Benjamin Moore Gray Owl: Looking for a light gray paint color that looks fantastic in any room? BM’s Gray Owl is a beautiful, light gray with a slightly blue tint. It is the perfect cooler gray! See how it compares to other Benjamin Moore gray paint colors and what you need to do to decide if it’s the right paint color every time! Plus, see it in living rooms, hallways, bedrooms, and bathrooms!
Picking light gray colors is really tricky! Believe me, I’ve looked at every single light gray paint color known to man. Well, not all of them but a lot of them! So much so that it’s the most common question I get on my blog! After painting almost every single room in our house over the past four years (and making lots of mistakes along the way,) I’ve developed a system. See all my tried and true favorite gray paint colors here in this comprehensive guide and the trick that helps me pick out the perfect paint color the first time every time!
You are likely looking at other gray paint colors in addition to BM Gray Owl, so I’ve shared the most popular light gray paint colors side by side so you can see the differences.
Benjamin Moore Gray Owl 2137-60
Gray Owl is definitely one of the most POPULAR gray paint colours, coming in a hot second to Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter. The funny thing is, Gray Owl is often referred to as a warm gray. And sure, it’s warmer than more traditional cool grays, but on your walls, you can expect it to look cool.
See more of this Gray Owl inspired project here
As for undertones, Gray Owl is a gray-green, but it likes to flash blue…a lot. And while its roots suggest that green would be dominant, you may find this colour is a bit of a chameleon as it bounces in between the two undertones.
Seriously, look at the above photo to see how the undertones can shift – compare the three layers of wall to each other…
A bit more about Gray Owl…
Let’s take a quick break to talk about paint samples…
Undoubtedly, you’ll be heading out in the near future to grab paint samples – stop right there! I want you to check out SAMPLIZE. Samplize offers peel and stick paint samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots. Here are just a FEW reasons why I recommend Samplize to my clients…
Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE
Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray HC-170
Stonington Gray is a soft, stormy looking gray. Why do I say stormy? Well, some consultants like to focus on the science of colour (which can be mildly mind-boggling – to put it lightly, but damn they’re good at it), while I like to keep things pretty meat n’ potatoes with how you can expect a paint colour to look on your walls.
A stormy gray isn’t as fresh and clean looking as a gray with a cleaner blue or blue/green in it. It has a subtle, low-key look and can be a great backdrop for artwork as shown below. And while Stonington Gray does have a slight blue undertone (that can sometimes flash a bit green), it’s pretty soft and subtle.
A bit more about Stonington Gray
Read more: Using LRV to Pick the Perfect Paint Colour
What Undertones Does Gray Owl Have?
Gray Owl has a soft green undertone that can also look blue in certain light. While the green makes it warmer than some other “cool” grays, it will still look like a cool, neutral gray on your wall.
Let me demonstrate how different color schemes (and light) can impact the undertones of Gray Owl.
Paired with SW Extra White (similar: BM Chantilly Lace), you can see how Gray Owl comes off as a clean, neutral gray. Its lighter in color than Repose Gray (background color, a popular Sherwin Williams warm gray) and doesnt have the same level of warmth.
Above, Gray Owl takes on a much stronger green undertone, because it has been paired with this warm, sea-drift tone wood. If you prefer to keep it closer to a neutral, or even blue-gray, then pairing it with lots of bright white trim in a brightly lit room should do the trick.
Agreeable Gray has an LRV of 62. LRV, or Light Reflecting Value, is the number that refers to how light or dark a color is on a scale of 0-100. The closer the number is to 100, the lighter it is (white being the lightest). The closer the number is to 0, the darker it is (black).
At 65, it has enough saturation that it is clearly gray, but it’s also light enough that it won’t feel heavy. If your room is really dark and youre hoping this will perk it up, it may not be light enough. Instead try Benjamin Moore Paper White.
FAQ
Is Gray Owl lighter than Stonington Gray?
What is the undertone of Stonington Gray?
At 65, Gray Owl is undoubtedly a lighter colour and will reflect decent light back into your room. LRV isn’t an exact art, but I would say that Gray Owl is about one tone lighter than Stonington Gray.
