Hi, I’m Katie Webster, the color consultant behind A Season For Home. I’m a trained color expert and I help homeowners choose paint colors that work with their lighting, finishes, and architecture, not just what looks good on Pinterest. My recommendations come from real-world use, client projects, and hands-on testing.

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See Benjamin Moore Beach Glass 1564 on the Ben Moore website.

What Color Is Benjamin Moore Beach Glass?

Benjamin Moore Beach Glass is a low chroma blue paint color with a green undertone. When people search for Beach Glass BM or BM Beach Glass, they usually want to know if it leans blue or green.

Here’s the honest answer: it reads as a muted blue-green, but in most spaces it feels slightly more blue than green. When I analyzed it on a digital level, I found that it is technically a green base (see graphic below) but our eye doesn’t see it this way. Because it has so much gray in it, the saturation collapses and we see it as blue with a beautiful green undertone.

Sorry if that was too technical! In real life, what this means is it won’t feel too icy or overly pastel. It has that hazy, coastal quality that makes a room feel calm and settled.

If you want something crisp and clearly blue, this may feel too softened but don’t let the paint chip fool you. Compare it to other gray blues and you will see that it has plenty of character for most spaces. If you love colors that shift subtly throughout the day, Beach Glass Benjamin Moore is a beautiful option.

LRV of Beach Glass

The LRV of beach glass paint color is 49.7. That places it in the mid-range.

What that means to you and me:

• It reflects a moderate amount of light
• It won’t feel heavy in small rooms
• It can look deeper in low light or north-facing spaces

In bright light, it softens and looks airy. In dim light, the green undertones become more noticeable.

Where Beach Glass Works Best

In my experience, beach glass paint shines in more enclosed spaces. It feels grounding rather than expansive.

I especially love it for:

• I love a Beach Glass Benjamin Moore bedroom with linen, cream or white bedding and natural textures like jute or sisal.
• Bathrooms are the perfect place to add paint colors with a bit of personality. If your home has mostly neutral wall colors, beach glass is a perfect low-chroma hue to add to a smaller enclosed space.
• Dens or home offices with coastal or relaxed traditional vibes expecially with oatmeal colored textiles and layered neutrals

In large open-concept spaces, it can have too much character. For open concepts, I usually recommend a warm neutral and instead add colors like beach glass to rooms off of the main living area that are more contained by cased openings or doors.

The Best White Trim Colors for BM Beach Glass

Because Beach Glass has green undertones, the white you pair with it matters. Too stark and it looks cold. Too creamy and it looks dingy.

These are the whites I reach for:

• BM White Dove: a fantastic all-purpose white with a subtle warmth
• BM Pure White: a cooler grayed-out white that fits with the cooler nature of beach glass paint
• BM Decorator’s White: one of my favorite cool whites because it has enough gray that it doesn’t feel stark
• SW Dover White: a gorgeous option for historical homes and low light conditions
• SW White Duck: my go-to trim color for a softer tonal effect
• SW Creamy: this warm white has unbeatable yellow undertones that are perfect for New England coastal homes and to pair with low chroma colors

If you want a crisp contrast, go with Decorator’s White, Pure White or White Dove. If you prefer soft and cohesive, White Duck is beautiful. If your house is older or your room is dark use Creamy or Dover White. Read more about picking white for trim.

Color Pairings I Love With Beach Glass

One of the reasons I recommend Benjamin Moore Beach Glass is that it plays well with both warm and cool tones.

Here are some combinations that feel intentional:

• Khaki tones like Jonesboro Cream for warmth and balance
• Peachy neutrals like Georgetown Pink Beige for a subtle, flattering glow
• Soft gray navy like Black Pepper by Benjamin Moore for depth and contrast
• Deep teal like Yorktowne Green if you want a richer, layered coastal palette

It also looks beautiful with natural wood, rattan, and aged brass.

This color is a beautiful choice for an accented neutral color scheme. Pairing it with beige, cream and another accent from the above list is a perfect start for a soft beachy interior.

Pro Tip: Katie’s Wallpaper Picks To Go With Beach Glass

Many of my clients are asking about wallpapers in our color consultations and so I am anticipating that you’re wondering what wallpapers would go with Beach Glass. Today I’ve pulled two options for you:

Lewis and Wood Georgia in Gold Slate: Though it has clear inspiration from historical motifs, the scale of this pattern is giant which keeps it feeling fresh and contemporary. See more info here.

Ronald Redding by York Courtyard in Neutral: This would be stunning above wainscotting in either an entry hall or dining room. See more info here.

Comparing Beach Glass to Similar Blue-Gray Paint Colors

If you’re considering Beach Glass, you’re probably also looking at other blue-gray paint colors. Here’s how it stacks up:

• BM Smoke is cleaner and more clearly blue. It feels cooler overall.
• BM Tranquility is more muted with stronger green and gray influence.
• BM Gray Mist leans more green and reads softer.
• BM Gray Cashmere is noticeably brighter and lighter.

Beach Glass sits right in that balanced middle ground. Soft, slightly green, coastal without feeling themed.

Should You Use Beach Glass Benjamin Moore in your home?

If you love calm, muted colors that shift gently with the light, Beach Glass Benjamin Moore is worth sampling. It’s especially strong in bedrooms and bathrooms where you want a relaxed atmosphere.

If you’d like expert help narrowing down your choices, I offer virtual color consultations where I guide you through undertones, lighting, and cohesive whole-home palettes. You can learn more about working with me through A Season For Home. Let’s make sure your paint choice feels right every time you walk into the room.

The post Benjamin Moore Beach Glass Paint Color Review appeared first on A Season For Home.

As a certified color expert, I spend most of my days helping homeowners sift through endless paint chips and talking them off the ledge of second-guessing (because trust me, we’ve all been there). But my love for New England color didn’t start in a color studio. I grew up in a home on the Historic Registry, surrounded by quirky charm and old-house soul. And later, during our own multi-year Vermont farmhouse renovation, I learned just how transformative paint can be. The right color doesn’t just change a room,  it makes an older home feel warm, grounded, and true to its bones.

Over the years, I’ve noticed I return to the same tried-and-true hues again and again. Not because I’m stuck in a rut, but because these colors work beautifully with New England architecture and light. They feel timeless, cozy, and instantly welcoming. Today, I’m sharing those five go-to colors with you, plus the color principles behind why they’re so reliable.

Photo Credit: Crisp Architects

What Paint Colors Are Best for a New England Home?

You might be thinking, Why would paint colors behave differently here? I promise, they do. New England homes come with a special set of characteristics that influence how colors show up on your walls. Here’s what makes this region unique:

• Cooler, softer natural light. Many of my clients, especially those in rural areas, also get strong green reflections from surrounding woods, fields, and mountains especially in the summer months.
• Antique or unpainted wood tones. Older homes often feature warm, rich wood that plays beautifully with some colors and completely clashes with others. Add to that slate tile floors in the mudroom and brick fireplaces, and you have distinct russet browns and reddish earth tones that must be considered when picking paint colors.
• Classic architecture. Colonial lines, farmhouse bones, millwork, and low ceilings give older homes charm but can also create darker spaces. The right paint color can enhance this character instead of fighting against it.
• Major seasonal shifts. Summer sun washes colors out; winter brings cool shadows that make some hues look minty, dingy or muddy. The goal is to choose colors that ride these swings gracefully.
• Bright whites can fall flat. If clean modern whites feel harsh, sterile, or oddly gray in your home, you’re not imagining it. Luckily, there’s a workaround.
• Timeless New England style favors earthy, desaturated color. Ou color palette in New England is rooted in Colonial Pigments. As a result, low-chroma colors (aka dirty colors) and historically inspired hues feel naturally at home here (and no, you don’t have to stick to the “Historic” fan deck to get the look!)

With that foundation in mind, here are the five paint colors I recommend over and over for New England homes.

1. Warm, Creamy Off-Whites

It’s hard to pick a favorite, but one of my most reliable creamy off whites that looks gorgeous (even in the darkest spaces) is Sherwin Williams Dover White. This is the white paint I go to again and again for ceilings, trim and white walls.

Sherwin Williams Dover White. Photo Credit: @hatcliffconstruction

Why We Love Dover White By Sherwin Williams

• One of the biggest mistakes I made when we bought our 1790s farmhouse was painting the walls of our dark dining room White Dove by Benjamin Moore. What I didn’t know was that certain white paints look terrible in dark spaces! Silly me, I was just trying to brighten it up.
• What I learned in my Color Expert Certification traing is that this is a common misconception. In fact, bright whites can look flat or dingy in low light, but creamy whites glow in dark interiors with small windows or porches overhanging. Warm whites with yellow undertones can even handle the cool northern light we get in the winter!
• Now I know that Dover White is stunning in low light rooms. It has the same high LRV (83) as White Dove but carries more warmth, perfect for darker New England rooms.
• It plays beautifully with antique furniture, patina-rich wood, and traditional trim.
• While it isn’t stark, sterile, or overly yellow it also feels classic, cozy, and quietly historic.
• I highly suggest considering a warm off-white like Dover White as a softer alternative for trim when you want white but not builder-basic white.

Best for: Trim, ceiling and anywhere you want to use white. It looks great in foyers, on kitchen cabinets, living rooms, bedrooms and hallways.

2. Soft Beiges, Taupes & Warm Greiges

I feel like a broken record sometimes, but I will happily admit that Sherwin Williams Neutral Ground is one of my most recomended paint shades when coming up with clients home color combination . I literally cannot count the number of clients for whom I have specified this creamy warm neutral beige paint color!

But don’t run away when you hear me say “beige” this is much softer and lighter than the beige paints of yore. This is much lighter and not as intensely yellow of the beiges of the early 2000s.

Neutral Ground on The walls with darker contrast trim in a mudroom. Photo: @buildingacasehouse

Why It Works

• Neutral Ground handles both summer’s strong directional light and winter’s cool blue shadows.
• A higher LRV (70) brightens darker homes with low ceilings and small windows.
• Feels grounding and warm during long winter months.
• Doesn’t clash with earthy fixed elements like brick and antique floors.
• A perfect backdrop for the muted greens, reds, and blues often found in historic New England homes. Having a workhorse neutral like Neutral Ground is key when using an accented neutral scheme for interior design.

Best For: living rooms, dining rooms, parlors, historic trim moments

3. Earthy Sage Greens

Examples: Benjamin Moore Nantucket Gray (shown above in my office) or Sherwin Williams Grassland

Why It Works

• Soft, muted, low-chroma greens feel naturally at home in New England’s landscapes and historic architecture.
• Timeless without drifting into “colonial kitsch.”
• Beautiful for cabinetry, wainscotting, and even exterior trim.
• Adds color while keeping the overall palette calm and refined.
• Looks great with muddy and complex undertones of fixed elements like stone, brick and aged wood.

Best For: mudrooms, kitchens, libraries, guest rooms

4. Dusty Gray-Blues

When I meet with my clients before our color consulting appointments, I always make sure to ask what colors they are drawn to. Three quarters of the time the answer is often greens or blues. When I sift back through the paint schedules I have created, these dusty blues come up time and time again.

Examples: Brewster Gray, Wales Gray, Templeton Gray, Puritan Gray (all Benjamin Moore)

Brewster Gray by Benjamin Moore is a perfect example of a New England paint color that can be used on walls, trim or accents and always feels timeless.

Why It Works

• All of these above mentioned blue gray paint colors have enough weight for traditional millwork but stay soft and livable thanks to gentle graying.
• These mid tones vibe effortlessly with historic wood, clear old-growth pine planks, aged oak, even yellow-leaning maple.
• Look New England coastal, farmhouse, or traditional depending on your styling.
• I love these colors for reverse trim in spaces with lots of ornamental woodwork.

Best For: Stairwells with tons of woodwork, bathrooms, bedrooms, mudrooms, breezeways, Federal-era home’s foyers and stately home offices.

5. Earthy, Desaturated Reds (Brick Tones)

While red is not a paint color that comes to mind for most people, earthy brick colored pigments are traditional early New England and always look at home in the classic homes of the North East. I use these red paint colors in moderation for my paint schemes. The key is to use them for a pop of contrast!
Examples: Benjamin Moore Audubon Russet, Walnut and Boston Brick

A rusty red bench in a mudroom gives a pop of contrast. Photo: @sanfordcollectiveinteriors

Why It Works

• Browned, earthy reds with warm undertones feel rooted and authentic, never costume-y like blue or purple-leaning burgundies. I love those that look like they were created using natural pigments.
• Provide the “pop” most color schemes need while still looking natural and historic.
• Perfect for unexpected moments of charm: interior doors, stair risers, a kitchen island, or built-ins.
• Echo classic New England barn reds and brick tones.

Best For: front doors, dining rooms, interior doors, built-ins

How to Choose the Right Color for Your New England Home

Keep these principles in mind as you narrow your options:

• Pay attention to light direction, it changes everything. North facing rooms and those with small windows or low ceilings get less warm direct light and the colors will need to be adjusted accordingly.
• Consider your wood undertones, they’re part of the palette whether you want them to be or not. A lot of older wood floors and beams have orange tones which pair well with blues and greens but clash with taupes. Keep that in mind when you are picking your main neutral and your highlight colors.
• Look down. Your floors matter more than most people realize. As do the other fixed elements in your home including brick, stone and slate.
• Your personal style determines how muted or saturated you should go. While traditional New England colors are based on colonial era pigments, if you prefer a bit more saturation, the key is keeping it consistant throughtout your whole home palette.

The post The Essential New England Color Palette: 5 Foolproof Paint Colors for Classic Homes appeared first on A Season For Home.

My favorite thing about BM Ballet White OC-9 is that it lacks any bossy tonality or noticible undertones. I go to it over and over again when someone wants a paint color other than white, but doesn’t really want much color at all!

What Color is Ballet White Benjamin Moore?

Ballet White (OC-9) is a beautifully balanced, soft neutral that sits somewhere between an off-white and a light greige. It’s part of Benjamin Moore’s Off-White Collection, which includes some of their most versatile, designer-loved shades. Ballet White has a creamy warmth that gives it a gentle, inviting feel without trending yellow.

In natural light, it feels fresh and soft without being stark. In low light, I’ve noticed that it deepens into the gray side of its personality, while retaining just enough warmth to prevent it from looking like a gray paint color. In sunnier rooms it can lean peachy at times.

In my house I used it in our primary suite. Our bedroom is painted Benjamin Moore Natural Cream, and I used Ballet White which is a bit lighter, just in the darker hallway and dressing room. In my work as a professional color consultant, it is one of the Minimalist Paint Colors I turn to again and again for clients who don’t want to paint their walls white but who are looking for a bright neutral that won’t darken their space.

What is the LRV of BM Ballet White?

Ballet White has an LRV (Light Reflectance Value) of 73.54, which means it reflects a good amount of light while still having enough body to show up clearly on the wall. Its color value is bright enough to keep a space feeling open and airy but not so light that it washes out. In other words, it’s the kind of neutral that looks intentional, not just “painted white.”

What Are Its Undertones?

Ballet White has warm undertones with a mix of beige and gray, and a very subtle hint of peach. It’s like a greige with a creamy twist. The undertones are soft and muted, which helps the color stay neutral and flexible. It rolls from lightly peachy to warm gray depending on the lighting exposure.

Notes About Lighting and Exposure

As with any paint color, lighting makes all the difference.

• In the winter, I have noticed a cooler green-gray tonality in the spaces in our primary suite (those that don’t have much direct light.) While I personally do not have Ballet White in North Facing spaces, I can surmise that without direct light, you’ll notice this cooler gray quality more.
• In our daughter’s East Facing bathroom, there is quite a bit of reflection that pulls out the warmth.
• When the setting sun hits our West-facing dressing room, Ballet White has a soft peachiness that feels lovely. In rooms with southern exporsure warm light brings out any paint color’s warmth.

If you’re using Ballet White throughout your home, these shifts in tone can actually be a strength. The color adapts beautifully to changing light, which is one reason it works so well as a whole-house color.

Whites to Pair with Ballet White by Benjamin Moore

Because Ballet White leans warm, it pairs best with softer, warmer whites rather than crisp, cool ones. A few great options include:

• Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17): a soft, creamy white that complements Ballet White without feeling too yellow. All of the photos in this post show White Dove trim and ceilings.
• Sherwin-Williams Pure White SW 7005: This tried and true all-purpose white is a great match for Ballet White. I’ve included it in our Ballet White Color Palette below.
• Benjamin Moore Simply White (OC-117): Slightly brighter and cleaner than White Dove, it’s perfect for trim if you want more contrast.
• Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee (OC-45): adds a tone-on-tone warmth that feels cohesive and cozy.

Ballet White Color Palette

Ballet white is an ideal whole-house color! Use this Ballet White Color Palette to plan your home’s interior. It’s lovely for large open concept living spaces. Or use it in transitional spaces (like your foyer and hallways) and the accent colors for rooms off of the main space.

• Sherwin Williams Pure White: This softened white has a smidge of gray and warmth to it that goes with nearly every paint color. This is a beauty paired with Ballet White. It is crisp without feeling dated or stark
• Benjamin Moore Pashmina: Use this soft taupe in spaces adjacent to BM Ballet White when you want an enveloping coziness. It is great for a family room or home office.
• Benjamin Moore Brentwood: I love the way rich terracottas and low chroma reds look with Ballet White Benjamin Moore. Paint built-ins or cabinets in this russet color with Ballet White on the walls for a look with classic appeal. I’d encourage you to fins accessories in this hue as well to repeat this color through your space.
• Benjamin Moore October Mist: This softened green is a notch lighter than Creekside Green and appeals to those who favor lighter tones like Ballet White. October Mist and Ballet White would make a stunning combo in a kitchen!
• Benjamin Moore Puritain Gray: Don’t let the name fool you, this is a blue paint color without any vibrant saturation. It looks so good with reverse trim. You could also use it to paint furniture pieces in a bedroom painted Ballet White.
• Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal: Instead of a harsh black, opt to give your scheme depth with a little softness. I love Kendall Charcoal for its warmth while lacking any overt yellow tones.

If this paint color scheme isn’t perfect for you, but you love the idea of having a planned out cohesive color palette, make sure you download our 5-free color palettes.

How to Use in Your Home

Ballet White is one of those colors that truly shines as a whole-house paint color. It flows beautifully from room to room, creating a sense of continuity and calm. It’s especially well-suited for open-concept homes where you want subtle variation without sharp transitions.

As you map out your home’s color palette, remember that it’s important to create flow from room to room. Ballet White can help smooth this transition in any hallways or spaces where a more colorful hue would feel jarring. I like to use colors like this in hallways and large

It brightens a space and pairs well with warm wood tones, woven textures, or brass accents. This is the ideal color to use in an Accented Neutral Color Scheme. In bedrooms and living spaces, it provides the perfect soft backdrop for art and textiles without feeling flat or sterile.

If you have a vaulted ceiling, Ballet White is light enough to use on the walls and ceiling, which will help to avoid the patchy effect created by the angles where the walls and ceiling join.

Ballet White for Exterior

For exteriors, Ballet White reads as a creamy off-white. It won’t look stark in bright sunlight, and it maintains just enough warmth to complement both stone and brick. Paired with a crisp white trim and soft black accents like Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron, it creates a balanced, classic look.

Ballet White Cabinets

Ballet White kitchen cabinets are a great option if you are thinking of white cabinets, but want something a little creamier or warmer. Pair the cabinets with marble-like quartz or natural stone countertops, light wood floors, and brass hardware for a lighter feel. To balance the brightness of the Ballet White you could opt for a darker countertop like granite or soapstone to offer contrast. If you love the trend toward a Cashmere Kitchen, defintely look at Ballet White as an option!

Similar Colors to Try

If you’re drawn to Ballet White but want to explore a few close alternatives, consider:

• Benjamin Moore Classic Gray (OC-23) – a lighter, cooler and whispy option that passes as white when color drenched. To see its effermal warmer character pair it with a stark white like Chantilly lace or a cool white like Decorator’s White.
• Benjamin Moore Natural Cream – Natural Cream is a touch darker than Ballet White and a good choice to paint in adjacent spaces with more natural light. This is a very popular color (for a reason) and another great one to look at for cabinetry.
• Sherwin-Williams Accessible Beige (SW 7036) – a comparable taupey greige paint color with considerably more depth.
• Benjamin Moore Winds Breath (OC-24) – similar softness, a bit less warmth. This paint color can look light gray in certain houses- but is a good shade to look at if you want a barely there look.

How to Know if Ballet White Is Right for Your Home

The best way to know if Ballet White will work in your space is to test it. Paint a few large swatches on different walls and observe how it changes throughout the day. Look at it next to your trim, flooring, and furnishings—these fixed elements will affect how the undertones appear.

If you’re looking for a color that feels calm, timeless, and elegant without being too white or too beige, Ballet White might just be the perfect middle ground. It’s one of those colors that quietly supports everything around it, and in my experience, that’s exactly what makes it so enduring.

More Warm Neutral Paint Colors

If you are researching neutral paint colors don’t miss these other color reviews.

• Benjamin Moore Tapestry Beige: This greige has a subtle touch of green
• Benjamin Moore Collingwood: This is a more gray option if Ballet feels too warm for you.
• Muslin by Benjamin Moore: A soft pink undertone gives this beige a bit of character without clashing
• Navajo White by Benjamin Moore: A popular cream paint color with peachy undertones
• Sherwin-Williams Wool Skein: A soft khaki with very little saturation.
• Smoky Taupe by Benjamin Moore: A mid-tone taupe without any brassy undertones. So if you like greige and taupes vs beige, this is one to look at. Consider it for additional spaces in your home if you like Ballet!

If you are still not sure, sign up for a one on one virtual color consultation with me!

The post Ballet White Benjamin Moore Review appeared first on A Season For Home.

If you’ve been scrolling paint decks for the perfect gray green that isn’t too cold or too yellow, put this one on your list to test. In this post, I’ll break down everything you need to know about Creekside Green Benjamin Moore: its undertones, LRV, where to use it, what whites pair best, and even a few alternatives to check out. I’ll also give you my honest opinion about how it actually looks on the wall.

What Color Is Benjamin Moore Creekside Green (2141-40)?

BM Creekside Green 2141-40(also sometimes referred to as Creek Side Green) is a medium-depth green gray paint color with a hint of warmth that keeps it from feeling too chilly. It lands somewhere between green and gray, leaning slightly sage but still neutral enough to work as a backdrop color.

It has loads of chalky white pigment and gray blended into it to make it feel soft and historical.

TREND ALERT: “Chalky” is a term that is popping up again and again in the paint world! Benjamin Moore’s color of the year 2026, Silouhette is the perfect example of this huge trend in paint right now. Basically, Silhouhette is to brown as charcoal is to black. If this analogy is working for you, then apply it to Creekside green! Creekside Green is to Green as Charcoal is to Black!

If all this talk of depth, warmth and chalky tones has your head swimming. What you need to know is that in real life, Creekside Green has that earthy subtlety for when you want a green that doesn’t scream my 8-year old helped me pick out this green. It’s muted and natural—with a silvery quality of garden fresh sage.

LRV of Creekside Green Benjamin Moore

The LRV (Light Reflectance Value) of Creekside Green is 31.43, which puts it in the darker midtone range. It absorbs a good deal of light instead of bouncing it around, so it feels more grounded and dimensional than a lighter gray green (like October Mist.)

In bright daylight, it shows more of its green side. In dimmer spaces, it leans deeper and moodier, almost like a weathered gray with a green cast. If you want a color that changes throughout the day, this one definitely does.

While an LRV of 31 sounds really dark, I want to reassure you it is not going to feel oppressive! I originally discovered Creekside Green because I was looking for a lighter version of Antique Pewter by Ben Moore.

Undertones of BM Creekside Green

Creekside Green is a gray green paint with a hidden orange undertone. Yes you read that right- orange! Undertone is where paint color gets tricky, and why I find paint so fascinating! When I analized Creekside Green’s base color on a digital value, I learned that it comes from a blend of orangish yellow and gray, not green at all.

Paint Color Nerd Note: Nantucket Gray, is another paint color with this odd hidden orange undertone. While I don’t have access to the acutal recipes from Ben Moore I do know that when I was studying painting in college I often made greens like this by blending yellow and black. My guess is, this is essentially the same thing. It is an interesting way the color pigments mix and interact- but with house paint pigments!

What this means in real life is, Creekside Green Benjamin Moore appears like a muted sage green paint color. And if you’ve read this far, you already are aware there are tons of green paint colors that can be called muted and sage. But Creekside Green will never feel sophmoric, brash, childish, garish or bright. It will always feel sophisticated, nuanced, complex and curated.

These qualities are what make this color so interesting. In my apartment kitchen the paint color looks entirely different on different surfaces. The light warms it up a bit in some areas and in others it looks much cooler. I like it because it never feels flat or one-dimensional. It shifts, but always stays tasteful.

Where to Use It in Your Home

This color works best when you give it something to play off of. I used super dark brown trim and hung cast iron on the wall for contrast. Here are some other ways to consider using BM Creekside Green:

• Kitchen cabinets: This color looks amazing in our apartment kitchen paired with unlacquered brass and blackish green soapstone counters. We used it on the walls with taupe cabinets, but the reverse could easily work!
• Bedrooms: I love a deep green bedroom. Creekside will give a cozy, cocoon-like feel without going too dark. I’d love to see it with natural linen and oatmeal colored textiles.
• Bathrooms: BM Creekside Green pairs beautifully with warm marble or quartz, basic white tile, or mixed metals.
• Built-ins and millwork: I especially like darker mid-tone paint colors like this on millwork, bookshelves or a fireplace surround.
• Mudrooms or entryways – it hides dirt and adds character. Use it for your cubbies or built ins!

Whites to Pair with Creekside Green Benjamin Moore

Since Creekside Green is lacking saturation or what is sometimes called a dirty color, I like to put it together with warm off-whites without much saturation. These are safe bets:

• Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17): My favorite all-purpose white. BM White Dove is not going to feel overly cool or stark. It has warmth and gray to mellow it out a bit. A much better bet than Chantilly Lace.
• Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee: I used this as the white in our finished barn and it is super pretty with greens. The warmth feels velvety with Creekside Green.
• Sherwin-Williams Greek Villa: I verified this creamy classic white. It is a great default white, and is lovely with the muted complexity of Creekside.
• Sherwin-Williams White Duck: If you have been reading here for a while, you know I always push going with a darker white for trim. The best one for BM 2141-40 is White Duck. It feels warm, without being yellow, and has enough gray in it that the pairing feels fresh and of the current moment.

If you’re feeling bold, try color drenching which is painting the trim and walls the same color. It makes a small space feel intentional and dramatic in the best way.

What Colors Go With Creekside Green

Creekside Green is surprisingly flexible. It looks great with a mix of earthy and neutral colors. Stick with colors that have a similar level of chroma for most cohesive feel.

Neutrals To Pair With Creekside Green

Other than the whites I mentioned above, you have a lot of options with warm neutrals. While I love this green juxtaposed with a cooler greige like Revere Pewter, I feel like these colder neutrals are trending out, and you may regret using them in your home.

I love the way it looks with Benjamin Moore Crisp Khaki, which is one of my favorite Khaki Paint Colors. With Creekside Green, the golden undertones in Crisp Khaki look warm and buttery! I looked through a ton of options and this paint color hits a certain sweet spot. I think partly because its LRV 54.6 looks just right with the depth of this green. For a lighter khaki, you can use Wool Skein. If you want an alternative warm neutral that doesn’t pull yellow or gol,d you could use Minimalist from Sherwin Williams, a favorite for minimalist interiors, or Accessible Beige.

Coordinating Colors

The key to picking coordinating colors for this green paint color is that they all feel like they live in the same color world and create a lot of interesting energy together. I love the way a soft plum like Kasbah from Ben Moore AF-640 or vintage peach like Ben Moore Galt Peach CW-210 or pretty much any of my favorite Peach Paint Colors would look great with it. If you like softer yellows, I’d go with a butter yellow like Ivory Porcelain/Ivory Tusk.

Dark Colors and Alternatives To Black

I don’t recommend black paint, and instead call for nearly black hues instead. In this palette I used Sherwin-Williams Clove on my trim in the space with the Creekside Green in my kitchen and it is such a great alternative to black. It has richness, plenty of depth, but instead of harshness, there is a subtlety that I highly recommend. If you want a super dark with green undertones (like for your window trim) use Tavern Charcoal by Ben Moore. It is a great match.

Alternative Colors to Try

If you like the look of Creekside Green Benjamin Moore but want to compare a few others, here are some close cousins worth sampling:

• Benjamin Moore October Mist (1495) – Way softer thank Creekside and delightfully silvery. If Creekside is too deep for you- this former color of the year is a trusted green. I’d love to see it in a sun-drenched breakfast room
• Sherwin-Williams Evergreen Fog (SW 9130) – A tried and true option (another COTY in fact) if you want a cooler green with stronger blue undertones.
• Benjamin Moore Nantucket Gray: This gray green paint color is a bit earthier and leans even more into that orange base. It is a shade lighter than Creekside. I have these two in adjacent spaces and they jive quite nicely.
• Benajamin Moore Antique Pewter: If you want to go darker than Creekside, Antique Pewter is your girl. I have this color on the other side of the Creekside, and it is a whisper more deep and in my opinion it looks legit gorgeous in darker rooms- for when you want to lean into the depth!

Final Thoughts

While I am not going to claim this paint color will work for everyone, in every situation, I do have a strong affinity for it. I’ve used it in our apartment kitchen and I love the darker value, because it is balanced by a white-washed quality that makes it feel like it is straight out of an antique farmhouse. So while it is on trend, it is also going to have staying power, and you won’t want to repaint in a few years.

If you have been on the hunt for a gray-green sage paint, then I highly recommend sampling Benjamin Moore Creekside Green 2141-40. In our farmhouse kitchen, it is balanced, interesting, and has just enough gray to make it feel grown-up. I’ve decorated the adjacent living space with off-white, taupe, chocolate and green textiles with pops of brick red for contrast. The overall look is timeless and welcoming.

I love watching this paint change throughtout the day. Every time the light shifts, it surprises me in a good way. It’s one of those colors that makes a space feel pulled together without looking overdesigned. Definitely one to sample, you might end up loving it as much as I do!

Need more help with your paint colors? Sign up for a Virtual Paint Color Consultation. I will help you select the perfect colors for your home.

The post Benjamin Moore Creekside Green Review appeared first on A Season For Home.

I have a lot to say about this choice so read on to learn about why they picked this color, what colors it goes with and my two cents on how to use it (or not use it!) Read on for this paint color review of BM Silhouette.

If I were to try to explain this color I would say the following: Silhouette is to brown what charcoal is to black. It has a bit of white pigment added to it to make it seem a little ashy.

It also has an aubergine undertone that can be seen in brighter lighting conditions or when you look at it next to redder browns.

The Undertones of Silhouette

Silhouette isn’t your typical dark brown. It carries a quiet purple undertone that gives it a smoky elegance—almost like espresso with a hint of plum. In bright light, you might catch a whisper of violet, while in dim light it leans more earthy and grounded. It’s the kind of color that changes personality throughout the day, which is part of its charm.

Benjamin Moore AF-655LRV Factor

If you’re new to the term LRV, it stands for Light Reflectance Value. Basically, it measures how much light a color reflects on a scale of 0 to 100. With an LRV of 10.18, Silhouette absorbs most of the light in a room. It’s definitely a dark paint color, so it works best in spaces that get some natural light—or as an accent in smaller doses, like on cabinetry, an interior door, or a moody dining room wall.

How to Use Silhouette in Your Home

Silhouette shines when used in places that benefit from depth and contrast. It’s a natural fit for millwork, trim, built-ins, cabinets, and stair risers—anywhere you want a polished, architectural look. On woodwork, it feels classic and substantial.

If you’re craving a little drama, try it in a small space like a powder room. Instead of painting just one wall, drench the whole room—walls, trim, even the ceiling. This approach gives it a cozy, jewel-box effect. Add brass or warm metallic fixtures to reflect light and keep the space from feeling too heavy.

Silhouette also plays beautifully with texture. Think grasscloth wallpaper, linen window treatments, or natural stone. The contrast of rich color with tactile finishes gives a room so much dimension.

Color Palette For Silhouette

Because Silhouette is so deep and sophisticated, it pairs best with warm neutrals, khaki and low-chroma, unsaturated midtones. I’ve put together a palette that balances it beautifully:

• Dover White (SW 6385) – a soft, creamy white that adds warmth
• Wool Skein (SW 6148) – a soft khaki, Wool Skein balances Silhouette’s depth
• Relaxed Khaki (SW 6149) – an current-moment warm neutral with midtone depth. This is one shade lighter than Universal Khaki, Sherwin-Williams’ color of the year.
• Antique Pewter (HC-187) – a mid-tone gray-green that adds subtle contrast
• Ten Gallon Hat (SW 6361) – a spicy, reddish saddle brown that brings energy
• Shelburne Buff (HC-28) – a dirty golden beige has plenty of complexity to pair with the tones in Silhouette

Together, they create a palette that feels warm and layered—like a well-tailored outfit that never goes out of style.

What to Watch Out For

As gorgeous as Silhouette is, it’s not a paint-it-and-go kind of color. A few things to keep in mind:

• Avoid pairing it with high-chroma colors. Bright, saturated hues will fight against its subtle, smoky quality. Stick with other muted tones or neutrals for the most harmonious look.
• Be mindful of the purple undertone. If you don’t love that slight violet cast, avoid pairing Silhouette with strong yellows or reds—they’ll exaggerate it. It behaves best in spaces that lean warm or have balanced light.
• Pay attention to your light bulbs. Cool, blue-toned bulbs will pull out the purple and make the color feel colder. Warm or soft-white bulbs will bring out its brown side and make it feel richer and more grounded.
• Use with intention in dark rooms. Silhouette will read even darker with limited natural light. In that case, embrace the moodiness rather than fighting it—just layer in warm finishes and soft lighting.

What Whites Pair With Silhouette

I would pair it with warm whites and those with a bit of gray in them some favorites include:

White Dove by Benjamin Moore: This is my go-to white and great for a whole-house white.

Toque White by Sherwin Williams: This muted white has a bit of a violet undercast that will be a good match for the undertones in Silhouette.

Sheep’s Wool or Intense White from Benjamin Moore: This has the depth that Toque White has but with a gray cast. It’ll give you the feeling of contrast without any harshness.

my Opinions For BM Silhouette AF-655

I was wrong. I predicted Ben Moore was going to go with a rich bronze toned paint color for 2026. While I am trying to set aside my *sniff* hurt feelings, I appreciate their thought process in why they picked this color. Essentially, Silhouette feels like the natural next step in color trends.

On a side note: I will say I am not sure why they went with another purple for the second year in a row, I have only had one color consulting client in the last year ask for a purple, and that was for a little girl’s room. So I think they may be off on a slightly odd tangent with that aspect of this color. That said, Silhouette feels like the natural next step in color trends as far as its dark value and grayed pallor.

In my eyes, interior trends have already embraced black and white, explored the deep blues and charcoals, and now we’re ready for something that feels softer, warmer, and more nuanced. This color brings mood and depth without feeling stark or cold.

As a rule I stay away from true blacks, and always try to choose deep dark paint colors that have a hint of a hue in them. I can see an occasion where I may need a black-alternative that has to have a purple undertone. However having used Bucktrout Brown, another brown with aubergine undertones, I would say to use it with extreme caution. Test it in your space and make sure it works in all the lighting conditions.

I do think I will recomend it upon occasion as it is a sophisticated way of bringing depth into a space without the harshness of a true black paint.

The post Benjamin Moore Silhouette Review (Color of The Year 2026) appeared first on A Season For Home.

Benjamin Moore Nantucket Gray

This tried and true paint color is one of my favorites of all time. In my husband’s building business, we have used this warm gray green paint color on the exterior of homes and in commercial spaces. At home, in our Vermont farmhouse, we have used it to highlight the millwork in my home office.

So if you are looking into whether or not this is the right muted green paint color for you, you are in the right place. Read on to learn all about it!

It is absolutely gorgeous on wainscoting and trim, but it can also work as a wall color too! While it is a darker paint color, the slight softened and chalky tones make it both currently on-trend and evocative of it’s Historical Collection roots!

BM Nantucket Gray Undertones

Don’t let the name fool you, Nantucket Gray is definitely not a gray paint color! It is a green paint color with relatively low saturation and warm olive tones.

To understand a paint color’s undertone it is helpful to compare it to other colors. This process of comparison helps our eyes and brains understand color better. It is quite clear that Nantucket Gray is not a gray when comparing it side by side with Repose Gray which is a neutral gray paint color.

Next, look at the interesting thing that happens when you put Nantucket Gray next to a cooler green like Evergreen Fog. See them side by side in the image below.

Comparing these two green paints allows us to see the subtle orange undertone in Nantucket Gray. This orange undertone secretly hides beneath its gray green surface and is what makes it so complex!

The last way we will come to fully understand the undertones of this enigmatic paint color is to compare it to a low-chroma tan like Greenbrier Beige.

In this way we are back to seeing the green side of this color! But without any illusions! Next we’ll talk about the LRV of this color.

What colors Go With Nantucket Gray?

Nantucket Gray fits seamlessly into homes with New England Style. It’s part of my recommended Historic Paint Colors that work in 2026. This color looks excellent with khaki paint colors and creamy off-whites without too much yellow.

I also love the way Nantucket Gray looks with textiles in shades of russet red, brick and terracotta. Emily Starr paired it beautifully with a muted Prussian blue color on her mantle. Navy would also be really lovely with Nantucket Gray. Two of my favorite navy paints are Soot and Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore.

In my office, we painted the floor with Gloucester Sage from Benjamin Moore. It is almost like a deeper version of Nantucket Gray and the pairing looks great with the sisal area rug and White Dove paneling and cabinets.

If using it for reverse trim like I did in my office, you could use Sherwin-Williams Wool Skein or Tapestry Beige by Benjamin Moore on the walls and the Nantucket gray on the trim, wainscoting and doors. For a contemporary look color drench your space with it and pair with White Oak like the below mudroom space from Shapeless Studio.

Where to Use Nantucket Gray HC-111 In Your Home

This color looks great in kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms. I also love it for a mudroom or hallway with shiplap or wainscotting! Due to it’s mid-dark LRV it is best paired with creamy off-whites and light khakis to keep spaces from becoming too dark.

Nantucket Gray Kitchen Cabinets

Can you use Nantucket Gray on kitchen cabinets? Yes! Nantucket Gray is a terrific choice for traditional kitchen cabinets, espically shaker front and inset style doors. Use brass drawer pulls for a warm classic feel. A black soapstone counter paired with it (look for a slab without a ton of green) or black slate would be lovely. Black granite would also be a timeless choice. I also love white marble-like quartz counters. That’s what we have in our kitchen and I love how durable they are! Do not do a brown granite, as this will look dated and evoke Tuscan kitchen vibes from the early 2000s!

Image: Julia Chasman Design shows us a perfect example of Nantucket Gray on kitchen cabinets (left) and Caroline Meehan (right) shows how a creamy off-white looks with BM Nantucket Gray cabinets.

Nantucket Gray For Exterior

My mom’s house is painted Nantucket Gray (see image above) and it is timeless, cottagey (is that a word) and the perfect level green without too much saturation. Notice how she used a muted creamy trim color? I think this is key! Please, don’t go with a stark white on your trim.

A good exterior trim color to go with Nantucket Gray is White Duck by Sherwin Williams (LRV 74.) This will give the impression of “white” trim without the harsh look of pure white.

PRO TIP: If you are replacing your windows, choose a non-white window with creamy neutral tones. I like Andersen Windows and Doors “Canvas” color. If you go with Canvas, Benjamin Moore makes a paint that matches it exactly. This way your trim matches your windows and the whole unit will read as one color. This detail can make the home look more expensive and it makes the windows look more elevated. Read more about picking exterior colors here.

I think this color is best for a coastal bungalo, on a traditional New England style homes like a high posted Cape or for a Colonial revival style home. If you want to compare some other greens for exteriors read this.

Similar Paint Colors

• Farrow and Ball French Gray: This is the best dupe for Cheyanne Green or Nantucket Gray. It is a couple of notches lighter (it has a LRV of 43 vs Nantucket Gray which is 39.)
• Svelte Sage by Sherwin-Williams: This is a favorite of mine that is very similar. I’ve recomended it in several homes for my color consulting clients. It is a very similar value and saturation, but slightly warmer.
• Benjamin Moore Victorian Garden: This is very close but a little more gray and less green. If you are looking for an exterior color that’ll pull a little less warm, try this one.
• Ben Moore Texas Sage: This is one notch darker, so if you brush it out on your exterior and feel that it could be a touch darker, try Texas Sage too.

Lighting Considerations

Ultimately we can talk about this paint color until we are blue in the face, but what matters is how it looks in your space with the lighting of the room. In warm light and rooms with Southern exposure the orange lurking below the surface will be more noticible. In North-facing rooms it will appear more cool and gray. In rooms wihtout much natural light it may look much less saturated.

How Do You Know If Benjamin Moore Cheyenne Green (aka Nantucket Gray) Is Right For You

Consider Whole House Color Scheme: The best way to know if this color is right for you is to look at your whole house color shceme and see if Cheyanne Green (aka Nantucket Gray) harmonizes or not. Ideally when you move from space to space in your home, you want the colors to flow and work together. The easiest way to do this is to pick up a paint chips at your local paint store, or purchase large scale samples from Samplize (that’s an affiliate link by the way) of each color in your home. Add Nantucket Gray to it and see if they go together.

Test It Out: Next, test this paint color on your wall! You can do this first, mess free with your large sample sheets. I always recomend to my Color Consulting clients to look at the sheets on different walls and at different times of day in varying light conditions. After you’re sure you like it, then buy a small can and test it out on the wall. Try to cover a large enough space so that you are not seeing the color underneath- which will influence your perception of the color.

Need More Paint Color Help? Sign up for a one on one paint color consultation —virtually! Our tried and true method using color correction accounts for the unique fixed elements in your space as well as your design vision! Simply click here to learn more about working together.

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Today’s paint color review will include loads of details about this subtle neutral paint color, including undertones, coordinating colors and white paints for trim, LRV and more! Read on to find out if this popular taupe paint is the right color to use in your space.

Looking for the perfect taupe paint color? Here are my 16 top taupe paint colors (arranged from lightest to darkest.)

Why I Love Benjamin Moore Smokey Taupe

If I could go back in time, I would have painted our main foyer and upper hallway in Smokey Taupe instead of painting Collingwood. Our attached apartment was the last area in the house to be painted when we bought our Farmhouse fixer upper. For the color scheme, I wanted to decorate with chocolate browns, greens, cream and taupe. So I used Smokey Taupe on the trim in the living room with creamy off white walls and then reversed the scheme and painted the apartment bedroom walls Smokey Taupe with the white trim.

Once I discovered how gorgeous this taupe paint looks on the walls (and trim) I wanted a time machine to use it in the main house, which we had just painted a few months before! Here are a few reasons I love it and recommend it to color consulting clients.

• It is the perfect low chroma warm neutral with minimal undertones to use for accented neutral color schemes.
• The lack of undertones makes it perfect for someone looking for a minimalist paint color or folks who don’t want to add a colorful hue to their walls- but they do want a bit of warmth.
• I just love the way it adds dimension to our interior design and a touch of warmth without looking dated. Plus it doesn’t lean too pink like so many beige paint colors.
• It goes great with gray! So if you have leftover furniture and decor from the gray trend that you’re trying to meld into today’s warmer neutrals, taupe is your friend! I found a rug for the bedroom that has gray, taupe and cream in it to tie our existing grayish nightstands in with the warmer browns and cream.

What is Taupe Anyway?

Before we get too far into this paint color review, I want to define what a taupe color is. Taupe is like a blend of gray and tan. Taupe is similar to greige (which is a blend of gray and beige) but it is darker! If you’ve geeked out and read my Color Theory posts, I can say this and you’ll know just what I mean: Compared to beige, taupe is cooler, less saturated and intrinsically low chroma.

If that was like reading hieroglyphs, you can learn about color saturation, color chroma and color temperature next!

Undertone Of Smokey Taupe

The reason I love this color so much is that it barely has any undertone at all. BM Smokey Taupe 983 has the faintest amount of hue and is almost gray. That said, its parent hue is orange, which you can see in the image below, and where it falls in its degree of saturation.

While taupe is cooler than beige or tan, it is still considered a warm neutral. To illustrate this point, when set next to Repose Gray by Sherwin-Williams, it is clear to see the warmth of Smokey Taupe.

While it is almost imperceptible, this color does have a whisper of pink in it. I have only noticed it in certain lights when paired with green (or other neutrals with green in them, like Tapestry Beige.) It is not unpleasant, and not as prominent as Muslin, another warm neutral paint by BM.

I originally found out about this light taupe paint color, by reading about how interior designers love it precisely because it doesn’t have any pesky undertones. The lack of strong undertones makes it a perfect warm neutral paint color if you do not like yellow or if you are looking for a warm neutral to go with gray furnishings (or floors.)

LRV For Ben Moore Smokey Taupe- 983

The LRV is 54.53 which means it is a mid-tone paint color. LRV stands for light reflectance value which describes how bright or dark a paint is. Pure white would be a 100 on this scale and true black would be 0.

What does all this “Mid-tone LRV” business mean in plain english? Well, if you look at the image above, you can see in our south-facing apartment bedroom that Smokey Taupe has plenty of body to handle direct light, without washing out.

In the image above you can see our Living Room in the apartment, where I used Smokey Taupe for the trim and millwork, and paired it with white walls (painted in OC-17 White Dove by Benjamin Moore. Even with lower light on the north side of the house, Smokey Taupe is still light enough to not feel too heavy or high-contrast.

FAQs for Benjamin Moore 983 Smoky Taupe

White Paints To Pair With It

Whether you’re doing reverse trim or contrasting trim, like I did in our apartment living room, or you want to paint your trim white and the walls Smokey Taupe here are some great whites to pair with it:

My current white paint color obsession is Whitetail by Sherwin-Williams and it is simply stunning with Smokey Taupe. They have the same undertone and so it is a match made in heaven! This is a great ceiling color too because it is nice and bright with an LRV of 86.

For a more subtle effect, with less contrast, use Sherwin-Williams White Duck for your white. It has an LRV of 74 so will have less contrast. It too has a very similar undertone so it will not have any off cast.

I used White Dove for my white and all of the photos in this post show what that pairing looks like. I used White Dove as my universal white for my whole house, so this decision was an easy one. It looks great and provides crisp contrast without seeming too cool.

Check out this collection of my favorite warm whites samples.

What Colors Go With Smokey Taupe?

This light taupe paint color is dreamy to work with for interior decorating because it goes with so many colors! Here are my top picks: Peach, Chocolate, Red, Navy and Green.

Now, it is important to pair it with the right shades of these hues! My rule is to pair warm neutrals with low-chroma colors. These are colors that are less saturated and have more complexity. So pick muted greens, understated navys, rich browns, and subtle terracotta or brick reds. Skip the jewel tones and clean bright colors and pair them with white and gray neutrals instead. Read more about how to pick a color scheme for interior decorating.

You can use these colors as inspiration for your decor, textiles and furnishings, or you can use them for a whole house palette. As I mentioned above these colors would make great accent colors, like for a kitchen island, or bathroom vanity!

Is Smokey Taupe Right For You?

Ultimately, you’re going to have to test out Smokey Taupe in your own home to make sure it works for you. You can buy a sample sheet of it on Samplize or a small pot of it and paint it on the wall. Look at the sample in all different lights and make sure you love it. If it is too dark or light, consider trying some of the other ideas I suggested above.

I love it because it is warm without being yellow or overly tan or beige. It is a light taupe akin to a deeper greige paint color, so it is perfect if you are hoping for the paint to disappear into the background and let the furnishings do the speaking. But it has enough value that it will keep your walls from looking blank!

If you are bugged out about unexpected undertones, you can feel safe with Smokey Taupe. It is expert tested and approved, that’s how I found it! And now having used it in my own spaces I can verify how great this paint color really is!

If you are still unsure, sign up for a paint color consultation online and I can help!

The post Smokey Taupe by Benjamin Moore: Paint Color Review appeared first on A Season For Home.

Color trends are Getting Warmer

As a color consultant, I need to stay on top of color trends and forecasting. Whether my clients want to follow the trends or not, it is important to know where the trends are going. Without a doubt, color trends are moving warm. Gone is the gray era and the White and Black farmhouse. Warm neutrals are here!

Interiors by (clockwise from top left ) DeVOL, Becki Owens, Amber Interiors Design Studio and Haldon House.

This shift to warmer neutrals and warmer shades is not just a blip on the social media feed, this warming of the collective palette is a macro trend that has been shifting for a few years and will likely endure about a 10 to 15 year tenure as most macro-trends do in the color world.

I am here for this trend in a big way! That’s why I wanted to talk about Navajo White OC-95 today. I used it recently in my home gym and know it’ll be a popular choice for my color consultations in the coming years.

Read this if you’re not sure what warm colors vs cool colors are?

Why Is Navajo White Benjamin Moore Popular?

While Benjamin Moore Navajo White (OC-95 also known as 947 and PM-29) has been a popular paint color for a long time, but it is about to get a whole lot more popular thanks to the shift to warm neutrals!

A living room painted Navajo White designed by Mariann Simon

What is the Undertone of Navajo White?

When finding the color undertone of a neutral or off-white paint color I first compare it to a gray and white paint without any strong undertones. Here you can see my control paint chips taped to the Benjamin Moore Navajo White wall.

In this example you can see the warm pinky peach undertone of the Navajo White.

You can see below where the hex code for this paint falls on a digital meter. It is in the orange family but because it is so pale it is more of a distant relative of orange.

You can see that the orange is on the yellow side so when someone tells you Navajo White has a yellow undertone they’re not wrong, but it does have a wee bit of red mixed into it which gives it a soft peachy quality.

This unique orange undertone is why Navajo White paint is so lovely compared to a strictly yellow-undertoned cream paint color.

Will Navajo White Look Beige, Off-White or Cream in my room?

The answer is it depends on two things: The light and and what color(s) you pair it with.

First, on the matter of Color Pairing. By now, if you have been following me here or on Instagram then you know that color is always relative to what’s next to it because our brains use the other color to calibrate.

With a clean white like Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore, the Navajo White will look peach.

But when we compare Navajo White to a more deeply saturated pink beige like Kilim Beige by Sherwin Williams you can see that it is relatively pale and muted in comparison.

When compared to another popular beige paint color with pink undertones, like Muslin by Benjamin Moore, you can see the yellow in the undertones making it appear more creamy than beige.

And as to the lighting, it’s best to look at paint colors in natural light when trying to decide which to use. But I also recommend looking at the paint color at night too so you’re sure to love it all day and night. Your lightbulbs will make a big difference so when possible use bulbs with a high CRI (over 90.)

In the above photo, the light was quite diffused and it was a cloudy winter day so the light is on the cool side- this will affect the way all the colors look too!

What Trim Color To Use With Navajo White

My recommendation is to use Navajo white on all the surfaces. This will give you an allover creamy feel, but it won’t make the room seem peach. Adding white trim will make the undertones pop. Instead, vary the sheens, using a flat paint for the ceiling, eggshell on the walls and pearl or satin on the trim.

In this bedroom, by Crisp Architects, the walls are painted Ben Moore Navajo White and the stark contrast of the Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White (and bright white bed linens) creates a strong differential. In this case the paint appears to be an ever-so-lovely peach to warm up this bright and airy space.

If you like the above look, you can go with Decorators White for the sharpest contrast. Other Benjamin Moore whites you can use for trim or ceiling are White Dove Oc-17, Cloud White 967 or Swiss Coffee OC-45.

Why I Love Navajo White

It was Navajo White to the rescue when we had a recent unexpected color quandary in our home gym. What happened was the unfinished maple hardwood flooring we ordered looked very different than that which I had seen in the showroom. It had a distinct pink color to it. We tried staining it, which helped it a bit, but in the end, the floor was much brighter than we had hoped for.

The rest of the adjoining spaces had Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee on the walls, but that looked very starkly white with the warm floor and creamy Greenbrier Beige HC-79 trim. So I knew I needed to go with a creamy off-white for the walls and ceiling.

After testing it out. We used BM Navajo White to paint the walls and you can see how it came out in these photos above and below.

One really important detail to note is we painted the ceiling with the Navajo White because I wanted the walls to look “white” so I avoided a bright white ceiling which would have made the peach undertones in the Navajo White more obvious. In other words, I didn’t want to have a pure white to throw off the eye-brain calibration. Without the stark white ceiling, the walls look white and it’s only the bright white in the posters that tips you off that the walls are so creamy!

Does Navajo White Work For Trim?

Yes! You can use Navajo White for a trim color, especially if your house is dark, like a lot of the homes in New England. As I explained in my tutorial about Mistakes To Avoid for New England Homes, which is basically a cheat sheet of how to deal with dark houses, I explain that yellowish undertones and creaminess in whites like BM Navajo White, BM Linen White, SW Dover White and SW Creamy is an important feature that helps the paint from looking sad and gray. But, the key is to commit to it, and not use any other white paint at all in the house. Otherwise, you’ll be able to see how peach it is by comparison.

That said, I would pick Navajo White in only a handful of cases because it has an orange undertone not a yellow undertone, and this can unintentionally clash with some colors. It would be stunning for a whole-house palette when pired with soft mid-toned beiges and creams SW Cream and Sugar, BM Manchester Tan, BM Carrington Beige. In all of these cases there is a low differential (something that is KEY to choosing the right trim color.)

What Colors Go With Navajo White?

If you are looking for ideas for coordinating colors for Navajo White, you are in luck because it goes with so many paint colors. I have pulled together a list of a few favorite coordinating colors for Navajo White.

• White: A longtime favorite of interior designers, Atrium White by Ben Moore is known for it’s wildly flattering pink undertone, this white paint would be a great option if you want a crisp contrast.
• Beige: Choose beiges from the gold beige or pink beige family and avoid greige or cooler taupe-based beiges. Some favorites are Ben Moore Greenbrier Beige and Crisp Khaki wich are warm yellow gold based beiges with a whisper of green in their undertones to keep them lower-chroma and complex. I also love a pink beige with Navajo White, but make sure it is not too overtly pink- Malabar by Sherwin-Williams is a favorite of mine.
• Green: Navajo White looks stunning with green. I like it best with warmer greens (those in the olive family) like Thicket, Urban Legend, both by BM. Or if you are going with a cooler green (a bluer one) make sure it is very greyed-out like Antique Pewter.
• Blue: Probably my favorite contrasting color for Navajo White is a deep navy (like Lead Gray by Benjamin Moore.) You could also use a blue-green like Greyhound or Brewster Gray for an accent color.
• Blackish Brown: I don’t love true black paints as a rule, and definitely not with Navajo White- it looks way too Halloweenish. Instead go with a moody-as-heck deep brown like Clove by Sherwin-Williams (a current favorite and one of their 2025 colors of the year.)
• Orange: If you love russets, peach tones, deep orangey brick colors and rustic orange tones, Navajo White by all means add them to a room painted with Navajo White. If using Navajo White as a whole-house color, you can color drench a smaller rooms (like a home-office or powder room) in a color like Mountain Hideaway or Firenze and the look will be so sophisticated!

These are just a few ideas, but in reality there are tons of others that would work too. Just keep in mind, it looks great with warmer colors and those that are either low-chroma or lacking saturation.

Sherwin Williams Navajo White vs Benjamin Moore Navajo White

Before I sign off, I need to mention an important thing. There is another Navajo White out there from Sherwin Williams. While these two creamy peachy colors are quite similar, do not use them interchangeably and make sure your painter knows which one you want! Sherwin Williams Navajo White is a little darker and pinker.

Key Takeaways About BM Navajo White

This is a great paint color to make your room feel warm and cozy because it is both distinctly warm but it is light enough that it can help keep your space feeling bright.

Use it with a white trim for a lighter alternative to a pink beige. For example, if you love BM Muslin, but it is too dark for you, go with Navajo White instead.

If you are somewhat color-averse but want to warm up your space, give Navajo White a peek. A hue like this is a great way to envelop your space with warmth without committing to a bold paint color.

The most important thing to note: If you want overall warmth but are afraid the room will look like it is painted peach or yellow, then I highly recommend painting the ceiling and trim BM Navajo White too. Or you can do a modern colonial paint scheme like I did and paint the trim a darker color.

That’s all for now, Happy Painting! If you’re looking for the perfect beige, don’t miss our Tapestry Beige Paint Review or read about Wool Skein by Sherwin-Williams.

The post Benjamin Moore Navajo White appeared first on A Season For Home.

undertone and Chroma of Brewster Gray

Brewster Gray is a medium blue paint with a low chroma level and a green undertone. Chroma refers to how pure the hue of a paint color is.

Brewster Gray has a primary hue of blue. It diverges from this primary hue in two ways, one it is grayed out considerably (see above where it falls on the color chart) and two, it is slightly green. The results are that this paint color isn’t garish or childish, and has complex leanings connoting historical pigments and colonial roots.

When I compared paint colors for our foyer, I narrowed it down to several shades of blue-gray and ended up on Brewster because it was decidedly blue (NOT gray) and yet it has such a low chroma level, it would fit perfectly with the vibe of our antique woodwork.

Where To Use BM Brewster Gray In Your Home

Brewster gray is one of those rare birds of a paint color that can work virtually anywhere. Somehow it is able to work on walls, trim, exteriors and details! Heck I could even see using it as a decking color on a porch! Here are some ways I recommend it:

• Trim Work: This is how I’ve used it. In our home our white trim went from boring to “hello gorgeous” once it was painted in this shade of blue. The light and shadow this moody blue creates is simply stunning!
• Walls: Trends are moving toward color and Brewster Gray is here for it! This color is simply stunning for a peaceful bedroom wall color or for a very grown-up spa-like bathroom with marble tiles and counters.
• Furniture and Cabinets: If you have a furniture piece that needs a serious makeover, try this paint instead of stripping and refinishing. It would be great on a pair of bedside tables in a blue and white bedroom for the coastal grandmother aesthetic. You can also use it to paint your kitchen or bath cabinets. Try it on your kitchen island for a pop of classic color in a mostly white and neutral kitchen.
• Exteriors: This blue paint is a deep enough shade to hold up to direct sunlight without getting washed out. Try it on clapboards for a cottage look or use it on a front door or accents (like shutters, lattice and railings.)
• Color Drenching: This color is practically begging you to color drench a room ceiling to baseboard. It is the perfect LRV for color drenching which works best in dark tones. Try it in a small bathroom and add brass accents for warmth.

What White To Pair With Brewster Gray Benjamin Moore

This paint color is one where you can use a cool white, warm white, or pure white and you will be happy with whatever you choose!

Off Whites To Pair With HC-162

Brewster Gray is a low chroma color so it goes great with offwhite paint colors like Whitetail by Sherwin Williams (my current white paint color obsession.) I also like it with a grayed white like Grandma’s China CSP-365 or Intense White OC-51 which is muted and sophisticated.

Cool or Bright Whites With Brewster Gray

You can also pair it with a blue-toned white like Decorator’s White by Benjamin Moore, because it is a blue paint! You can also go with a more stark white like Chantilly Lace. Both of these are great option for modern interiors and for those of you who want a strong contrast and a crisp look. Try samples of my favorite cool and bright whites from Samplize (affiliate link.)

Warm Whites For Brewster Gray

Since this paint is low chroma and does have a touch of green, it can also go with warm whites for trim and ceilings. This is helpful if you’ve chosen a whole house white for all your trim and ceilings like Alabaster from Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore White Dove OC017 (which is what I have on my ceiling.) Or try one of my favorite warm whites(also an affiliate link.)

Read more about pairing whites for trim and ceiling here.

Other Blue Gray Paint Colors To Consider

While Brewster Gray was the color I landed on for our first floor foyer and grand entry hall, I had to rule out several other gray blue paints first. And I recommend you do the same. Lighting and the fixed elements in your space will influence the way this paint looks for your home. Below are some other Benjamin Moore Gray Blue Paints to try and how they compare to Brewster Gray:

• Gibraltar Cliffs: Almost identical but has a whisper more white pigment in it and has an LRV of 31 (two shades lighter.)
• Puritan Gray: Less saturated than Brewster, this paint will appear more gray. It also has a bit more green in it and will look nice with warmer fixed elements like brick or warm stone.
• Cloudy Sky: For someone who wants a bluer feel than Brewster look at Cloudy Sky. This is a more saturated blue hue and slightly lighter so will appear more classically blue. I think this is a slightly more contemporary look which somewhat limits the diversity of applications where it would be appropriate.
• Templeton Gray: A gorgeous alternative with stronger depth and saturation. It is more deeply blue, but is darker too, so it doesn’t come off as too sweetly blue. This color is simply stunning for exteriors, cabinetry, millwork and furniture.
• Stonybrook: This is like Puritan Grays sister just slightly darker. It is greener than Brewster Gray and a bit less saturated but almost the same LRV (half a shade off.)
• Whale Gray: This blue is cooler and less saturated at the same time. Meaning it is further toward a true blue, but it is not deeply pigmented. It is also several shades darker. I like this paint a lot for classically styled homes, contrast trim and moody millwork.
• Water’s Edge: Also known as Van Courtland Blue, this tone is more blue (decidedly so), lighter and more saturated so if you do not have much natural light, you may prefer this shade over Brewster Gray.
• Sweatshirt Gray: This blue pulls further on the scale toward true blue yet is less saturated so if you want a slightly cooler shade than Brewster Gray, try Sweatshirt Gray instead.

SAMPLE THESE BLUE GRAY COLORS NOW– Click here to buy large samples on Samplize. As a Samplize affiliate, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

I recommend buying large-scale samples of the colors you try to look at them in your space before heading to the paint store. You can move the samples around the room and and see how the light reacts with the paint color on different walls. From there you can purchase small containers of one or two favorites to brush out.

Coordinating Colors For Brewster Gray

Exterior Color Pairing

For an exterior, use Brewster Gray as the main color. Use a white with a touch of blue in it like Benjamin Moore Wickham Gray HC-171 on the trim. For the shutters and doors a black with blue undertones like Witching Hour 2120-30 from Benjamin Moore. See my mockup below of how that combo comes out.

brewster Gray Whole House Palette

For interior spaces, this color can be part of a gorgeous, earthy, low-chroma palette like the one I created here. This is just a sampling, and it is also really great with burnt rusty oranges and peaches as well!

• Slumber Sloth: I’d choose this Sherwin-Williams color for any large open concept spaces as it goes with everything and is a great team player. It is part of my favorite Minimalist Color Collection of neutral paint colors. Likewise, Brewster Gray could easily fit into this color palette for Accessible Beige which has a similar warmth without yellow.
• Relaxed Khaki and Baffin Island: Brewster Gray looks so good with golden khaki colors with a touch of green in them. Two favorites of mine are Relaxed Khaki by Sherwin-Williams and Baffin Island by Benjamin Moore. Both of these have a touch of green in their undertone which goes well with the warm green tones in Brewster! Look at Wool Skein if you need a lighter khaki option.
• Raintree Green: Blues and greens are so good together. The key is finding one with a similar value and chroma so they stay in harmony. I use Benjamin Moore Raintree Green with Brewster Gray for this effect.
• White Duck: Off-whites with a good amount of gray and cream go so well with this paint. It is an absolutely classic timeless look. White Duck from Sherwin Williams is one of my go-to off white paint colors. I use it over and over again! Natural Cream is another greige to look at too.

• Cottagecore Color Palette
• What’s The Best Neutral Paint Color For Walls
• Coastal Color Palette For A New England Style Home
• Picking The Best Home Color Combination: 5 Top Tips
• Yellow Paint Colors for Kitchen Cabinets

The post Brewster Gray by Benjamin Moore: The perfect Blue Gray Paint Color appeared first on A Season For Home.

Is Benjamin Moore Natural Cream a Beige, Cream, Gray or Greige paint color?

Natural Cream OC-14, also known as Nature’s Essentials 1521, is a greige or complex cream paint color with subtle undertones. Natural Cream can be a true chameleon! Depending on the sun exposure and natural light in the space it can look like an understated cream or a subtle greige tone. Our living room is north-facing and our bedroom is south-facing and it looks like two completely different paint colors!

LRV For Natural Cream by Benjamin Moore

Natural Cream is a bright cream paint with an LRV of 64.78. Natural Cream is what I would call a Light Tone. It is lighter than a Mid-tone paint (which I classify as 40 to 60 LRV) and it is slightly deeper than an off-white.

What Are The Undertones?

Natural Cream is a subtly warm greige that has minimal orange undertones. As far as cream colors go, it has very little saturation. To see a neutral paint color’s undertone, I always start by comparing it to Repose Gray by Sherwin Williams, which doesn’t lean warm or cool. When I do this with Natural Cream (aka Nature’s Essentials) you can see its warmth.

I have found on gray days (especially when it is raining or snowing) this paint color really leans into its the gray part of its greige personality and shows cool or green undertones. And as I mentioned, our Living Room is North-facing, so I see the blue gray green undertones in this room much more than our sunny bedroom.

As a paint color consultant, I have access to the above book of all of Benjamin Moore’s catalog which is mathematically arranged. I love using this book when I am trying to find a slight adjustment to a color scheme. Using this book is super helpful in seeing the true nature of Natural Cream with the subtle nuances of whites next to it.

When you see where Natural Cream falls as part of the off-white color collection it is clear that it is a warm gray (aka a griege.) Almost all of the saturation is pulled out of this color and it is left with only a bit of warmth. This is why Natural Cream looks creamy without being yellow.

How To Use Natural Cream In Your Home

Why did I use Natural Cream? When we bought our house I needed to pick out paint colors that would work with our existing furniture, rejuggled to fit our new spaces. That means I was looking at a lot of shades from the off-white collection. While I used Collingwood as more of a Whole House Color in spaces like our grand foyer, hallway and kitchen, I knew I wanted a creamier warmer tone to cozy up our living spaces. That’s where Natural Cream came into play.

It worked perfectly to warm up the walls (compared to Collingwood) but it was not so colorful that I would be forced into any specific color palette. I’ve found that it goes with a lot of colors. Blues in particular play well with its undertones.

When To Avoid Natural Cream

Natural Cream is a good all-around off-white paint but there are a few circumstances where I would avoid it:

• If your room is lacking in visual interest like a powder room without millwork or drapery Natural Cream is not your paint color. It is too boring to do much for a space like this.
• Avoid clashing with neutrals with different undertones. I find that it looks awesome with off-whites and neutrals with similar undertones. However, I had a greige rug with a rose undertone and it looked terrible with the undertones of Natural Cream.
• I know I said this paint sometimes has a cool undertone, but do not use it if you want a greenish beige. If you want a beige that has noticeable green undertones Tapestry Beige is a much better choice.
• Do not use if you are looking for a statement wall color. You will be disappointed because it is not a noticeable color.
• While I call it a greige, do not use if you are hoping for a beige. This paint is more gray than beige.
• Do not use it as your white paint for a trim color. With a LRV in the mid-sixties is too dark. Use our guide to picking a trim color instead.
• Do not pair with blue-tinted whites like Decorator’s White or Carerra marble. It will look grungy! Opt for Calacatta marble or a warm Quartz instead.

What Are The Best Benjamin Moore Natural Cream Coordinating Colors

Like Edgecomb Gray, this neutral looks best with low chroma colors. However if you like brighter colors you can use this paint too. It is desaturated enough that you can pair it with Clean Colors or high chroma colors especially in South-facing rooms where it will be washed out.

Use our Natural Cream color palette for inspiration to paint your home.

• Use OC-14 in your open concept in your living room and entry hall and any open areas and use the other shades in this palette in enclosed spaces.
• Save the darker tones for moodier rooms (like Virtual Taupe or Wynwood in an office, Vanderberg Blue in a bathroom or color drench your dining room in Tavern Charcoal.)
• Then use the lighter colors like Creekside Green and Brewster Gray for bedrooms and Nutmeg in your kitchen.

I always recommend testing a paint out before you commit to painting the whole room. When I work with clients for a color consultation, we look at large scale paint samples, and you can do this too! Test Natural Cream with a large scale peel-and-stick sample in your space to make sure you love it. (That’s an affiliate link by the way.) The samples from Samplize are made with two coats of real paint for 100% color accuracy, offering a no-mess, quick way to decide if this is the right paint color for you!

FAQs for BM Natural Cream

More Colors Like Natural Cream

If you’re like me, when you’re making a big decision, you like to have comparisons and other options so you know that you’re making the right choice. That’s why in my color consultations I usually have clients look at similar colors before settling on one in particular. The following is a list of other colors I would recommend that you consider before settling on Natural Cream.

• Ballet White By Benjamin Moore: I used this in the hallway and walk-in closet in our Primary suite where it gets less natural light, and you really can’t tell that they are a shade off from the Natural Cream in the bedroom. The Ballet White is just a hair brighter with a tiny whisper more pink- so if you like Natural Cream but want a slightly lighter paint color, go with Ballet!
• Baby Fawn, Wind’s Breath, Ashwood: Consider these three Benjmain Moore off-whites too. Baby Fawn is a similar color as far as saturation/gray but it is a hair darker in value. Whereas Wind’s Breath and Ashwood have slightly varying undertones. Ashwood reads a little green and Wind’s Breath is a little creamier by comparison.
• Sherwin Williams Oat Milk: This is a nice light cream color to compare it to. It is slightly lighter and has a bit more pink than orange as far as undertone.
• Farrow and Ball Shadow White: This beauty of a color is one to look at too. It is more expensive than the Benjamin Moore, but certainly worth considering especially for a high-priced expense like kitchen cabinets.

Are you trying to find the perfect paint color? Download our 5 Free Color Palettes for your home or sign up for a one hour Virtual Color Consultation and we will work together to find the perfect paint!

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