Palette

Fall Color PaletteMaple Smoke

A warm five-color autumn scheme of burnt orange, maple red, ochre, olive, and deep brown, with every color matched to real paint you can buy.

By David Chen · Formulation Lead & Resident Chemist
View palette in

Think of a maple tree mid-October and you already have this palette in your head. Burnt Orange leads the way as the dominant color, the same glowing tone you see when low sun hits a turning leaf, and Maple Red deepens it with a touch of rust so the warmth never reads as too sweet.

Golden Ochre is the honey in the middle, a soft yellow-brown that lets the brighter tones breathe, while Dusty Olive acts as the cool, grounded bridge — the green of leaves that have not quite let go yet. It keeps the scheme from going one-note.

For 2026 the move is to skip the heavy stain look and let these colors feel a little chalky and matte. Save Deep Cocoa Brown for the smallest jobs, an inside door or a single shelf, so it anchors the room without dragging it dark.

Buy these colors

Every Color, Matched to Real Paint

Each color matched to the closest paint in every brand we track, by ΔE2000. Tap a swatch for its full guide. Take any code to the store, they mix on demand.

Questions people actually ask

Questions

How do I keep these warm fall colors from feeling heavy?

Pull the lightest shade out as your wall color and use the rest as smaller hits. Golden Ochre on the walls, Burnt Orange and Maple Red in textiles or a single painted piece, and Deep Cocoa Brown only where you want weight will keep the whole thing warm but airy.

Which color should I paint the most?

Lead with Burnt Orange as your dominant note, then let Maple Red and Golden Ochre support it. Dusty Olive is the quiet bridge that cools things just enough, and Deep Cocoa Brown is the anchor you use last and least.