We are back with another gorgeous paint color from Benjamin Moore called Gray Owl! Today I am going to share with you all the details on this color so you can decide if it is right for you.
We are back again with another paint color review. I love discussing paint colors because if there is one thing that is cheap and makes a big difference when redecorating it’s paint.
You can take a home from being outdated and dark to light, bright, and full of personality!
I personally love the look of Benjamin Moore Gray Owl. I love the cooler side of the color spectrum and Gray Owl doesn’t disappoint.
*This post contains affiliate links. For more details see my full disclosure.
Gray Owl Stats
Here are the details on what makes Gray Owl the color it is:
- Hex Code – #d4d5cd
- Red – 83.14%
- Green – 83.53%
- Blue – 80.38%
- Color Collection – Color Preview
- OC-52
Gray Owl Undertones
Gray Owl has both blue and green undertones. It all depends on the other elements in the room as well as the type of light the space has as to whether you will see the blue or green come through.
Sometimes you won’t see either one. Gray Owl is a fabulous neutral paint color in many cases.
Are you confused yet? Yes, I know some of these colors can get very confusing.
Is Benjamin Moore Gray Owl Warm or Cool?
This is a tricky question. Some say it’s warm because of the green undertones, some same it’s cool because of the blue undertones.
It really depends on the room that’s why it’s so important for you to test this color in your space.
If I had to tell you it was one or the other I would say it’s cool. Most of the time you will see it as a cooler color, especially when compared to other warm grays.
Gray Owl LRV
LRV stands for Light Reflective Value. It is a scale from 0-100 measuring the amount of light a paint color reflects. Zero being the darkest black and 100 being the brightest white.
Gray Owl has an LRV of 64.51 which makes it a light paint color. When you hit around 60 you are at the border of light to medium so this color is on the darker side of light but still a very bright paint color.
Coordinating Colors for Gray Owl
You can lean two ways with coordinating colors, you can pair Gray Owl with warmer colors or cooler colors depending on what you are going for.
Since I go more cool tones in my home I love to pair Gray Owl with darker blue-grays or any blue there is. Navy looks amazing with Gray Owl
Or if you want to go warm you can test the waters with a taupe color and a darker warm gray such as Urbane Bronze or Midsummer Night.
Whatever way you choose to go it’s all about what makes you happy. This color coordinates so well with others that you just can’t go wrong.
What is the best white trim color for Gray Owl?
I think the best white to pair with Gray Owl would be a crisp white such as Decorator’s White.
If you want something a little softer then give White Dove a try.
How does lighting affect Gray Owl?
Lighting has a huge impact on all colors but especially in this one. Because of it’s tendency to lean both warm or cool it’s important to know how the natural light in your home will affect the look.
- North-facing rooms have a light that tends to be a little cooler in nature and will come off slightly blue. Light colors will be a bit more muted or washed out while darker colors will be stunning.
- East-facing rooms will have brighter light in the morning and less in the evenings. The evening light will be a bit cooler. In the morning with sunrise, the bright sun will be warm. Warm color palettes are great for these spaces because they will help balance the cool feel of the evenings.
- South-facing rooms have consistent warm light throughout the day. The light really shows off the colors, dark will be very bright, and light colors will shine. Both warm and cool color palettes look good in a south-facing room.
- West-facing rooms have warm light in the evening and cooler light in the morning. Basically, it’s the opposite of east-facing.
What does all this mean for Gray Owl? In the east and west-facing rooms, you will see Gray Owl pull a little more cool. In north-facing rooms, you will see more of the undertones come through.
South-facing rooms will see this paint color as more a neutral and might be most desirable to most people.
How to Know if a Paint Color is Right For You!
How do you know if Benjamin Moore Gray Owl is right for you? You need to test a sample on your walls and look at it over the course of a few days in different lights. This will give you the best idea of what it will look like in your home.
You can get a paint sample from the paint store and put it on the wall but it’s messy and then you are left with this sample can that you can’t use anywhere else. I highly suggest going with Samplize instead.
Samplize is a company that will send you a peel and stick, 12×12 inch sample that you can put on the wall for a few days then when you are done, throw it away. It’s super easy and there is no mess!
Benjamin Moore Gray Owl Whole Home Color Palette
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Where to Use Benjamin Moore Gray Owl.
There are a ton of great places to use Gray Owl, a popular place to use it is in spaces where you want to relax such as bedrooms and bathrooms. Here are some of my personal favorites:
- Bedrooms
- Bathrooms
- Family Rooms
- Entryways
- Basements
- Dining Rooms
This is one of those colors that can truly be used anywhere! It’s a gorgeous color that will be the perfect backdrop for any decor. Let’s take a look at Gray Owl in action.
Gray Owl in a Bedroom
I love this master bedroom from DIY Playbook. You can really see how Gray Owl looks with tons of natural light. With the different wood tones in the room it just looks amazing!
Gray Owl in the Kitchen
This gorgeous kitchen has Gray Owl on the cabinets. I love how they pair with the stone counters and that gorgeous backsplash!
Gray Owl in the Bathroom
This gorgeous bathroom is a great example of Gray Owl showing a hint of the green undertones. It’s not overpowering at all. It’s truly a light and bright paint color
Gray Owl in the Family Room
This is a great example of Gray Owl acting as the canvas to the beautiful colors in the decor.
What You Need to Know if Painting on Your Own
If you are thinking about painting a room on your own then good for you! This is one of the easiest things you can do yourself and you will get so much satisfaction out of it. Just make sure you have the right supplies.
You need a good quality paintbrush and roller cover. This is the most important thing! If you don’t use high quality the finish will not be to your liking.
Here are some other posts to help you with your DIY paint project that you should check out before you get started:
- The Right Way to Test Paint Samples in Your Home
- The Best Paint Brushes for Latex Paint
- 11 Must-Have Supplies for Painting a Room Like a Pro
- 5 Tips on Choosing the Perfect Paint Color for Your Home
Let’s Compare Gray Owl to Other Colors
Gray Owl vs Stonington Gray
Oh I love both of these colors. Gray Owl is slightly lighter than Stonington Gray, Gray Owl has an LRVv of 64.51 and Stonington Gray sits at 59.75.
The undertones are slightly different between these two. Stonington Gray is just blue while Gray Owl has both blue and green.
Both of these colors are stunning light gray paint colors though!
Get a Sample of Stonington Gray from Samplize!
Gray Owl vs Classic Gray
Classic Gray is a gorgeous color and I used it in my basement family room. It’s amazing because depending on the light it can look more gray or more beige. There are some big differences between these two.
Classic gray is definitely warm-toned and can even, just ever so slightly, be considered a greige. Gray Owl is more often cool.
Classic Gray is also very light (and can almost be considered an off-white in some instances) with an LRV of 74.78.
Get a Sample of Classic Gray from Samplize!
Gray Owl vs Revere Pewter
As you can see from this side by side they are pretty different colors even though they are considered light (ish) grays.
Revere Pewter is darker with an LRV of 55.51, so almost a full 10 points lower. It also has green undertones but Gray Owl has blue too which keeps it more on the cool side.
Revere Pewter is considered a warm gray/greige paint color.
Get a Sample of Revere Pewter from Samplize!
Gray Owl vs Collingwood
Collingwood is a lot like Revere Pewter but just lighter. It has an LRV of 62, which is still a tad darker than Gray owl. It’s a gorgeous gray/greige paint color that is warm.
The undertones here are very different, Gray Owl is more blue-green and Collingwood is green with a touch of purple in certain lights.
Get a Sample of Collingwood from Samplize!
Gray Owl vs Wickham Gray
Both of these colors are gorgeous but there are some subtle differences. Gray Owl has blue and green undertones and Wickham Gray has just blue undertones.
Gray Owl is going to be more of a neutral than Wickham Gray. The blue undertones are strong with this one.
They are similar on the LRV scale with Wickham Gray sitting at 67.87, making it a bit lighter of a color.
Get a Sample of Wickham Gray from Samplize!
Gray Owl vs Moonshine
I love both these colors, and as you can see they are very similar. I strongly considered Moonshine for my own home but ultimately chose another color.
Moonshine is a bit lighter with an LRV of 68.28. It’s also a bit cooler even though both of these colors have blue and green undertones.
Get a Sample of Moonshine from Samplize!
Gray Owl vs Sherwin Williams Repose Gray
Both of these colors are extremely popular but they are very different.
Sherwin Williams Repose Gray is a warm gray/greige paint color with green undertones and a touch of purple in certain lights. Gray Owl is cooler with the blue-green undertones.
They are sorta close on the LRV scale, Gray Owl sitting at 64.51 and Repose Gray at 58. That means Repose Gray is a bit darker than Gray Owl.
Get a Sample of Repose Gray from Samplize!
Gray Owl vs Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray
As a side by side these colors have a lot of differences. They are both beautiful gray paint colors Agreeable Gray is more of a greige and is warm-toned.
It’s also considered a greige whereas Gray Owl is much cooler.
Agreeable Gray is a darker color with an LRV of 60, almost 5 points lower on the scale than Gray owl.
Get a Sample of Agreeable Gray from Samplize!
Frequently Asked Questions on Gray Owl
Is Gray Owl a good exterior color?
This color is amazing on the exterior of the home. It will look more like a cool white because all the natural light will make it show much lighter.
Look at the image below with the contrast of white trim and navy door. Simply stunning!
What is the Sherwin Williams equivalent to Gray Owl?
If you have read some of my other paint color reviews then you know there is no exact equivalent. They all have different formulas and undertones which makes them look different.
That being said, if I had to pick a color from Sherwin Williams that mostly resembled Gray owl then I would say Big Chill.
Is Gray Owl the perfect neutral gray?
If you are in search of the perfect neutral gray I hate to break it to you but that doesn’t exist. It’s the elusive unicorn that we all want but cannot find.
Every color has undertones and they will show differently in each home. So the perfect neutral gray for you might not be for me.
Gray Owl is a gorgeous light gray paint color that is very popular. I highly suggest giving it a try in your home, but do it with a sample first…just in case.
Does Gray Owl look blue?
It really depends on the amount of light a room gets as well as the other decor. If you have blue furniture against a wall painted with Gray Owl then the blues will really come through.
If you have a lot of natural light and a beige sofa up against a wall painted with Gray Owl you won’t see the blue undertones nearly as much.
Benjamin Moore Gray Owl Recap
Let’s review all of the things we discussed here today:
- It is a light gray paint color with blue/green undertones.
- It is typically a cool paint color but can look warmer in certain lights.
- Has an LRV of 64.51
- Is a light and bright paint color.
- Looks great with both warm and cool coordinating colors.
- Because of its soothing nature, it looks amazing in bedrooms and bathrooms but can be used anywhere in the home. As well as on the exterior.
- The Sherwin Williams equivalent would be Big Chill.
Other Paint Posts:
- Sherwin Williams Passive
- Sherwin Williams Network Gray
- Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray
- Sherwin Williams Repose Gray
- Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter
- Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray
- Sherwin Williams Crushed Ice
- Sherwin Williams Wordly Gray
- Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray
- Benjamin Moore Pale Oak
- Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist
As a licensed Real Estate Agent and an avid home decorator, I strive to give my clients the very best I can when it comes to staging, selling, and decorating their homes. I have lots of experience with paint color choices and love to DIY my home so I can have everything just the way I want it. I share my ideas and projects with the world in the hopes that I can help others have their homes just the way they want as well.