pale oak alternative color HELP

last month

Hi everyone. We’re repainting the house and had a very hard time choosing colors. I’m a professional painter which you would think would help but my decision paralysis has made things impossible!

We ended up choosing pale Oak, which I have a love-hate relationship with. In certain lights of certain times I think it looks fine, but the pink rosiness of it in certain rooms makes me want to repaint everything.

I’ve spent countless hours researching colors that are similar to pale Oak that don’t shine pink with very little success.

The good news is, I can change colors very quickly in my own house. I just don’t have it in me to buy any more samples on my own.

I included a few photos of what I like and don’t like about the color.

Part of the problem is that the rooms are empty and I’m looking only at the walls. I know that’s not the best way to do this, but it’s all I’ve got for now. Any help would be appreciated! Thank you.!

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Comments (11)

freshstart painting
Original Author
last month
I’ve looked at all of the popular choices. What I’m looking for may not exist. I saw a picture of somebody who used pale Oak light in 25%. It looked a little bit less Rosie. I might try that sample. I’ve almost exhausted the Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams catalog! Hoping somebody out there may have a deep run from another company that I haven’t seen.

Pale oak looks great for a lot of the day but when I wake up with that southeastern light coming in, it looks peachy to me.
wdccruise
last month
- Benjamin Moore Pale Oak (OC-20): Undertones, LRV, & Real-Home Results
- Benjamin Moore Pale Oak: a complete color review
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- Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist (OC-27): Undertones, LRV, & Best Uses
- Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist: Complete Color Review
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PRO
Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
last month
last modified: last month
Drift of Mist SW

Eider White SW

Balboa Mist BM
PRO
Lori A. Sawaya
last month

The big dot is Pale Oak. The other dots are the other colors moving away from the yellow-red hue family. Basically, Olympic, Oak Milk and Campfire are just like Pale Oak but from a different part of color space - not as close to yellow red as Pale Oak.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last month
Why do you insist on this tone for the walls. My choice for my clients when they have to choose wall color before decor is Healing Aloe from BM I cut i usually 25% sometimes a bit more . It is a true neutral it works with all woods and like green in the garden with every color .
Valinta
last month
I find the bright white trim color might be too stark to the warm tone of floor and walls. Tone done the white, or paint trim in same color as wall cut 25% in a gloss. Or just paint a warm white - walls, ceiling, trim. Of course really hard to determine paint color on computer screen.
la_la Girl
last month
I think it is objectively a really pretty color but it doesn’t seem to jibe with the floors - agree with @Valinta that color is so hard on screens.. are you open to warmer hues like BM navajo white?
Carol Cottone
last month
Hi There,
I can sympathize with your situation. I am a college level art teacher with 30 years of teaching color theory.
But picking out paint is psychotic for me! I drown in paint chips, splitting hairs over every nuance. I thought it should be easier for me…. But No! It is agonizing.
Good luck.
Carmen Andrade
28 days ago
Try classic gray that is a neutral
Carmen Andrade
28 days ago
Benjamin Moore
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
27 days ago
Why do a color that is hate relationship ever . How about go away from those tones and look at Healing Aloe BM cut 25% it is a true neutral and looks awesome with your wood tones.