Wheat bread paint refers to the natural tan color of bread made from whole wheat flour. The exact shade can vary depending on the type and blend of wheat used, but it generally falls somewhere between beige, tan, light brown, and golden yellow. Determining the precise paint color match for wheat bread can be helpful for home decorators and designers looking to evoke a warm, rustic, bakery feel. This article will examine the different shades of wheat bread and recommend specific paint colors across popular brands that best capture its natural tone.
The Color Profile of Wheat Bread
Bread made from refined white flour has a very pale, whitish color. However, breads made from whole wheat flour have a distinctly darker hue due to the bran and germ still present in the ground grain. This provides a creamy, earthy, brownish tone. The exact shading depends on the wheat variety, with hard red winter wheat producing a darker color and soft white wheat creating a lighter golden tone. But most common wheat bread sits within the light brown to tan color spectrum. Here are some of the defining characteristics of wheat bread’s color profile:
Beige Undertones
While it can take on yellow, brown, and even slightly reddish hues, wheat bread fundamentally has strong beige undertones in its coloration. The natural creamy shade of the wheat grains comes through distinctly. This separates it from white bread and provides a warmer, softer look than very dark whole grain loaves.
Mid-Range Lightness
The lightness of wheat bread falls about mid-way between very light and very dark shades. It is lighter than pumpernickel or mixed grain breads but darker than white sandwich bread. Its lightness value is around 65-75 on a scale of 100. This places it in the realms of light browns and tans rather than deep browns.
Low Color Saturation
Wheat bread has a relatively low level of color saturation compared to more vivid or intense hues. It does not contain any bright, rich pigments. This makes the color both muted and mellow. Most of the color variation comes from shifts along the beige-brown-tan spectrum rather than major saturation differences.
Matte Finish
Freshly baked loaves of wheat bread have a matte, non-glossy finish. The surface absorbs light rather than reflecting it back sharply. This means the color has a natural muted appearance rather than being very bold and vivid. It also means the shade can shift slightly based on lighting conditions.
| Color Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Undertones | Beige |
| Lightness | Medium |
| Saturation | Low |
| Finish | Matte |
Matching Wheat Bread Color with Paint
When selecting an interior wall paint color to match the tone of wheat bread, you’ll want to look for shades that share its beige-brown base, mid-range lightness, low saturation, and matte finish. Many paint manufacturers produce colors in this spectrum. Here are some of the closest wheat bread-inspired paint colors from major brands:
Behr Paint Colors
- Toasted Almond – Soft beige with yellow undertones
- Clay Apple – Has subtle red-brown tint
- Barley Corn – Light tan, leans slightly golden
- Pottery Clay – Neutral beige-brown
Behr’s line of natural, earthy paint colors has several great options for mimicking wheat bread’s tone. Toasted Almond provides a close match, conveying its softness. Clay Apple picks up slight ruddiness like some wheat varieties. Barley Corn captures the subtle golden quality. Pottery Clay is a good neutral beige-brown choice. All share wheat bread’s lightly saturated matte look.
Sherwin-Williams Paint Colors
- Accessible Beige – Popular neutral beige
- Renwick Golden Beige – Warm, creamy golden hue
- Aesthetic White – Soft, wheat-like white
- Cognac – Light golden brown
Among Sherwin-Williams’ selection, Accessible Beige is one of the brand’s most popular neutral shades of beige that evokes wheat bread’s natural color. Renwick Golden Beige adds the faintest golden tint. Aesthetic White is an off-white with subtle wheaty undertones. Cognac provides a nice light brown that retains wheat bread’s muted quality. Any of these colors will bring a welcoming bakery feel.
Benjamin Moore Paint Colors
- Simply Tan – Neutral tan beige
- Golden Straw – Warm, mellow yellow beige
- Semolina – Soft creamy wheat color
- Baked Brownie – Rich light cocoa brown
Benjamin Moore’s Simply Tan is a versatile beige with strong connections to wheat bread’s color profile. For a slightly more golden tone, Golden Straw adds a pleasing wheat-like brightness. Semolina accurately conveys the look of creamy wheat grains. Baked Brownie provides a nice alternative for a richer but still soft brown hue reminiscent of wheat. All these colors share an inviting, artisanal personality.
Valspar Paint Colors
- Latte – Neutral beige with warm tan base
- Biscuit – Lighter tan beige
- Grain Sack – Textured golden beige
- Cinnamon Sugar – Soft muted beige with a touch of brown
Valspar’s Latte delivers an easy-to-match tan-based beige mimicking wheat bread crust. Biscuit lightens this up slightly for a close cream-colored equivalent. Grain Sack adds textural interest with golden flecking. Cinnamon Sugar tempers the beige with a faint brown tint. These welcoming hues conjure up wholesome associations perfect for baking lover spaces.
Using Wheat Bread Color for Different Design Effects
Wheat bread color can be utilized in various ways within home interior design schemes:
Warm and Welcoming Accent Walls
Painting a single accent wall in a wheat bread-inspired shade adds comforting, rustic charm to any room. Place it in kitchens or dining spaces to evoke an artisanal bakery feel. Use in living rooms for an inviting personality. As an accent, you can opt for slightly bolder hues than you might on all four walls.
Soothing and Spacious Light Walls
Coating most walls in a lighter wheat bread color like a pale tan or cream beige visually expands smaller spaces. This makes rooms feel more relaxing and spacious than harsh whites. The soft neutral shade also allows you to easily change accent colors as trends shift.
Cozy and Charming Trim or Doors
Painting trim, moldings, baseboards or doors in warmer wheat-based hues adds tasteful definition to any room. For a pop of contrast against white walls, use a flexible beige-brown. To blend with existing wall colors, select a slightly deeper tone from the same palette.
Vintage Bakery Themed Rooms
Use wheat bread colors extensively throughout kitchens, dining rooms or cafes to evoke a welcoming, old-world bakery environment. Combine painted walls in soft tans and beiges with wood furnishings and vintage accessories for a crafted, artisanal aesthetic.
Achieving Different Textures and Finishes
Flat or matte paint finishes will best mimic the muted, non-reflective quality of wheat bread crust. But you can also recreate the look using:
- Eggshell Paint – Has slight sheen while retaining some matte qualities.
- Suede Paint – Provides a subtly textured look.
- Flat Enamel – Gives a smoothed-out matte finish.
- Faux techniques – Textured paint treatments like rag-rolling or sponge effects.
So beyond picking the right wheat bread-evoking hue, pay attention to sheen level and any textural techniques that can recreate the natural gently weathered appearance of wheat.
Tying It All Together with Decor
Use accessories and decor elements that reinforce the handcrafted bakery motif of your wheat bread-colored space:
- Rustic wooden tables, shelving and furnishings
- Natural fiber baskets, linens and window treatments
- Ceramic canisters, bowls and crockery
- Classic cafe furniture like metal bistro sets
- Still life paintings or photos of bread
- Wheat stalk sprays in glass vases
Let all the finishes, furnishings and flourishes of your designed wheat bread space work together to craft a welcoming, artisanal atmosphere where people feel nourished and comforted.
Conclusion
The comforting tan-beige-brown color spectrum of wheat bread makes for a flexible, inviting paint color choice. Whether you’re seeking a cozy, crafty accent wall, a soft neutral base shade, or a full bakery-themed look, wheat bread tones like Toasted Almond, Simply Tan, Latte and others hit the right mix of warm, mellow and wholesome. Matte or eggshell sheens complete the natural, muted finish. Accent with rustic decor and you’ll have a space as soothing and nourishing as a slice of freshly baked whole wheat bread.
