Living in the midwest I’ve seen bright copper kettles and every Christmas I wrap my presents in brown paper and tie them up with colored ribbon. I also include alchemy, evening sky, brisquette, and sangria. A strange collection I know, but not when they are actually part of my list of favorite traveling colors. I believe that colors are great expressions of our self and the colors I’ve seen traveling have given me ways to remember my experiences and share it with others. If a color makes us feel good we should have them in every room in your home. I have a few of my feel good hues I can’t get enough of and here are my current traveling color picks.

Biscay Bay – PPG Pittsburgh 256-5

I am blessed to have the opportunity to travel and see the world. I spent a week in Curacao and I have never seen such beautiful water. The ocean in its deep turquoise hue can be calming and energizing at the same time. We spent a whole afternoon watching the waves slowing overtake the rocky north coast in a relentless display of power. The color compares to Biscay Bay with its mix of deep blue and a hint of green to create a warm tropical ocean dip. It is a great accent color not only on your wall, but in pillows, throws and quirky little accents. I recommend using it in bathrooms or as a bedroom accent wall if you go bold with paint as this can become an intense statement. If you just need a hint of color, accessories go a long way without overpowering your space.

Wheat Grass – Sherwin Williams 6408

One of the attractions while visiting Curacao is their Dutch architecture paired with a Caribbean color palette. Willemstad is modeled after Amsterdam with warmer climate additions of porches and shutters. The colors are breathtaking and occur throughout the island from the historical to the present day construction. I was drawn to the brilliant spring green that makes it really hard to be unhappy.

Wheat Grass is a vibrant yellow green that has photos from pinterest a little sass mixed in. It also has a soft quality I equate with a warm summer nap. This is a great color to pair with natural woods and copper tones. I love this shade for kitchens as it feels fresh and organic.

Decorous Amber – Sherwin Williams 0007

I was able to do some sightseeing in San Francisco while in California for a conference and spent an afternoon wandering around the walking trails and displays of the Golden Gate Bridge. The internationally recognized orange bridge color was considered aesthetically pleasing with the surrounding landscape, while still being visible to passing ships. While known as International Orange, it is far from looking like a traffic cone.

Spice up a space with Decorous Amber, a warm copper tone that invites you to stay. Orange can be an over stimulating color, but burnt to a rich earth tone transforms it into a coppery retreat. Decorous Amber feels like an indian summer day and works great on its own as understated elegance or as a fun accent to Galactica (PPG -254-3).

Urbane Bronze – Sherwin Williams 7048

While in college I took a study abroad tour of Belize. I opted to take diving lessons and experienced the amazing underworld that is the ocean, however, some of the most beautiful creatures were seen while snorkeling. We visited Shark Ray Alley and swam with nurse sharks and stingrays in the shallow waters. There sleek gray color reminds me of Urbane Bronze, a deep gray brown that blends so well with its surroundings. Pair creams and pastels for a subtle statement or bright bold accents for a travel experience.

I love this color for more of an accent. I used it as a trim color in a commercial setting and it immediately changed the vibe. Use it as an accent color on a side table and change out colored accessories to always stay up-to-date.

Mexican Tile – Benjamin Moore 1194

Before Belize, I took a class on Ancient Egyptian Architecture and spent my first study abroad trip in Egypt. It was beautiful and so amazing to see another country for the first time. The only disappointing part is finding out the the pyramids are not out in the middle of the desert. Modern civilization has migrated over time to the edge of these ancient temples where the majestic sphinx still watches the millions of tourists that come to guess how the ancient monuments were built. The dusty red color that glows off the sand in the evening sunset reminds me of Mexican Tile, a soft sunbaked red that can warm up any space. I used it in a basement that originally had white walls with maple trim and ceramic tile floor. Mexican Tile immediately created a warm entertainment room in a hardly used space. Pairs well with navy blue, natural woods and soft golds.