Have You Heard the Hues? 15 Colors You May Not Know About

You never know when you might need to pump up your vocabulary. With the holidays fast approaching, you might soon find yourself in a friendly game of Scrabble or having cocktail conversation at some swanky party. Why not impress your friends and random strangers with extensive color knowledge?

In my work week, I get introduced to colors that I have never heard of fairly regularly. I like to learn about them because there is usually some history lesson involved, and it helps me to understand the undertones of color. For example, there are hundreds of shades of blue. If a blue fabric is described as smalt, I would know exactly what to expect even without a visual. Here are some colors you probably have never heard of but will love to get to know.

Smalt is a deep blue pigment typically used in ceramics. Smalt is a glass that is created when cobalt salts are added to molten glass. It has a very subtle purple undertone but is better described as a pure blue. Much like cobalt, it has a luminescent quality, making it look backlit. This wall is a good example.


Byzantium is a vibrant shade of purple that can be confused with fuchsia. While fuchsia is a bold color derived from pink, byzantium is derived from purple and is deeper. A natural for sharing the stage, byzantium looks great with yellow, gray, blue and black.


Cordovan is a rich shade of burgundy/brown, most commonly used to describe leather. These leather sofas are a perfect example of cordovan. The name originates from the city of Cordova, Spain, which is known for its production of fine leather.


Vermilion is a bright red to reddish orange. These gorgeous lamps are a classic shade of vermillion, which is also called Chinese red because it's used in making Chinese lacquerware.


Sienna is a reddish brown earth color. The color originates from Siena, Italy, and describes a clay that consists of iron oxide and manganese oxide.


Gamboge is a deep mustard yellow. This color gets its name from the gamboge tree, which excretes a sap that is mustard yellow. This pair of sofas is the perfect shade of gamboge.


Fulvous is ultimately a variation of brown but can be described as having yellow undertones, like these painted walls. Fulvous is inspired by the feathers of ducks and birds.


Pavo is an electric blue that refers to the feathers of a peacock. Best described as between royal blue and deep turquoise, pavo is seen here in the sofa pillows.


Verdigris is a shade of green that describes copper when it is exposed to a moisture element. This vessel sink is a classic verdigris, which has been known to represent nobility.


Aubergine is a deep brownish purple inspired by the exterior color of an eggplant. I love to see a bold aubergine with gray or turquoise.


Lichen is a murky shade of gray/yellow green, like in this kitchen wall color. Lichen recently received attention as Pantone's top color for fall 2013. This mellow shade of green is inspired by the plant-like fungus that grows in shady spots especially around tree trunks.


Malachite is a vibrant green that is very similar to emerald. The main difference is the undertone of gray, which emerald does not have. Malachite is an earth color that scientifically is a copper carbonate hydroxide mineral.


Aureolin is a bright, vivid yellow that's also sometimes referred to as cobalt yellow. Here is aureolin in art and flowers. This sassy shade of yellow looks great with blues and grays.


Bole is a brownish-red hue that really looks like chocolate to me. I think bole, seen here on the walls, looks great with other neutrals and black.


Fallow is a tannish brown and is inspired by the light brown fur of a deer's back. This gorgeous shade, selected here for the carpet, pairs well with white and black.

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