Taupe (#483C32)
#483C32
Taupe ( /ˈtoʊp/ TOHP) is a dark grayish brown or brownish gray. It takes its name from the French word for mole, and from the Latin name for the European Mole, Talpa europaea.[1]
Originally, this referred only to the average color of the French mole,[2] but like the colors pink and lavender, the name expanded (in the case of taupe beginning in the 1940s) to encompass a wide range of varying shades.
Taupe is a vague, unscientific color term which may be used to refer to almost any grayish-brown, brownish-gray, or warm gray color. It often overlaps with tan and even people who use color professionally (such as designers and artists) frequently disagree as to what "taupe" means. Taupe itself, however, is not directly correlated with such colors as purple or pink. There is no single, generally recognized authority for such terms, but the addition of such colors can create a wider variety of shades which can benefit either art.
| Taupe | |
|---|---|
 Color coordinates | |
| Hex triplet | #483C32 |
| sRGBB (r, g, b) | (72, 60, 50) |
| HSV (h, s, v) | (27°, 31%, 28%) |
| CIELChuv (L, C, h) | (26, 11, 47°) |
| Source | ISCC-NBS |
| B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) | |
The color displayed at right matches the color sample called taupe referenced below in the 1930 book A Dictionary of Color, the world standard for color terms before the invention of computers. However, the word taupe may often be used to refer to lighter shades of taupe today, and therefore another name for this color is dark taupe.
The first use of "taupe" as a color name in English was in the early 19th century (exact year is not known).[3]
Variations of taupe
Pale taupe (mouse)
| Pale Taupe | |
|---|---|
| Color coordinates | |
| Hex triplet | #BC987E |
| sRGBB (r, g, b) | (188, 152, 126) |
| HSV (h, s, v) | (25°, 33%, 74%) |
| CIELChuv (L, C, h) | (65, 34, 43°) |
| Source | [1] |
| B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) | |
Pale taupe is a dusky dark tan/brownish grey color. A British paint color called mouse's back is similar in color and source of name.[4] This color is also called mouse.
The first recorded use of mouse as a color name in English was in 1606.[5]
Light taupe
| Taupe (Crayola) | |
|---|---|
| Color coordinates | |
| Hex triplet | #B38B6D |
| sRGBB (r, g, b) | (179, 139, 109) |
| HSV (h, s, v) | (26°, 39%, 70%) |
| CIELChuv (L, C, h) | (61, 39, 43°) |
| Source | Crayola |
| B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) | |
Light taupe (dark tan) is the light tone of taupe that is the color called taupe in Crayola colored pencils.
Mauve taupe
| Mauve Taupe | |
|---|---|
| Color coordinates | |
| Hex triplet | #915F6D |
| sRGBB (r, g, b) | (145, 95, 109) |
| HSV (h, s, v) | (343°, 34%, 57%) |
| CIELChuv (L, C, h) | (46, 31, 354°) |
| Source | ISCC-NBS |
| B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) | |
At right is displayed the color mauve taupe.
The first recorded use of mauve taupe as a color name in English was in 1925.[6]
A popular brand of professional plastic chessboards marketed to chess masters in the 1960s had squares of this color and the color magnolia because it was felt that those two colors were both easy on the eyes and aesthetic together. These boards were used by chess master George Koltanowski in his chess tournaments in which he played blindfolded against dozens of people at a time.[citation needed]
Rose taupe
| Rose Taupe | |
|---|---|
| Color coordinates | |
| Hex triplet | #905D5D |
| sRGBB (r, g, b) | (144, 93, 93) |
| HSV (h, s, v) | (0°, 35%, 56%) |
| CIELChuv (L, C, h) | (45, 34, 12°) |
| Source | ISCC-NBS |
| B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) | |
The color displayed at right is rose taupe.
The first recorded use of rose taupe as a color name in English was in 1924.[7]
Sandy taupe
| Sandy Taupe | |
|---|---|
| Color coordinates | |
| Hex triplet | #967117 |
| sRGBB (r, g, b) | (150, 113, 23) |
| HSV (h, s, v) | (43°, 85%, 59%) |
| CIELChuv (L, C, h) | (50, 58, 58°) |
| Source | ISCC-NBS |
| B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) | |
At right is displayed the color sandy taupe.
This color is also called taupe sand.
Taupe gray
| Taupe Gray | |
|---|---|
| Color coordinates | |
| Hex triplet | #8B8589 |
| sRGBB (r, g, b) | (139, 133, 137) |
| HSV (h, s, v) | (320°, 4%, 55%) |
| CIELChuv (L, C, h) | (56, 4, 323°) |
| Source | ISCC-NBS |
| B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) | |
Displayed at right is the color taupe gray.
Deep taupe
| Deep Taupe | |
|---|---|
| Color coordinates | |
| Hex triplet | #7E5E60 |
| sRGBB (r, g, b) | (126, 94, 96) |
| HSV (h, s, v) | (356°, 25%, 49%) |
| CIELChuv (L, C, h) | (43, 20, 8°) |
| Source | Pantone TPX[8] |
| B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) | |
The color deep taupe is displayed at right.
The source of this color is the "Pantone Textile Paper eXtended (TPX)" color list, color #18-1612 TPX—Deep Taupe.[9]
Taupe brown
| Taupe Brown (ISCC-NBS #46) | |
|---|---|
| Color coordinates | |
| Hex triplet | #674C47 |
| sRGBB (r, g, b) | (103, 76, 71) |
| HSV (h, s, v) | (9°, 31%, 40%) |
| CIELChuv (L, C, h) | (35, 19, 22°) |
| Source | ISCC-NBS |
| B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) | |
The color taupe brown is a very dark shade of tan that almost appears brown and is displayed at right.
This is the color shown as the color taupe brown in ISCC-NBS color sample #46.
Another name for this color is medium taupe.
Purple taupe
| Purple Taupe | |
|---|---|
| Color coordinates | |
| Hex triplet | #50404D |
| sRGBB (r, g, b) | (80, 64, 77) |
| HSV (h, s, v) | (311°, 20%, 31%) |
| CIELChuv (L, C, h) | (29, 11, 316°) |
| Source | [2] |
| B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) | |
The color purple taupe is shown at right.
Purple taupe is a purplish tone of taupe.
Taupe in culture
- The various tones of the color taupe are widely used in fashion, interior design, industrial design, and in graphic design where Pantone ink and RGB hexadecimal specifiers both describe the color as a warm gray.
- Kelly Hoppen has a paint color called "in love with taupe".
- Taupe is used in fashions as a light-warm color to emphasize soft, even tones.
- In Little Black Book, Brittany Murphy says that when Diane Sawyer wears taupe, it is elegant.
- In Ocean's Eleven, on viewing a camera feed of a back hallway of the casino, Danny Ocean (George Clooney) asks: "Why do they always paint hallways that color?" Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt) replies: "They say taupe is very soothing."
- In Factory Girl, Diana Vreeland (played by Illeana Douglas) agrees to buy one of Andy Warhol's art pieces with a shade of taupe.
- In the movie There's Something About Mary, Ted Stroehmann indicates that the colors of his tuxedo are "tan and taupe".
- In Maid in Manhattan, it is referenced in the line, "You look like someone who knows the difference between taupe and caramel." —Caroline Lane (Natasha Richardson) to Marisa Ventura (Jennifer Lopez)
- An episode from the second season of Mad About You, "Instant Karma", revolves around the bad luck Helen attracts after accidentally obtaining a taupe blouse without paying.
- In the November 7, 2007 episode of CBS's Criminal Minds, the color taupe is referred to as a "negative color" when picked as a color by a person.
- In the fifth episode of season two of Dilbert the artist Rusty represents the color taupe as orange in an art class.
- Impressionist Rory Bremner has in the past referred to a fictional board that monitors Gordon Brown called "OFBROWN" or "Taupe".
- In The O.C. episode "The Chrismukkah That Almost Wasn't", Seth refers to Summer and Marissa as being taupe on his Chrismukkah color chart due to their lack of holiday spirit.
- In Desperate Housewives episode "Mirror, Mirror", Susan is repainting all the rooms in her house taupe after divorcing Mike Delfino.
- In the second season of Suits, character Louis Litt obsesses over the wall color of Daniel Hardman's office, claiming that it is tan when it is supposed to be taupe. In episode 2 (The Choice) he insists that the renovators repaint the walls, and in episode 4 (Discovery) he tries to use taupe as a conversation starter.
See also
References
- ^ Oxford English Dictionary
- ^ Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York: 1930 McGraw-Hill page 205; Discussion of Color Taupe, page 183.
- ^ Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill Page 205; Discussion of Color Taupe, Page 183; Color Sample of Taupe: Page 55 Plate 16 Color Sample A6
- ^ Friedman, Joseph. Paint and Color in Decoration. Rizzoli New York: 2003. Page 87. ISBN 0-8478-2593-0.
- ^ Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill Page 199; Color Sample of Mouse: Page 53 Plate 15 Color Sample C6
- ^ Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill Page 203; Color Sample of Mauve Taupe Page 37 Plate 7 Color Sample C8
- ^ Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill Page 203; Color Sample of Rose Taupe Page 55 Plate 16 Color Sample A4
- ^ Type the words "Deep Taupe" into the indicated window on the Pantone Color Finder and the color will appear.
- ^ Pantone TPX Pantone Color Finder--Type the words "Deep Taupe" into the indicated window on the Pantone Color Finder and the color will appear: