An MCM Paint Color Guide to Project House Austin

How on earth do you choose MCM paint colors in your home? Project House Austin provides some unique inspiration. With help from Sherwin Williams‘ paint colors, Project House Austin adapts Mid Century Modern color schemes to reflect the home’s lakeside surroundings and Breathe Design Studio’s emphasis on cultivating calm, clean vibes. Christine Turknett, principal at Breathe Design Studio, shares her paint color notes with us in this web exclusive.

MCM Paint Colors: Think Beyond the Walls

Most of the walls in Project House Austin are white. The exterior is also white. This allows for a clean slate so that you have opportunities for pops of color in other places without overwhelming the space. White also reflects the plentiful Hill Country sunlight.

Project House Austin living room. The Pure White paint color on the walls allows the blue tile and blush-toned chairs to provide the pops of color. Photo by Chase Daniels. Styling by Wendy Smelser.

I don’t know about you, but when I think paint color, the first thing I think of painting in a home is a wall. But in Project House Austin, cabinetry offers a place to integrate a variety of color whether it’s kitchen cabinets, a bathroom vanity, or even under-the-bed storage.

MCM Paint Colors: Supreme Green

supreme green kitchen cabinets — Photo by Chase Daniels. Styling by Wendy Smelser.

Supreme Green Sherwin Williams paint color — Supreme Green SW6442

In the kitchen, the open concept layout doesn’t provide a lot of wall surface, so the lower cabinetry provides the surface area for MCM paint color. In this case, it’s Sherwin Williams’ Supreme Green, which echoes both MCM color palettes and the surrounding landscape.

MCM Color Palette in the Mudroom

Project House Austin mudroom with painted cabinets — Project House Austin mudroom with dark blue and light green painted cabinets. Photo by Chase Daniels. Styling by Wendy Smelser.

Connors Lakefront Sherwin Williams — Connors Lakefront SW9060

Quaint Peach Sherwin Williams — Quaint Peach SW6330

The dark blue shade, Connors Lakefront, is apt for Project House Austin’s location overlooking Lake Travis. It’s a bit darker than you’d find in homes in the 50s and 60s, but because it works so well to create contrast, especially in combination with wooden textures, it’s a contemporary twist that feels at home in the MCM color palette.

Connors Lakefront also makes an appearance in the Project House Austin bar area.

Project House Austin bar dark blue paint color — Project House Austin bar. Photo by Chase Daniels. Styling by Whitney Smelser.

Custom Color in the Guest Bedroom

Project House Austin guest bedroom features some pretty cool wallpaper from Abnormals Anonymous. What to do about the walls sans wallpaper? Photo by Chase Daniels. Styling by Whitney Smelser.

In this family friendly bedroom, the wallpaper sets the tone for the room’s color. So for the remaining walls, Sherwin Williams color matched so that the paint shade on the remaining walls blends in seamlessly.

Project House Austin guest bedroom color matched wall — Sherwin Williams color matched to the wallpaper for a seamless integration of wallpapered walls and painted walls. Photo by Chase Daniels. Styling by Whitney Smelser.

MCM Color Palette: Bathroom

This bathroom off the kitchen has a sink vanity and a cabinet on the wall, two perfect places to paint.

Project House Austin bathroom with pink and gray cabinets — Bathroom with Blushing and Comfort Gray cabinets. Photo by Chase Daniels.

Blushing Sherwin Williams paint color — Blushing SW6617

Comfort Gray Sherwin Williams paint color — Comfort Gray SW 6205

MCM Color Palette: Laundry Room

laundry room with dark blue walls — Photo by Chase Daniels. Styling by Wendy Smelser.

Don’t miss the full Project House Austin reveal in our summer print issue! Get your copy here.

In the meantime, get caught up on previous installments such as the Project House Austin casita and read about Christine’s design influences and philosophy here. If you’re looking for more on MCM paint color, read on for MCM Exterior Paint Colors and How to Get The Colors of Palm Springs’ Doors.