1880 Sherwin-Williams Colors

1880 Homeowner Brochure Collection

20 Historically Documented Colors

Dated 1880, this Sherwin-Williams brochure represents a milestone in American architectural history — one of the earliest known homeowner-directed paint publications. At the time of its printing, Sherwin-Williams was still a relatively young company, founded in 1866, and was beginning to formalize color marketing for residential customers.

This brochure is exceptionally rare, with only one other known copy preserved in the company’s archival vault. The example in the Historic Home Colors collection offers a rare glimpse into how paint was presented to American homeowners at the dawn of the high Victorian era.

By 1880, American architecture had evolved dramatically from the mineral-heavy palettes of the 1860s. The influence of industrial chemistry and expanded pigment production introduced richer and more varied tones. Victorian architecture was reaching new levels of complexity — Queen Anne forms were emerging, Italianate homes were widespread, and decorative trim was increasingly elaborate.

The 20 colors in this collection reflect that transition.

Within this brochure, you will find:

• Deeper olive and bronze greens
  • Warm terra cotta and oxidized reds
  • Complex drab and umber browns
  • Muted but richer creams and buffs
  • Charcoal, slate, and accent shades for trim and detailing

Unlike earlier decades, 1880 marks a moment when contrast and layered color placement became more intentional. Body colors, trim colors, sash colors, and accent tones were often specified separately. Homes were no longer painted in simple monotone schemes — they were composed.

This collection captures that early structured approach to exterior color planning.

These colors are appropriate for:

• Authentic restoration of 1880-era homes
  • Late Italianate and early Queen Anne residences
  • 1880s farmhouses and town homes
  • Later Victorian homes being returned to an earlier palette
  • Modern homes seeking depth and historic richness

Because our archive is organized by decade rather than architectural style, this 1880 set allows flexibility across building types. A Victorian built in 1895 can be finished in its earlier 1880 character. An 1870s home can adopt the richer tones that were emerging. Even a 20th-century home can take on the dignified warmth of high Victorian color theory.

This is not a modern interpretation of “Victorian color.”
These are documented shades offered directly to homeowners in 1880 — at the moment paint companies began speaking directly to the American public.

The 1880 Sherwin-Williams collection represents the beginning of national color standardization for residential architecture.

A rare document.
A pivotal year.
Twenty colors that helped shape American streetscapes.