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8 of the Most Famous Paint Colors In American History

Do you recognize this iconic shade of yellow?

By Caroline Collins McKenzie
yellow formal dining room
Courtesy of Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Moticello, Photograph by Philip Beaurline

Featuring shades curated by experts, this country-fied color wheel includes hues of historical significance.

1

Modern Gray by Sherwin-Williams

House, Home, Property, Building, Real estate, Siding, Roof, Farmhouse, Residential area, Rural area,
Joanna Poe/Flickr Creative Commons

For a no-fail neutral, try Modern Gray by Sherwin-Williams, which is seen on the famed "American Gothic" house in Eldon, Iowa.

2

Cameo Azalea by Fine Paints of Europe

Floor, Interior design, Flooring, Property, Room, Red, Ceiling, Hall, Light fixture, Chandelier,
Courtesy of Greenbrier

The ballroom of West Virginia's storied Greenbrier resort features this punchy, party-ready hue.

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3

Monticello Yellow by Ralph Lauren Home

Room, Interior design, Furniture, Table, Interior design, Chair, Ceiling, Restaurant, Fixture, Picture frame,
Courtesy of Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Moticello, Photograph by Philip Beaurline

Tastemaker Thomas Jefferson chose this for the dining room in his neoclassical Virginia home.

4

Golden Biscuit by Valspar

Room, Property, Yellow, Curtain, Furniture, Interior design, Wall, House, Kitchen, Laundry room,
Courtesy of Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home and Museum

The kitchen walls of Laura Ingalls Wilder's little house in Missouri are slathered with this buttery pick. 

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5

Willow by Fine Paints of Europe

Wood, Room, Interior design, Floor, Flooring, Wall, Furniture, Ceiling, Interior design, Wood stain,
Courtesy of Mount Vernon

George Washington enjoyed it on the walls of the New Room in Mount Vernon, his fabled Virginia farmhouse.

6

Galapagos Green by Pantone

House, Property, Home, Building, Estate, Tree, Architecture, Mansion, Manor house, Real estate,
Getty Images

The verdant hue is seen on the shutters of William Faulkner's Rowan Oak home in Oxford, Mississippi. 

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7

Randolph Blue by Benjamin Moore

House, Home, Property, Real estate, Building, Residential area, Architecture, Cottage, Siding, Tree,
Irene Abdou/Alamy Stock Photo

Colonial Williamsburg historians developed this shade based on pigments from 18th-century wallpaper.

8

Crabby Apple by Sherwin-Williams

Room, Furniture, Table, Property, Interior design, Dining room, Kitchen & dining room table, Chair, Building, Floor,
Randy Duchaine/Alamy Stock Photo

This rich color graced the wood floors of poet Robert Frost's home in Derry, New Hampshire.

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