The Color Guide
The Wise Owl Color Guide
All 73 Chalk Synthesis Paint colors, how to choose, the pairing guide, the no sanding method, topcoats by piece, and sizes and coverage. Zero VOC chalk style mineral paint, made in Michigan.
The Color Chart
All 73 colors, eight families
Every chip below is sampled from Wise Owl's own official color chips, with Wise Owl's own words for the shade. Tap any color for a closer look, its pairings, and where to buy it, or compare shades side by side.
Whites and Creams
Beiges and Warm Neutrals
Grays and Blacks
Green Grays and Sages
Blues
Teals and Deep Greens
Yellows, Oranges and Browns
Reds, Pinks and Plums
The Pairing Guide
Twelve pairings, straight from the maker
Every combination here was named by Wise Owl in its own color guides, and every color in it is in the store.
Anchor + Snow Owl
A true navy that belongs next to Snow Owl.
Anchor + Republic Red
Americana harmony, navy with cranberry red.
Higgins Lake + Peppercorn
The favorite blue with a rich graphite gray.
Higgins Lake + Grecian Clay
Lake blue with a richer shade of greige.
Smokey Quartz + Peppercorn
True gray accented with graphite, a two toned beauty.
Gray Linen + Grecian Clay
Greige and its richer counterpart, the maker's favorite pairing.
Limestone + Vintage Duck Egg
The maker's personal favorite next to this whisper of gray.
Sea Salt + Snow Owl
Beachy sea salt air beside a clean crisp white.
Antique Villa + Bowie
The best selling off white with a show stopping peacock blue.
River Rock + Limestone
Stone blue gray in natural harmony with Limestone.
Deep Turquoise + Peppercorn
Rich turquoise grounded by a deep cool gray.
Weathervane + Vintage Duck Egg
Rich bronze beside a soft green gray from nature.
Pair It Yourself
One pattern works with any color
Pick your hero
Choose the color you love from any family on the chart.
Set it beside a neutral
Wise Owl's rule for its favorite blue is that it pairs with all neutrals. The neutral bench is the Whites and Creams, the Beiges and Warm Neutrals, and the Grays and Blacks families.
Add one accent for drama
Wise Owl sets navy against cranberry red and calls it Americana harmony. One hero, one neutral, and one accent make a complete palette.
Let the finish set the mood
Whitewash Glaze gives a beachy, sea salt feel. Black Walnut Glaze adds a vintage, time worn patina. Black wax collects in the details for dimension. Clear wax preserves the color exactly as painted.
The five colors Wise Owl says go with everything
Antique Villa
Complements all colors, the cabinet favorite
Gray Linen
The most versatile of all shades
Smokey Quartz
Coordinates with any shade
Higgins Lake
Plays nicely with all colors
Vintage Duck Egg
Almost a neutral, pairs with them all
The Method
The no sanding method
Three steps. No sanding to bare wood, no priming, on most surfaces.
Clean
Wipe the piece down with a household cleaner that does not include oil, or with vinegar and water. Furniture polish and wax are barrier products and must come off. That is the whole prep.
Paint
Shake the paint well and stir. Apply one coat and let it dry thoroughly, then add a second coat if needed. Whites, red, and black take the most coats because of the nature of their pigments.
Seal
A sealant finishes the job. Matte or Satin Varnish is crystal clear and will not yellow, wax gives a soft hand rubbed feel, hemp oil rivals poly, and glaze adds an antiqued, dimensional finish.
Topcoats
Which topcoat for which piece
A sealant finishes every piece. Match the topcoat to how the piece will be used.
- Kitchen cabinets and tables
- Varnish, in Matte or Satin. Crystal clear, will not yellow, with industrial grade strength for high traffic pieces.
- Tabletops, doors, and trim
- One Hour Enamel Clear Topcoat. A hard, fast, water based seal that will not yellow.
- Dressers and everyday pieces
- Wax. A soft hand rubbed feel, and clear wax keeps the color true. Wax is always last; nothing goes over it.
- Outdoor furniture
- Hemp oil. A buttery smooth finish with a tenacity that rivals poly. It hardens over two weeks to thirty days, and the piece may be used while it cures.
- An antiqued, time worn look
- Glaze. Work in small sections and wipe back right away; a second layer once dry adds drama. Glaze is itself a strong sealant.
Painting white? Varnish will not yellow or discolor whites.
Sizes
Sizes and coverage
Every color on the chart comes in every size. Coverage figures are the maker's own.
| Size | Coverage | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| 2 oz SampleEnough to try a color on the piece before you commit | Try it first | Enough to try a color on the piece before you commit |
| Pint (16 oz)A nightstand, chairs, or a small dresser | About 80 sq ft | A nightstand, chairs, or a small dresser |
| Quart (32 oz)The kitchen cabinet and big dresser size | About 160 sq ft | The kitchen cabinet and big dresser size |
| GallonWhole kitchens and whole rooms | About 640 sq ft | Whole kitchens and whole rooms |
Whites, red, and black are the colors Wise Owl says need the most coats, so plan the larger size for those.
The Free PDF
Keep the guide. Every color in it is in the store.
All 13 pages, the full chip chart, the pairings, the method, and the topcoat chooser, as a PDF you can save, print, and take to the hardware store.