COLOR FOR BRUNETTES

"Speaking as a brunette (albeit a highlighted one), I think we look better in rooms that reflect our dark and mysterious nature. This is a John Singer Sargent brown with a bit of gray in it, which makes it more interesting. He loved using dark backgrounds in his portraits. A bedroom in this color would be soothing, restful, and sexy. Very important—for contrast, I'd use this elusive shell pink on the ceiling and trim."
MADELINE STUART
Benjamin Moore

"I love the way this soft blush diffuses the light and makes your skin seem flawless. It's like face powder, with a hint of flesh. The perfect backdrop for a brunette, because it highlights that reddish undertone and makes dark hair look rich and regal. And it strikes the perfect balance, toned down enough to be a neutral but definitely there—like a great perfume."
BARBARA BARRY
Benjamin Moore

"This apricot reflects on your skin to make you look healthier and more youthful. Who in their right mind wouldn't want that? It has multiple pigments, so it transitions during the day and takes on a richer hue at night. I've used it in living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms—with celadon, muted blues, cocoa browns, or creams."
SUZANNE TUCKER
Benjamin Moore

"There's something about pink skin and brown hair and a pale blue bedroom. I't very flattering to a brunette, I'll tell you, being brunette myself at one time. People look great against outdoor color, and this is a sky blue with a touch of green, like a robin's egg but even paler. Use it with linen white woodwork and a blue-and-white toile."
MARIO BUATTA
Benjamin Moore

"I think red is a sexy color for brunettes. We can handle strong colors that would eat up a blonde. This is more of a blue red than a tomatoey country red. It's sultry and sophisticated, guaranteed to bring out the Dita von Teese in anyone."
MARY MCDONALD
Fine Paints of Europe

"Who said blondes have more fun? Don't believe it. We brunettes are so much more versatile. We can swing with any color, like this lavender. It's neither old fashioned nor too crisp. Totally relaxing to live with. I use it as a neutral, with brown mohair, white duck, dark plum linen. Mahogany furniture looks great in these rooms, and so do we."
WHITE STEWART
C2 Providence

"In Mediterranean cultures, you see a lot of brunettes and a lot of orange. This is vibrant and happy, yet toned down with a little brown, so it feels natural. Yolo Colorhouse paints are environmentally friendly with no VOCs and a warm, earthy palette. I'm thinking of using this in my bathroom, or a sitting room with lots of books. Bring in turquoise, yellow, red—the brighter, the better—so they play off each other."
SARA BENGUR
Yolo Colorhouse

"I'm Italian, and it's very Italian to use orange. Think of those luxury brands with orange logos—Hermès and Pratesi. I see it lacquered on a ceiling, with cream walls. Or you could get that faded Tuscan feeling by using it as a wash in the living room. A lacquered orange library with black book shelves would be totally sensational. Super modern, super chic."
MILLY DECABROL
Ralph Lauren Paint

"All of us brunettes, where Asian, African-American, or that brown-eyed girl Van Morrison sang about, have one thing to be grateful for. When was the last time you heard of a dumb brunette? There's not a color we can't use, and we'll always be better with more of it. Take this geisha-mouth, cayenne pepper red—something a hummingbird swoons towards. It just howls to be painted on a floor somewhere. Your own red carpet."
MALLORY MARSHALL
Sherwin-Williams

"What makes a dark-haired woman look good is a glow of color. This soft, sensual peach has the romance of candle light and the warmth of cashmere. If a woman paints her bedroom this color, a man might think it's too feminine until he's in it. But then he would feel enveloped and embraced, warm, cozy taken are of—all those things people like to feel."
SUSAN ZISES GREEN
Benjamin Moore

"I can't think of a better room for a brunette than Harry's Bar in Florence, with begonia pink walls and dark wain-scoting. The tablecloths and napkins are the same pink with a hint of blue in it, which makes it a tad cooler. Rich colors are really flattering to brunettes, while blondes just fade away. But stay away from sweet, or anything that looks like it would be appropriate for Easter."
JARRETT HEDBORG
Benjamin Moore

"I'm completely in love with these paints, originally made for Le Corbusier and mixed with pure artist's pigments, so you get these super-saturated jewel tones. This is the color of garnets, rubies, Japanese maple leaves, that red dress you wear on a first date that really sizzles. I see it in a dining room with red wine, a five-course meal, candlelight, and twinkling glasses."
AMY LAU
KT.COLOR