I’m fairly certain I have some sort of OCD when it comes to paint colors. My Color Inspiration Pinterest board certainly supports my theory – I just can’t get enough! I obviously need another hobby. However, since it is something I enjoy and I know many of you find useful when it comes to selecting colors in your home, I figured I would share Benjamin Moore’s best selling grays, with some photo inspiration to go along with it.
Edgecomb Gray
Such a timeless classic. Light, bright and fresh.
Coventry Gray
A lovely complimentary color to Edgecomb Gray, Coventry Gray is a lovely mid-tone gray that works as a great neutral. The perfect backdrop for adding pops of color as well.
Silver Chain
Revere Pewter
You all know how much I love Revere Pewter. I did an entire Color Spotlight at The Creativity Exchange on this color, I love it so much. It’s so incredibly versatile, and a color that can do no wrong in my opinion. I love it so much, that I’ve added it to my own home and used it in my family room here, and several of Benjamin Moore’s Best Selling Grays were on my wall when I was going through my paint picking process here.
You can see that choosing paint colors is serious business in my house, and again, I am reminded that colors change with the light and time of day. Some colors that I thought I would love, just didn’t work, while others caught my eye unexpectedly.
Contemporary Dining Room by Toronto Interior Designers & Decorators AM Dolce Vita
Ashen Tan
This color is more in the beige color family than gray, if you as me, but it works beautifully in this bathroom where the shower tile seems to have a greige hue.
Stonington Gray
A lovely, light gray, Stonington Gray is another fresh looking gray that appears to work well in almost any room.
Transitional Living Room by Edina General Contractors REFINED LLC
In this kitchen, it’s on the walls and on the island. Beautiful!
Barren Plain
Barren Plain is new on my radar. It lends itself to a clean, classic, elegant look, and I love how it works with the beige tones in the flooring of this kitchen.
Classic Gray
Classic Gray is just a whisper of gray. Just enough gray to give some contrast against the white trim, giving a hint of color and warmth. So lovely.
Gray Owl
Gray Owl is a well-loved, classic gray that seems to work everywhere. I love it in this laundry room – tranquil and timeless.
What do you think of these grays? I’m a huge fan of Benjamin Moore paint and their colors, for that matter. There were certainly some on the list that were off my radar, along with some that are tried and true favorites. Definitely going to add some of these to my color files… What do you think of Benjamin Moore’s Best Selling Grays? Do you have any of them in your home?
46 Comments
Andrea
September 9, 2014 at 1:01 pmGreat round up. I am a huge fan of Gray Owl. So soft and versatile.
Patti Francis
January 4, 2019 at 2:41 pmWhat color gray (dark) would you recommend on a door with Gray Owl on the walls and Simply White trim?
Jenny
January 10, 2019 at 12:53 pmChelsea Gray would be a great option!
Deb
September 10, 2014 at 2:17 pmI so appreciate your research!! I have such a hard time picking paint colors????
Claire Dickens
June 10, 2015 at 9:11 pmWhat is the white trim in the kitchen with Barren Plain? Please. Thanks.
Florence Mclaughlin
August 10, 2017 at 8:39 pmI agree….it’s got purple undertones.
Sarah @ Simply Sarah Style
August 18, 2015 at 12:09 amYour overview is so helpful as I'm ready to paint our entire house gray!
Unknown
October 8, 2015 at 10:52 pmin process of painting most of my house (great room, master, kitchen, laundry) revere pewter. It is absolutely beautiful! So far kitchen and laundry are completed and great room is in process.
Craig
April 2, 2017 at 12:50 amWhat colour is used for the transitional hall?
Sal G.
April 30, 2017 at 8:04 pmBenjamin Moore’s Barren Plain covers every wall in our two story in Jacksonville, FL. It is the most beautiful shade of gray we were able to decide on after applying 6 sample shades of gray in various rooms throughout. It amazes how it changes in intensity as the day moves on in our house which is constantly sun-filled.
Florence Mclaughlin
August 10, 2017 at 8:38 pmYour pic of Edgecomb Gray is funny it’s so off. It reads here yellow and green. Edgecomb acually is a warm gray with pink in it.
This is why I tell my clients to stay off the internet. But it does bring me work to fix it.
Jenny
August 10, 2017 at 10:36 pmThe photos are via Houzz, and yes, things definitely look different in person than they do online! Thus the need for lots of paint samples when I paint rooms in my home. 🙂
Helene
December 27, 2018 at 6:28 pmActually in my house, my FR and Kitchen are painted Edgecomb Gray, and it definitely pulls yellow…. and on the sample card provided by BM it pulls yellow.
Pamela
September 17, 2017 at 8:08 amJust not a fan of gray at all, sorry. Love the taupes though. What do you recommend in this family for a two story foyer going in to the family room/kitchen in an open transitional floor plan? Thx!
Jenny
September 21, 2017 at 10:50 pmI’m a big fan of Revere Pewter if you’re looking for something that is a color chameleon and plays well with others. I’ve never been disappointed with it!
Irene S. Levine
December 30, 2017 at 6:21 pmSuch a helpful post in choosing shades of gray!
Kathy
March 29, 2018 at 12:41 amHello I’m trying to figure out which gray looks the best with a soft light pink for a teens bedroom.. any ideas?
Jenny
March 30, 2018 at 10:24 pmGray Owl? Balboa Mist is another great one. I used it in my daughter’s bedroom , and it has touches of pink in it. Here is a link to it – https://evolutionofstyleblog.com/2015/11/orc-reveal-day-my-favorite-girls-bedroo.html.
Lisa Shafer
August 19, 2018 at 10:56 pmHi, I am thinking of either Edgecomb Gray or Classic Gray in my foyer, living room, kitchen, and then doing the dining room in Sea Salt. Will those colors work together okay? Thank you
Jenny
August 23, 2018 at 8:27 pmI love all of those colors!
shari
January 19, 2019 at 7:45 amWhat white color would you use for trim with Edgecomb grey in a small house?
Jenny
January 23, 2019 at 4:35 pmDepends on what kind of floor and colors you have going on in the house. If you’re looking for a clean white, Simply White (Benjamin Moore) is a great option.
Beth
February 4, 2019 at 11:15 amWe used Revere Pewter in our mud room and laundry room, so beautiful and warm. It does balance well between taupe and gray.
Gina Batten
February 4, 2019 at 2:56 pmI am getting ready to paint the entire house. I was thinking Dunn Edwards Miner’s Dust but the sample on my wall looks purple. I am liking the Revere Pewter. My question is … Do I need an accent wall? I have an open floor plan. Am thinking of board and batten in the dining room which is open to the family room/entry way/ kitchen. Any suggestions?
Jenny
February 4, 2019 at 11:19 pmI’m a big proponent of putting sample colors all over the room that you’re going to paint so that you can get a look at them at different times of the day. It’s also helpful to put the colors up against a white background vs. the color of the existing wall, as that can definitely change the way that you look at them. As for an accent wall – you don’t “need” one, but I’m seeing them more often than I have in awhile. It’s all a matter of personal preference. And Revere Pewter is one of my favorite go-to colors of all time!
janis
February 10, 2019 at 9:28 amCan you tell me what color would look nice in my entryway if my living room is gray owl? Thank you
Beverly Simmons
May 20, 2019 at 11:40 pmHi Jenny, what is a good gray for a new construction, open floor plan, white perimeter cabinets, island is dark iron gray with some blue undertones. Painter used SW light French gray, it looks green. Doesn’t go with the island at all. Please help!
BTW, white subway tile w/ lt gray grout.
Thanks so much, Beverly
Jenny
June 3, 2019 at 9:50 pmRevere Pewter is my go-to-most-perfect-paint-ever color choice. 🙂
Ann Meyer
June 11, 2019 at 5:40 pmMy kitchen walls are Revere Pewter – what color should I paint my cabinets
Jenny
June 12, 2019 at 8:16 pmYour options are pretty much limitless with that color!
Stefanie Citrin
July 3, 2019 at 12:30 pmI have loved how Classic Gray looks online (like the photo in your post). I am looking for a light airy gray/greige with /just a hint of color. I put this color on posterboard and, now, on my white primed walls. I put the color on 2 different walls, one with sunlight and one without, and the color looks darker than in any pictures online. Do you know why that is? I put two coats and am told I can have it lightened. Could it be that I was too heavy handed with each coat I used? or is something else going on.
Jenny
July 11, 2019 at 10:16 pmIt’s always hard to gauge the true look of a color online vs. in person. If it’s reading too dark, I would opt for something a shade or two lighter and see how it looks in your home to be sure you like it.
TC
September 22, 2019 at 6:44 pmHello, Loved the article on greys! We just painted our living room and entry with grey owl. Our upstairs game room is open and visible from downstairs, which grey would work in that area? I’m liking revere pewter or silver chain.
Jenny
September 22, 2019 at 8:44 pmI don’t think you can go wrong with Revere Pewter – it goes with EVERYTHING!
Sherry Moorhead-Genova
October 7, 2019 at 9:30 pmI used stonington grey in my NE facing condo….it seems to me to look more green. Does it have a green undertone or is it just me?
Ilona J Wake
October 7, 2019 at 9:34 pmHi great article! I want to paint my kitchen cabinets gray but with green warm undertones. I really don’t like the blue undertones. Any recommendation? With a fresh white wall to compliment (suggestions please!). I have white countertops. Thank you so much
Susan
November 6, 2019 at 3:04 pmI am fixing to update the walls in my house and wanted to go with grays but I have stained woodwork and wasn’t sure what would look best. I am assuming that warm grays would be the best option but not sure what colors would compliment each other. I was thinking a classic gray for the halls and a agreeable gray for most of the walls except the bathrooms but not sure what color I could use. Any thoughts??
Jenny
November 9, 2019 at 6:39 pmYou might want to check out my post on paint colors that work with stained woodwork – https://evolutionofstyleblog.com/color-palettes-for-stained-woodwork/.
Lori
February 25, 2021 at 11:32 pmI am painting my kitchen cabinets white (dark wood floors) and trying to figure out what shade of white? Should it be the same white as the trim/crown? Also any recommendations for the island cabinet color (shade of grey)
Jenny
February 28, 2021 at 7:05 pmWhat color are your countertops? Those should be your main cue for your paint color. Warmer counters – a warmer white for sure. Something like White Dove is a great option, as it won’t be too stark.
Amanda Robertson
April 1, 2021 at 4:35 pmHi there! We are going to paint our whole home gray and this post is SO HELPFUL! leaning towards Revere Pewter (the comments certainly helped us decide!) and Barren Plain – we’ll be getting samples to test. My question is what white should we paint the trim that compliments nicely? getting all new trim and doors and painting front door. Floors will be a dark bamboo, Thank you Jenny!
Jenny
April 14, 2021 at 10:23 pmSimply White is a great white that’s not too stark, as is Alabaster. Two good ones to consider.
Carla Apoldi
June 30, 2021 at 3:28 pmHi Jenny
I’m thinking of painting the living room and dining room in Chantilly Lace and the kitchen in Gray Owl.
Do you know what grays are compatible with Gray Owl? I’ve only come up with Coventry Gray as a potential match, but not really a fan of it. I also have checked out Paper White, which is nice but light.
Thank you Jenny,
Carla
Jenny
July 19, 2021 at 5:33 pmA lot of it is more about the hard finishes that you’re dealing with, and how the colors go with those features.
Kris
February 22, 2022 at 10:08 pmCan you tell me what gray you would pair with simply white (Benjamin Moore) for my kitchen cabinets? My kitchen is not big so I don’t want to go too dark and want a really warm gray- no cool tones. Your recommendation is greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Jenny
March 6, 2022 at 2:36 pmI would need to see a photo to get an idea.