Buttered Yam
What Buttered Yam Actually Looks Like
Buttered Yam is a deep, warm orange with strong brown grounding. Think of the color of roasted sweet potato skin, or a well-worn terracotta pot that has seen some sun. It is saturated and confident without screaming. In bright daylight it leans toward a spiced amber. In dimmer or artificial light it settles into a darker, more tobacco-brown tone. This is not a wall color that disappears into the background.
Buttered Yam Undertones
The dominant undertone is orange, anchored by brown. There is no green or purple lurking here. The brown base keeps it from reading as a pure citrus or pumpkin orange, and that is what makes it feel warm and grounded rather than energetic or jarring. In low light the brown pull becomes more prominent and the color reads noticeably darker and more earthy.
Where Buttered Yam Works Best
Buttered Yam works well in spaces where you want warmth and a sense of enclosure. Dining rooms and living rooms with good ambient lighting are strong candidates. It can work on an accent wall in a bedroom if the rest of the room stays light and neutral. Because of its depth and saturation, using it in a small windowless room with no natural light will make that room feel very dark. Rooms with south or west-facing windows handle it best.
Where to put Buttered Yam
A dining room is one of the best places for Buttered Yam. The saturation feels intentional rather than overwhelming in a room you enter for a specific purpose, and candlelight or warm-toned pendant fixtures bring out the amber quality beautifully. Keep the ceiling a lighter warm neutral so the room does not close in.
In a living room with good natural light, Buttered Yam adds warmth and a cozy, settled quality. Pair it with natural textiles in linen or jute and keep large upholstered pieces in warm neutrals or deep greens so the color does not compete with too many other saturated elements.
A small entryway is a practical place to try a bold, saturated color because the commitment is smaller and the impact on arrival is high. Buttered Yam makes an entry feel warm and welcoming. Just make sure there is some light source, natural or artificial, because without it the color will read very dark.
Use caution here. If your office has strong natural light, Buttered Yam can feel energizing and grounded. If it is a windowless interior room, the depth of this color will make the space feel noticeably smaller and darker. In that case, consider using it on a single accent wall only.
What to Pair With Buttered Yam
No coordinating colors were specified in our database for this color, so pairings here are drawn from general knowledge of how this orange-brown family works. Buttered Yam pairs well with warm off-whites and creamy whites on trim, deep forest greens, and muted navy blues. Natural wood tones in oak or walnut reinforce the earthy quality. Brass and aged bronze hardware feel at home here. Cooler or very bright whites on trim can create a harsh contrast, so lean toward whites with a warm or yellow base.
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Colors that clash with Buttered Yam
Buttered Yam is very warm and orange-based. Place it adjacent to cool gray or blue-gray walls in an open floor plan and the two colors will fight. The orange will look garish and the gray will look cold.
A stark, cool bright white on trim next to Buttered Yam creates a jarring contrast that emphasizes the orange and makes the wall color feel less refined.
Gray-toned tile or cool pale hardwood underneath Buttered Yam walls will conflict visually. The floor and walls will pull in opposite color temperature directions.
Common questions
The LRV is 24.7, which places it in the medium-dark range. That number means it absorbs a significant amount of light rather than reflecting it back. In practical terms, rooms with this color will feel moodier and more enclosed than they would with a lighter color. Make sure you have enough natural or artificial light in the room before committing to it on all four walls.
Yes, it is available in both Benjamin Moore's interior and exterior lines, so you can use it on walls, cabinetry, or exterior applications depending on the finish you select.
Both, depending on the light. In bright natural light it leans clearly orange-amber. As light drops, the brown base takes over and it reads darker and more earthy. The finish you choose also matters: a flat or matte finish will emphasize the brown, while an eggshell or satin will bring up the warmth and brightness.
Sherwin-Williams Roycroft Copper Red (SW 2839) is a close equivalent in the same orange-brown Arts and Crafts territory. It reads slightly more red and brick-toned where Buttered Yam is more amber and orange, but the overall warmth and depth are comparable.