Joanna Gaines has a gift for making paint feel less like a hardware-store panic attack and more like a story you want to live inside. Her latest Magnolia Home paint release, the Lakehouse Collection created with KILZ, follows that familiar formula: nature-inspired, warm, calm, and just moody enough to make your walls look like they have excellent taste and maybe read hardcover books on weekends.
The collection was inspired by Fixer Upper: The Lakehouse, the Magnolia Network project centered on a 1960s home near Lake Waco, Texas. Instead of chasing loud trends, Joanna leaned into the surrounding landscape: still water, wooded paths, sun-washed greens, warm browns, and the relaxed feeling of a retreat. The result is a seven-color palette that feels earthy, grounded, and easy to use in real homesnot just perfectly styled rooms with a suspiciously clean sofa.
If you love Magnolia Home paint colors, modern farmhouse paint colors, warm neutrals, earthy greens, and blues that do not scream “beach motel bathroom,” this collection is worth a closer look. Here are the colors, how they feel, and where they can work best.
What Is Joanna Gaines’ New Paint Collection?
The new line is called the Magnolia Lakehouse Collection. It is part of Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines, a paint family developed with KILZ. While Magnolia Home already includes more than 150 curated shades, this smaller collection narrows the decision-making process to seven coordinated colors. That is good news for anyone who has ever stared at 47 beige swatches and slowly lost the will to decorate.
The Lakehouse Collection was designed to reflect a mid-century lakefront setting. The colors are not random. They are meant to work together, creating a palette that feels connected from room to room. There are soft neutrals, deep natural greens, water-inspired blues, and rich earthy browns. The overall mood is calm but not bland, nostalgic but not dusty, and sophisticated without acting like it went to design school and now corrects your throw pillows.
Here Are the Seven Colors in the Magnolia Lakehouse Collection
| Color Name | Color Family | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Tranquil Waters | Blue-gray neutral | Bedrooms, bathrooms, sunrooms, quiet living spaces |
| Superior | True blue | Powder rooms, offices, accent walls, built-ins |
| Cognac | Earthy reddish brown | Dining rooms, entryways, libraries, cozy dens |
| Juniper Tree | Sun-washed green | Kitchens, mudrooms, bedrooms, cottage-style spaces |
| Remote Trail | Warm rich green | Cabinets, doors, offices, dramatic accent rooms |
| Wooded Acres | Woodsy brown-green | Exteriors, studies, trim, furniture, rustic interiors |
| Blanched | Warm beige | Whole-home walls, hallways, bedrooms, open-plan spaces |
1. Tranquil Waters: The Soft Blue-Gray That Knows How to Relax
Tranquil Waters is a neutral gray with a gentle blue influence. Think still lake water on an overcast morning: calm, soft, and quietly reflective. It is not an icy gray, and it is not a baby blue. It sits in that very useful middle zone where a room feels fresh without becoming chilly.
This shade is especially strong in bedrooms, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and sunrooms. In a bedroom, pair it with warm white bedding, woven shades, aged brass, and natural wood. In a bathroom, it can make white tile feel more intentional and less like the tile chose you in a builder-grade ambush. Tranquil Waters also works beautifully with cream trim, linen curtains, and soft oak furniture.
2. Superior: A True Blue With Grown-Up Confidence
Superior is the collection’s clearer blue. It has more presence than Tranquil Waters and brings a polished, composed feeling to a room. This is the color for someone who wants blue without wandering into nautical theme territory. No anchor-shaped wall art required.
Use Superior in a powder room for instant character, on built-ins for a custom look, or in a home office where you want focus without dullness. It pairs well with walnut, leather, creamy whites, warm metals, and vintage rugs. If you are nervous about painting all four walls blue, try it on cabinetry, a vanity, a bookcase, or interior doors.
3. Cognac: Warm, Earthy, and Ready for Candlelight
Cognac is an earthy brown with reddish warmth. It is rich, elegant, and a little dramatic in the best possible way. This color feels like leather chairs, old books, polished wood, and someone casually making a perfect roast chicken without checking a recipe.
Cognac is ideal for dining rooms, libraries, entryways, and cozy sitting rooms. It can make a space feel intimate and layered, especially when paired with cream trim, stone surfaces, dark wood, woven textures, and antique-inspired lighting. Because it is deeper and warmer, test it carefully in rooms with limited natural light. It can look luxurious, but like all dark warm colors, it needs balance.
4. Juniper Tree: The Friendly Green of the Group
Juniper Tree is a warm, sun-washed green. It feels relaxed, familiar, and connected to nature. If Remote Trail is the deeper forest walk, Juniper Tree is the softer path near the garden gate. It is one of the easiest colors in the collection to imagine in everyday spaces.
This shade works nicely in kitchens, breakfast nooks, mudrooms, bedrooms, and casual living rooms. It pairs with butcher block, white oak, terracotta, cream, black accents, and unlacquered brass. It also looks lovely with botanical prints and handmade ceramics. In short, Juniper Tree is the kind of green that makes your home look collected instead of decorated in one frantic Saturday trip.
5. Remote Trail: A Rich Green With Staying Power
Remote Trail is a deeper warm green that feels grounded and timeless. Joanna Gaines has long favored greens, and this shade explains why. It brings life into a room without being loud. It is earthy, confident, and wonderfully flexible.
Remote Trail is a strong choice for kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, office walls, mudroom lockers, and exterior doors. If you want a room to feel wrapped in color, try it on walls and trim together. If you want a smaller commitment, paint a cabinet, hutch, or built-in. Pair it with warm whites, aged wood, stone, woven baskets, black iron, and creamy upholstery.
6. Wooded Acres: Brown With a Green Whisper
Wooded Acres is a warm, woodsy brown with a touch of green. It feels organic and slightly rugged, like a cabin wall that somehow knows what good design is. This is not a flat chocolate brown. The green influence gives it depth and keeps it connected to the rest of the nature-forward palette.
Wooded Acres can work on exterior siding, doors, built-ins, furniture, or a study where you want a cozy, enveloping feel. It is also a great partner for stone fireplaces, leather seating, plaid textiles, and creamy wall colors. Use it when black feels too stark and gray feels too cold.
7. Blanched: The Warm Beige That Holds Everything Together
Blanched is the collection’s warm beige, and it may be the most practical color of the seven. It is quiet, flexible, and easy to pair with stronger colors like Remote Trail, Cognac, or Superior. In design terms, Blanched is the friend who organizes the group trip, brings snacks, and somehow remembers everyone’s phone charger.
This shade is ideal for whole-home walls, hallways, open-concept living areas, bedrooms, and spaces where you want warmth without heaviness. It works with wood tones, soft whites, natural fiber rugs, black accents, blue-gray textiles, and earthy greens. If you are moving away from stark white or cool gray, Blanched is a comfortable landing place.
Why This Palette Works So Well
The Lakehouse Collection works because it avoids the two big paint mistakes: choosing colors that are too trendy to last, or choosing neutrals so safe they feel like wet cardboard. These seven shades have personality, but they are still livable. They also share undertones that make them easier to combine throughout a home.
It Feels Nature-Inspired, Not Theme-Inspired
A lakehouse palette could easily become predictable: navy stripes, bright white, maybe a decorative oar if things get out of hand. Joanna’s collection takes a subtler route. The colors suggest water, trees, pathways, sunlight, soil, and wood. That makes them useful even if your home is nowhere near a lake. Apartment dwellers, suburban ranch owners, and anyone whose “water view” is a neighbor’s sprinkler can still use these shades beautifully.
It Moves Beyond Cold Gray
For years, cool gray dominated interiors. It was everywhere: walls, floors, cabinets, sofas, probably someone’s wedding cake. Today, warmer neutrals and earthy colors are taking the lead. Blanched, Cognac, Wooded Acres, and the collection’s greens fit that shift perfectly. They make rooms feel more personal, more relaxed, and less like a real estate flip from 2017.
It Gives You Both Safe Choices and Bold Choices
Not everyone wants to paint a dining room reddish brown, and not everyone wants beige walls. This collection offers both ends of the comfort spectrum. Blanched and Tranquil Waters are approachable. Superior, Remote Trail, Cognac, and Wooded Acres bring more drama. Juniper Tree sits in the friendly middle. That balance is what makes the palette useful for beginners and design lovers alike.
How to Use These Joanna Gaines Paint Colors Room by Room
Living Room
For a calm living room, start with Blanched on the walls and bring in Remote Trail through built-ins, a console, or an accent cabinet. Add linen upholstery, natural wood, and black metal lighting. If your living room has a lot of natural light, Tranquil Waters can also create a fresh, restful backdrop.
Kitchen
Remote Trail and Juniper Tree are the stars for kitchen cabinetry. Remote Trail feels deeper and more dramatic, while Juniper Tree feels softer and more casual. Pair either with warm white walls, honed stone counters, wood shelves, and brass or matte black hardware. For walls, Blanched is a smart neutral that keeps the kitchen warm without competing with cabinetry.
Bedroom
Tranquil Waters is a natural bedroom choice because it supports a restful mood. Blanched also works well if you prefer warm neutrals. For a moodier bedroom, try Remote Trail behind the bed or on all four walls with cream bedding and wood nightstands.
Bathroom
Superior can make a powder room feel tailored and memorable. Tranquil Waters is excellent for a full bath where you want a spa-like atmosphere without defaulting to plain white. Remote Trail works well on a vanity, especially with marble-look counters and warm metal accents.
Dining Room
Cognac is a standout dining room color. It brings warmth, depth, and a sense of occasion. If painting every wall feels like too much, use Cognac below a chair rail or on built-in storage. Add cream trim and a large natural fiber rug to keep it grounded.
Exterior and Front Door
Wooded Acres and Remote Trail are excellent candidates for exterior accents, doors, shutters, and porch furniture. They feel organic and welcoming, especially with warm white siding, stone, brick, or natural wood. Always test exterior colors outdoors, because sunlight can change everything faster than a toddler with a marker.
Tips Before You Pick a Color
Before committing to any Magnolia Home paint color, order or buy a sample and test it on the actual wall. Paint can shift dramatically depending on light, flooring, nearby furniture, and time of day. A color that looks peaceful online may look completely different next to your floors, which is rude but common.
Paint a large sample area, not a tiny postage stamp. View it in morning light, afternoon light, and evening artificial light. If you are choosing a cabinet color, test it vertically on a board and move it around the room. For deeper shades like Cognac, Remote Trail, and Wooded Acres, check how they look in shadows.
Also pay attention to sheen. Matte and eggshell finishes can soften wall colors, while satin and semi-gloss finishes can make trim, doors, and cabinetry more durable and reflective. The same color may look slightly different depending on finish, so do not skip that detail.
What Makes This Collection Feel So “Joanna Gaines”?
Joanna Gaines’ design style has evolved over the years, but a few themes remain consistent: warmth, storytelling, natural texture, and a sense that a home should feel lived in rather than staged for a museum of perfect people. The Lakehouse Collection reflects that. It is not about copying a TV house exactly. It is about using color to create a feeling.
The greens connect to creativity and life. The blues bring calm. The browns add age and depth. The beige ties everything together. The palette also respects the architecture and setting that inspired it, which is one of Joanna’s strongest design habits. She tends to let the house guide the choices rather than forcing a trend onto it like a sweater on an unwilling cat.
Who Should Try the Lakehouse Collection?
This paint line is especially appealing if you like warm, earthy interiors; modern farmhouse style; cottage style; mid-century touches; organic modern design; or transitional rooms that blend old and new. It is also a good fit if you want color but do not want your walls to shout.
Choose Blanched if you want a safe, warm neutral. Choose Tranquil Waters if you want calm. Choose Superior if you want a classic blue with confidence. Choose Cognac if you want warmth and drama. Choose Juniper Tree if you want a soft nature-inspired green. Choose Remote Trail if you want a deeper green that still feels timeless. Choose Wooded Acres if you want a grounded brown with character.
A 500-Word Experience: What It Feels Like to Use These Colors at Home
Choosing a Joanna Gaines paint color sounds romantic until you are standing in your living room with seven sample pots, three foam brushes, and a spouse who has suddenly developed strong opinions about undertones. That is where the Lakehouse Collection becomes helpful. Because the palette is curated, the colors already feel like they belong in the same conversation. You are not trying to make a random icy gray, a neon teal, and a beige named after oatmeal become best friends.
Imagine starting with Blanched in a hallway. At first, it may seem simple, but that is its charm. It warms up the space without grabbing attention. Then you turn into a small office painted Remote Trail. Suddenly the room has identity. The green feels focused and creative, especially with a wood desk, a brass lamp, and a framed landscape print. It is a space where paying bills might still be awful, but at least the walls are emotionally supportive.
In a kitchen, Juniper Tree can completely change the mood. On cabinets, it feels softer than a dark forest green and more interesting than white. It gives that “collected over time” feeling, even if the cabinets were assembled during a weekend of mild frustration and questionable measuring. Add warm hardware and a creamy wall color, and the room begins to feel layered instead of newly purchased.
Tranquil Waters is the color people tend to underestimate. On a swatch, it may look quiet. On walls, it can make a bedroom or bath feel peaceful without looking themed. It is especially nice with white bedding, woven baskets, and pale wood. The effect is restful but not sleepy. Think “slow Sunday morning,” not “forgot to set an alarm and now everything is chaos.”
Cognac is the bold friend. It is not for every wall in every home, but in the right room it is gorgeous. A dining room painted Cognac feels intimate and warm, especially at night. It makes candlelight look better, wood furniture look richer, and takeout pizza feel strangely elevated. If you are nervous, use it on a cabinet, built-in bar, or accent wall first.
Superior is another confidence color. In a powder room, it can create a jewel-box effect without going too dark. Pair it with a vintage mirror and warm lighting, and guests will assume you hired someone. Do not correct them too quickly.
Wooded Acres is perhaps the sleeper hit. It has an earthy, grounded quality that works beautifully on furniture, trim, doors, and exteriors. It feels less severe than black and more complex than plain brown. It is the color equivalent of boots that look good muddy.
The best experience with this collection comes from letting the colors build a home slowly. Start with one room. Watch how the paint changes through the day. Bring in texture: linen, wood, stone, rattan, ceramic, wool. These colors like real materials. They do not need glossy perfection. In fact, they look better when a room has a little life in it: books stacked imperfectly, flowers in a pitcher, a throw blanket that has clearly been used by humans or a very entitled dog.
That is the real appeal of Joanna Gaines’ Lakehouse Collection. It gives homeowners permission to choose color that feels calm, personal, and lasting. The palette is stylish, yes, but it is also forgiving. It works because it understands what most people actually want from paint: a home that feels more like home.
Conclusion
Joanna Gaines’ Lakehouse Collection is not a giant paint deck designed to overwhelm you into choosing white again. It is a thoughtful seven-color palette inspired by water, woods, warm earth, and the relaxed character of a 1960s lakefront home. The colors are Tranquil Waters, Superior, Cognac, Juniper Tree, Remote Trail, Wooded Acres, and Blanched.
For homeowners who want a softer, warmer, more natural direction, this collection is full of practical options. Blanched and Tranquil Waters are easy everyday choices. Juniper Tree and Remote Trail bring Joanna’s beloved green into the spotlight. Superior adds polished blue character. Cognac and Wooded Acres deliver depth, warmth, and a bit of drama. Together, they prove that paint does not have to be loud to be interestingor beige to be safe.
Note: Paint colors can look different on screens, sample cards, and real walls. Always test a sample in your own space, at different times of day, before painting an entire room. Your future self, holding a roller and not crying, will thank you.