You don’t have to own a historic home to enjoy paint colors rich in history and character. Any estate will do — whether it is 100 years or 100 days old. Let your walls be your canvas, and celebrate America’s heritage with hues rich in tradition and lore.

“When choosing paint colors for clients, I am naturally drawn to historic colors in the paint deck; almost always, I look at the name and, sure enough, it’s from the historic collection,” says interior decorator Bryn Dunn, of bryn alexandra interiors.

The National Trust historic color line, created by Valspar and offered exclusively at Lowe's, offers a palette of 250 colors, and a portion of sales go to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

“Historic colors are a great way to add a bit of history to your home,” Dunn says. “They are classic, tried-and-true colors that are always a natural fit in a traditional home. I also love using them in modern homes, or rooms with modern furnishings. It adds warmth and coziness to spaces that could feel cold and harsh if painted the wrong color.”

Dunn, a recent transplant to The Queen City, notes that historic paint colors work especially well on the exterior of the home. Choosing the color of the outside of your home can be overwhelming — “Everyone will see it!” Dunn says — and so she recommends picking up swatches from the National Trust collection. “This will narrow down your options, and give you the assurance that any of them will look great, since they are hand-selected from historic homes and buildings all over the country,” she says.

Need some guidance?

The following is a list of Dunn’s top-five favorite National Trust historic paint colors:

Before you buy that gallon of paint …

• Walk outside with the paint chip to consider the shade in natural light. Better yet, take the paint chip home and tape it on the wall of your living space, where you can study it for a few days in a variety of lighting conditions. Never buy paint based solely on how the  chip looks in the store. Most paint stores feature fluorescent lighting, which can change the look of hues significantly.

• It may seem like a waste, but it’s a good idea to buy a small portion of the paint color you are interested in and try it on a small section of wall, instead of buying an entire gallon of paint that you quickly realize you hate. Why paint the kitchen twice when you can simply do it once?

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