Ochre paint colors
Ochre is a deep earth yellow with real warmth behind it. The color comes from iron oxide, the same pigment that cave painters used and that gives Tuscan plaster its glow. On a digital screen it sits around #CC7722, a golden-brown that leans toward burnt orange in some light and toward mustard in others.
The Truest Ochre Matches
The truest ochre matches across every US brand — start here.
A deep rust-brick orange at LRV 22, the burnt autumn tone searched for front doors, exterior accents, and moody dining rooms.
A golden caramel-orange Sherwin-Williams' experts pick for rooms that want warmth with some depth.
Navel is a clean, sunlit citrus orange with a red lean — not a rust, not a terracotta, not a muted clay.
Invigorate is a red-leaning tangerine — loud, high-chroma, and completely honest about it.
All 876 Ochre Paint Colors
Every ochre from every brand we track, merged into one shelf. Truest match first. Filter by brand or depth, or change the order.
Swatches are each brand's published display value, not a physical sample under controlled lighting. Screens vary, and so does your light. Order a brand-direct sample or preview the color on a photo of your own wall before you specify.
Upload a photo of the room. We paint it in the ochre you chose with your light and your floor, and you can swap colors until one holds.
How Deep Each Ochre Deck Goes
How many ochre colors each brand carries, drawn with that deck's own ochres from light to dark. Pick your store first, then the color. Every brand equal, no favorites.
More on ochre paint colors
A good ochre never reads as plain yellow. It has clay and rust mixed in, so it feels grounded and a little old-world rather than bright or cheerful. That depth is what makes it work on a full wall instead of just an accent.
One thing to know up front: "Ochre" is a color name, not a single can you buy. The hex value here is a digital starting point. To get this shade on your wall, you match the color across paint brands and have a store mix it to order. We will cover how that works near the end.
What Makes a Good Ochre
Ochre lives in the space between yellow, orange, and brown. The best versions hold all three at once: enough yellow to glow, enough orange to feel warm, and enough brown to stay calm. When one of those takes over, the color tips into something else.
Watch the undertone closely. Too much yellow and it slides toward mustard or curry. Too much red and it turns to terracotta or rust. A true ochre keeps that iron-oxide earthiness, which reads as honest and lived-in rather than loud.
How Ochre Reads on a Wall
With an LRV around 26, ochre is a mid-to-deep color. It bounces back about a quarter of the light that hits it, so it is clearly a saturated wall color, not a soft neutral. Expect it to feel rich and enveloping rather than light and airy.
In a bright room this depth looks intentional and warm. In a dim room the same paint can go murky and brown, losing the golden quality that makes it special. Always test it on the actual wall and look at it morning, noon, and night before you commit.
Where Ochre Works Best
Ochre shines in rooms that get warm, generous light. South- and west-facing rooms push the gold forward and make it feel sunlit even on gray days. Dining rooms, studies, libraries, and entryways suit it because the color reads cozy and a little dramatic in spaces where you want atmosphere.
It struggles in cold north light and small windowless rooms, where it can dull down to a flat tan. It also fights with cool gray flooring or blue-leaning fixtures. If your light runs cool or thin, either keep ochre to a smaller wall or pick a slightly more golden match to fight the gloom.
Pairing Ochre With Trim and Other Colors
Ochre loves a clean off-white trim more than a stark bright white, which can look harsh against all that warmth. Creamy or soft warm whites on trim and ceiling let the color breathe and keep the room feeling cohesive. A warm white ceiling is the safest call.
For coordinating colors, ochre pairs naturally with deep greens, soft terracottas, warm browns, and muted blues that have some gray in them. Black accents in hardware or a fireplace surround give it a grounded, modern edge. Avoid cool pastels and icy grays next to it; they make the ochre look dirty by comparison.
How to Actually Get Ochre in Paint
Because ochre is a color reference and not one brand's product, you get it by matching. Nearly every major US paint line has a shade that lands close to this golden earth tone, and a paint store can tint a can to order using its mixing machine. The digital hex is the target, not the recipe.
In practice, pick the brand and paint quality you want, then match to the ochre reference rather than hunting for a specific name. Bring a printed swatch or have the counter color-match, and always buy a sample first. Screens and store lighting both lie, so a brushed-out sample on your own wall is the only reliable proof before you buy gallons.
Ochre Paint FAQ
Is ochre a yellow or a brown?
It is both. Ochre is a deep earth yellow with brown and a touch of orange mixed in from its iron-oxide roots. That blend is what keeps it from looking like a plain bright yellow.
Will ochre make my room look dark?
With an LRV around 26, ochre is a mid-to-deep color, so it will feel richer and cozier than a light neutral. In a room with good warm light it glows; in a dim or north-facing room it can go murky, so test it on the wall first.
Can I get ochre in any paint brand?
Yes, in practice. Ochre is a color reference, not one company's product, and most major US brands have a close match that a store can mix to order. Match to the color rather than searching for one specific name.
What trim color goes with ochre?
A soft or creamy off-white usually works better than a stark bright white, which can look harsh against the warmth. A warm white ceiling keeps the whole room feeling cohesive.
What colors pair well with ochre?
Deep greens, warm browns, muted terracottas, and grayed-down blues all sit well next to ochre. Black hardware or accents add a grounded, modern edge. Steer clear of icy grays and cool pastels, which make ochre look dull.
What is the most common mistake people make with ochre?
Skipping the sample and judging it by the screen or a tiny chip. Ochre shifts a lot with light, tipping toward mustard, brown, or rust depending on the room, so always brush a sample on your own wall and check it at different times of day.
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