Okay, color is where things get personal. Because unlike saying “brass” or “marble” where there’s general agreement on what those look like, color is where everyone’s mental image can be totally different. Your “blue” might be my “teal.” Your “beige” might be my “tan.”

So we need to get really specific. And the good news? AI is excellent at understanding color when you describe it well.

The Golden Rule of Color in Prompts: Never use just the basic color name alone

Don’t say: “blue sofa” Do say: “navy blue velvet sofa”

Don’t say: “beige room” Do say: “warm beige walls with cream accents”

Why? Because AI needs nuance to create sophisticated, designer-quality images.

Let’s break down the major color families and how to describe them:

NEUTRALS (The backbone of most designs):

Whites & Creams:

• Pure white / Bright white
• Warm white / Ivory
• Cream / Creamy white
• Off-white
• Linen white
• Eggshell
• Alabaster
• Bone white

Grays:

• Light gray / Pale gray
• Warm gray / Greige
• Cool gray
• Charcoal gray / Dark gray
• Slate gray
• Dove gray
• Silver gray
• Concrete gray

Beiges & Tans:

• Warm beige
• Cool beige
• Sand / Sandy beige
• Taupe
• Mushroom
• Tan
• Camel
• Latte
• Oatmeal

Browns:

• Chocolate brown
• Warm brown
• Cognac / Tobacco brown
• Espresso
• Caramel
• Terracotta
• Rust brown

Blacks:

• Matte black
• True black
• Soft black
• Charcoal black

COLORS (When you want to add personality):

Blues:

• Navy blue / Deep navy
• Powder blue / Soft blue
• Sky blue
• Dusty blue
• Teal / Teal blue
• Cobalt blue
• Steel blue
• Slate blue
• Midnight blue
• Cerulean

Greens:

• Sage green / Soft sage
• Emerald green
• Forest green
• Olive green
• Mint green
• Hunter green
• Moss green
• Seafoam green
• Jade green

Pinks & Reds:

• Blush pink / Dusty pink
• Terracotta / Rust
• Burgundy / Wine
• Coral
• Rose / Dusty rose
• Mauve
• Brick red
• Deep red

Yellows & Oranges:

• Mustard yellow
• Warm gold / Golden
• Burnt orange
• Ochre / Golden ochre
• Amber
• Honey
• Butterscotch

Purples:

• Lavender
• Plum
• Eggplant
• Mauve
• Lilac

The power of color modifiers:

Adding one word before your color transforms it:

• Warm [color] – Adds yellow/orange undertones
• Cool [color] – Adds blue undertones
• Soft [color] – Muted, gentle
• Dusty [color] – Grayed down, sophisticated
• Deep [color] – Rich, saturated
• Light [color] – Pale version
• Dark [color] – Intense version
• Muted [color] – Low saturation
• Vibrant [color] – High saturation
• Pale [color] – Very light

Examples: “Green room” → “Soft sage green walls” “Blue sofa” → “Deep navy blue velvet sofa” “Pink bedroom” → “Blush pink and cream bedroom”

How to describe color palettes (not just individual colors):

Real rooms have multiple colors working together. Your prompts should too.

Monochromatic (variations of one color): “Bedroom in shades of warm white and cream” “Living room in various grays from pale to charcoal”

Neutral + Accent: “Neutral beige and cream living room with rust-colored accent chair” “White and gray kitchen with brass gold accents”

Two-Tone: “Navy blue and brass dining room” “Black and white modern bathroom” “Sage green and natural wood bedroom”

Layered Neutrals: “Warm white walls, cream linen sofa, camel leather chair, honey oak flooring”

Earth Tones: “Terracotta, warm beige, olive green, and natural wood”

Jewel Tones: “Emerald green, navy blue, and brass accents”

Describing color intensity and mood:

For calm, serene spaces:

• “Soft, muted tones”
• “Pale neutrals”
• “Subtle color palette”
• “Whisper-quiet colors”

For vibrant, energetic spaces:

• “Bold color palette”
• “Rich, saturated colors”
• “Vibrant accents”
• “Punchy colors”

For sophisticated, grown-up spaces:

• “Refined neutral palette”
• “Deep, moody tones”
• “Complex color palette”
• “Layered neutrals”

Style-specific color palettes:

Scandinavian: “Soft whites, warm grays, light wood tones, occasional muted blue or green”

Mid-Century Modern: “Warm wood tones, mustard yellow, burnt orange, teal, walnut brown”

Coastal: “Crisp white, soft blues, sandy beige, weathered gray, natural textures”

Industrial: “Charcoal gray, black, raw steel tones, warm leather brown, exposed brick red”

Bohemian: “Warm terracotta, dusty pink, sage green, mustard, layered neutrals”

Modern Farmhouse: “Warm white, soft gray, black accents, natural wood, cream”

Luxury Traditional: “Cream, soft gray, navy blue, brass gold, rich browns”

How to describe wall colors specifically:

“White walls” – Too vague “Warm white walls” – Better “Warm white walls with soft gray undertones” – Professional level

“Gray room” – Vague “Light gray walls with warm undertones” – Clear vision

Describing wood tones as colors:

Wood has color too, and naming it helps:

• “Honey-toned oak” – Warm, golden
• “Cool-toned gray oak” – Modern, pale
• “Rich walnut brown” – Deep, luxurious
• “Bleached blonde wood” – Very pale, Scandinavian

The accent color strategy:

In real design, you typically have:

• A dominant color (usually neutral)
• A secondary color
• An accent color (small doses)

Your prompts can reflect this:

“Warm white and cream living room with sage green accent chair and olive green throw pillows”

That tells AI: mostly neutral, with intentional pops of green.

Describing metallic colors:

These aren’t technically colors, but they act like them:

• Warm brass/gold tones
• Cool silver/chrome tones
• Rose gold accents
• Copper accents
• Aged bronze tones

“Modern bathroom with brass fixtures” – The brass adds warm gold tones to the palette

Temperature language:

• “Warm palette” – Yellows, oranges, reds, warm neutrals
• “Cool palette” – Blues, grays, cool whites
• “Warm neutrals” – Beiges, creams, taupes
• “Cool neutrals” – Grays, cool whites

“Warm, inviting living room” vs. “Cool, crisp living room” – AI will shift the entire palette based on temperature.

Analogous color schemes (colors next to each other on the wheel):

“Blue-green coastal bedroom” – AI knows these work together “Rust and terracotta living room” – Similar warm tones “Lavender and soft pink nursery” – Gentle analogous pair

Complementary colors (opposite on the wheel):

“Navy blue and warm brass” – Classic complement “Sage green with blush pink accents” – Soft complement “Terracotta and teal” – Bold complement

Common color mistakes:

❌ “Colorful room” – What colors? How much? ❌ “Pretty colors” – Not specific ❌ “Beige” alone – Which beige? Warm? Cool? ❌ Too many colors: “Blue, green, pink, yellow, orange room” – Visual chaos

✅ “Sage green walls” ✅ “Warm neutral palette” ✅ “Navy and cream color scheme” ✅ “Soft, muted pastels”

My favorite color formulas:

For timeless elegance: “Warm white, soft gray, natural wood, brass accents”

For modern drama: “Charcoal gray, matte black, walnut brown, brass”

For coastal serenity: “Crisp white, soft blue-gray, natural linen, light oak”

For warm minimalism: “Cream, warm beige, camel, honey oak, matte black details”

For sophisticated femininity: “Blush pink, cream, warm gray, brass gold”

Pro tip: The background-to-foreground color strategy

Think about color in layers:

1. Background (walls, floors) – Usually neutral or soft
2. Midground (furniture) – Can have more color
3. Foreground (accessories, pillows) – Your accent colors

Example prompt structure: “Warm white walls (background), cream linen sofa (midground), rust and terracotta throw pillows (foreground)”

This creates natural color depth.

Describing color combinations with material:

Color reads differently on different materials:

“Navy blue velvet” – Rich, luxurious “Navy blue linen” – Casual, textured “Navy blue leather” – Sophisticated, masculine

“White marble” – Cool, polished “White painted wood” – Warm, casual “White plaster” – Textured, organic

Always pair color with material for best results.

The lighting-color connection:

Color changes with light, and you can specify this:

“Soft gray walls in natural daylight” – Will read cooler “Soft gray walls in warm artificial light” – Will read warmer “Warm white bedroom with golden hour light” – Emphasizes warmth

Real-world example:

Client wanted a primary bedroom that felt like a spa—calm, neutral, but not cold.

My color description: “Soft warm white walls, cream and natural linen bedding, warm beige area rug, touches of sage green in plants, honey oak nightstands, matte black minimal hardware”

The AI created this perfectly balanced, warm-but-calm space. If I’d just said “neutral bedroom,” it could’ve been cold and gray.

The exercise:

Take a room photo you love. List every color you see, but be specific:

• Not “blue” – “Dusty blue” or “Navy blue”
• Not “beige” – “Warm taupe” or “Sandy beige”
• Not “white” – “Warm ivory” or “Crisp white”

Practice seeing and naming the nuance. That’s what separates amateur prompts from professional ones.

Remember: Color is emotion. “Navy blue” feels different than “sky blue.” “Warm beige” creates a different mood than “cool gray.” Your color choices tell AI not just what the room should look like, but how it should feel.

And that, my friend, is the art of describing materials, textures, and color. We’ve covered wood, fabric, metal, stone, and color—basically the entire material palette of interior design.

We are going to move on to what you put IN the space in next sections: furniture and objects