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Whimsical Decor Color Palette Ideas (15 Paint Colors to Use!)

    What is decor for, if not to have a little fun with it? Here are some whimsical and dreamy color palettes to bring a little fantasy into your home. These are perfect color schemes for everything from a cozy cottage to your little one’s nursery.

    Selection of color palettes from this article scattered across a white background with acorns, moss, and mushrooms.

    Side note: If you aren’t feeling a soft and neutral whimsical color scheme, the last palette is a bit funner and more saturated.

    Whimsical Fairy Forest Color Palette

    Whimsical color palette features Simply White, Dove Wing, Shiitake, Peale Green, Champagne Glee, and Porpoise all on paint lids over a photo of a mossy fairy house in the woods.

    Benjamin Moore Simply White

    Simply White is the perfect white for a whimsical color palette because it is a bright white with a fairly strong creamy undertone.

    Here it is on upper kitchen cabinets:

    Sherwin Williams Svelte Sage on lower cabinets and the creamy white of Simply White on the upper cabinets
    Photo Credit: @badgerhouseinteriors

    The lower cabinets are Sherwin Williams Svelte Sage, which now that I’m thinking about it, should really be on this list of whimsical colors.

    Let’s call it an honorable mention:

    Sherwin Williams Svelte Sage on cabinets with brick herringbone floors
    Photo Credit: @highland.haven

    Anyways, Simply White is a great springing off point for almost any color scheme, but the bright warmth makes it perfect for a bit of weightless whimsy.

    Benjamin Moore Dove Wing

    Dove Wing is a very light neutral that provides a great canvas for your whimsical color scheme.

    Dove Wing walls with pure white trim and doors, with a staircase leading up from the living room.
    Photo Credit: @clarkansaslove

    I like this color because it feels very calming without the heaviness of a true beige.

    Sherwin Willams Shiitake

    Shiitake is a smooth and grounding color that is the perfect mushroom shade for any whimsical or woodland color palette:

    Kitchen cabinets painted in Sherwin Williams Shiitake and Cast Iron above a swatch of the same color.
    Background photo credit: @btbuilderstx

    I will note that Shiitake can shapeshift from quite a warm beige to a cooler taupe color, as seen here (on the island):

    Shiitake on a kitchen island with both a warm peach undertone on the left side and cool taupe undertone on the right side.
    Photos by: @btbuilderstx

    Get yourself a color that can do both! Shiitake is also on my list of favorite mushroom colors for kitchen cabinets.

    Valspar Champagne Glee

    Pink isn’t for everyone, but Valspar’s Champagne Glee could probably convert a few people!

    Swatch of Valspar Champagne Glee below a photo of that same color in a nursery on board and batten below black and white woodland themed wallpaper and a round brass mirror. The door and surrounding trim are also painted in Champagne Glee.
    Photo by: @oliveandoakhome

    This soft champagne color has a muted neutral quality that is oh so chic! This is perfect for slipping some pink into your whimsical decor, because I just feel that’s on theme.

    If this is too pink, you might like Sherwin Williams Taupe of the Morning. It can have a slightly pink undertone, but it isn’t actually pink.

    Taupe of the Morning Trim with Oxford White Walls in an attic bedroom with slanted ceiling and light gray carpet
    Photo Credit: @therozyhomebykelly

    Benjamin Moore Peale Green

    Peale Green is a fairly saturated green color that manages to stay pretty neutral. It’s an attention grabber, but easy to work with in terms of coordinating colors.

    Photo of Benjamin Moore Peale Green on powder room walls with vintage art and a brass bevelled mirror.
    Photo by: @vintagerefined

    I like Peale Green a lot because it feels very “specific” but it appeals to a lot of people and works in many decor themes.

    Sherwn Williams Porpoise

    Porpoise is a medium to dark greige color that can have either a warm undertone, or a hint of green.

    Something about this color is just so sophisticated! :

    Porpoise is also on my list of Dark and Moody Exterior Colors From Sherwin Williams. I like Porpoise for grounding a whimsical color scheme while keeping things on the lighter side. Try using this color in place of black!

    Here’s another look at this color palette:

    Whimsical color palette features Simply White, Dove Wing, Shiitake, Peale Green, Champagne Glee, and Porpoise all on paint lids over a photo of a whimsical woodland bathroom in similar colors.

    It’s quite easy to adapt this general color scheme for other whimsical vibes as well:

    Warm Whimsical Color Scheme

    Whimsical color palette features Simply White, Dove Wing, Shiitake, Hushed Auburn, Champagne Glee, and Cascades all on paint lids over a photo of a whimsical woodland nursery in similar colors.
    Photo Credit: @marialovesrealestate

    You might have noticed that we only swapped out two colors to get this look! Cascades is the new green, and Hushed Auburn became the darkest neutral.

    Sherwin Williams Cascades

    Cascades is a very dark teal paint color that works well with all blush and neutral paint colors:

    Cascades on walls, ceilings, and trim in a reading room office library
    Photo Credit: @mldesignskc

    This shade also pairs well with other jewel tones, or even navy. See more Cascades in my post of Tantalizing Teal Paint Colors for Kitchen Cabinets.

    Sherwin Williams Hushed Auburn

    Hushed Auburn makes my little heart sing! This neutral autumn color is seriously moody without relying on darkness to do so.

    Swatch of Sherwin Williams Hushed Auburn below a photo of moody autumn leaves.

    You can use this in place of any gray, beige, or dark neutral…if you dare! The subtle pinkness of it makes it perfect for any whimsical or woodsy color scheme.

    Whimsical color palette features Simply White, Dove Wing, Shiitake, Hushed Auburn, Champagne Glee, and Cascades all on paint lids over a photo of a whimsical woodland nursery in similar colors.
    Background Photo by: @oliveandoakhome

    Just a couple more swaps and we have our…

    Woodland Whimsy Color Palette

    Background photo by: @built_frm_scratch

    The additions here are Benjamin Moore Pashmina, and Sherwin Williams Evergreen Fog.

    Benjamin Moore Pashmina

    Pashmina is a beautiful taupey paint color that looks approximately one million times better in real life than it does on the swatch!

    Swatch of Benjamin Moore Pashmina below a photo of a powder room with a Pashmina colored cabinet, woodland wallpaper, and evergreen Fog feature wall.
    Background photo by: @built_frm_scratch

    This color is actually pretty similar to Sherwin Williams Shiitake, so you could use whichever one you like better!

    Important to note: Use Pashmina with cool colors to emphasize it’s warm undertones, and use it with warm neutrals to get an almost green undertone!

    Sherwin Williams Evergreen Fog

    Evergreen Fog is former “Color of the Year” from Sherwin Williams, but it only continues to gain popularity every year!

    Evergreen fog cabinets in a kitchen with warm wood floors
    Photo Credit: @residencedesignbuild

    In this kitchen it looks a lot lighter than it normally would, but I wanted to show it with that whimsical wallpaper!

    Beautiful bathroom with walls in evergreen Fog and woodland wallpaper.
    Whimsical color palette features Simply White, Dove Wing, Porpoise, Evergreen Fog, Champagne Glee, and Pashmina all on paint lids over a photo of a whimsical woodland themed powder room in similar colors.
    Background photo by: @built_frm_scratch

    Finally let’s switch gears and take a look at something that is a more maximalist version of whimsy:

    Bold Whimsy Color Palette

    Whimsical color palette features Simply White, Aloe, Cavern Clay, Rocky River, Gorgeous White, and Cascades all on paint lids over a photo of a whimsical woodland themed powder room in similar colors.

    Whimsical doesn’t have to be all airy-fairy! Perhaps it’s just fun.

    Cascades and Simply White we already saw, but here are the rest of these colors:

    Sherwin Williams Aloe

    Despite the name sounding true green, Aloe is a pretty bright and happy blue-green.

    Swatch of Sherwin Williams Aloe over a background of a cool green aloe vera plant

    This color is equal parts minty and magical! This is best used with other bright and saturated colors. Without them it can go beach or baby in a hurry, rather than whimsical!

    Sherwin Williams Cavern Clay

    There are plenty of terracotta colors that I like, but Cavern Clay is exceptionally versatile.

    A closeup of an accent wall featuring an arch painted in Cavern clay with a wooden plant shelf
    Photo Credit: @ludic_living

    This color is equal parts earthy and bold. It’s perfect for achieving a whimsical boho vibe.

    Sherwin Williams Rocky River

    Rocky River is much more teal than you might think from the swatch:

    Swatch of Sherwin Williams Rocky River below a photo of that same teal color on kitchen cabinets.
    Photo Credit: @oakstorydesign

    This versatile blue green works well with reds, oranges, and neutrals, but use it thoughtfully with other greens and blues.

    Rocky River is on the same color strip as Window Pane, Rainwashed, Jasper and several other Sherwin Williams favorites:

    The Window Pane color strip includes shades window pane, Rainwashed, QUIETUDE, Halcyon Green, Jasper Stone, Underseas, Rocky River, and Jasper over a photo of frost on a window pane.

    Sherwin Williams Ethereal White

    Ethereal White is my go-to off white recommendation for anyone who wants a color that isn’t cool or overly creamy.

    Sherwin Williams Ethereal White swatched beside a bride with flowing Auburn hair in the forest.

    This color feels whimsical by it’s very nature. It’s giving fairytale!

    Sherwin Williams Ethereal White with coordinating colors as outlined in the article
    Background photo credit: @projectphoenixflips

    Thank you so much for reading to the end! That really helps my site. 🙂 Here are some other posts that you might like:

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