NEW ORLEANS COLORS

COLORS OF NEW ORLEANS 

I think New Orleans has a color pallet that is unique unto itself.  There are greens that you only see there, and reds that are so different you never see them anywhere else.  I know the colors are part old South, but New Orleans at one time went way into the Northern parts of the USA.  About the time Napoleon decided he best sell this large section of land and the Louisiana Purchase was complete, New Orleans had been French and Spanish. Of course there is also the Island influence which brings brighter colors into the mix.  As you walk along through the French Quarter the array of greens are similar yet different.  And then there are the tones of the Old South that play into the mix. Some colors

seem to have a glaze and are shiny, others have a matt finish.  Some have a yellow green and others a blue based green.  The reds also vary from ketchup orangish red to a shiny brighter red. And then there are the yellows, which are oft a bit of a mustard yellow.

photo by Elizabeth Gordon

"When it comes to decorating The Big Easy, New Orleans has a signature palette that colors its iconic architecture inside and out.  Some call it fearless, others call it faded. Regardless of the intensity, the New Orleans color palette blends a rich and diverse heritage of French, Spanish, African, Caribbean and English influences with nature, the passage of time, and the passionate New Orleanians who live there and fall under its spell."

source Benjamin Moore Paint Chat articles

photo by elizabeth Gordon

“New Orleans is a city that loves color, from the most pale … to the most saturated … along with moody sensual colors.” – Valorie Hart, The Visual Vamp

"Two palettes seem to dominate New Orleans interiors. One is funky, warm, and bold; the other is elegant, grayed and frayed. The former color scheme has roots in Spain and the Caribbean; the latter calls to mind genteel spaces reminiscent of Paris apartments. Some people mix the vibrant hues with the softer ones; others stick to one aesthetic."  source for article Benjamin Moore Color Chats

This is the link to Benjamin Moore if you would like to see more discussion on New Orleans colors- See more at: http://colorchats.benjaminmoore.com/2012/03/is-there-such-a-thing-as-regional-color-part-two-the-colors-of-new-orleans/#sthash.2n72CKlj.dpuf

Muriel's Restaurant in the French Quarter
photo by Elizabeth Gordon

Muriel's interior/photo by Elizabeth Gordon