I just love doing these paint color reviews! Going through all the details on why a color looks the way it does is fun. Well, maybe not for everyone. Today we are diving into Stonington Gray by Benjamin Moore.
There are a lot of gray colors to choose from so diving into the individual colors is important to figure out which color is best for you and your home.
As a Real Estate Agent I love helping clients choose colors that will help their home look it’s best so it sells faster (and for more $$). Stonington Gray is a color I recommend often because it looks good with so many other colors.
You have to be careful with it though because the room you put it in can look totally different in another one due to the amount and type of natural light the space receives.
I know this can be confusing but we will go into all of that today. Have no fear friend, I have your back here!
*This post contains affiliate links. For more details see my full disclosure.
Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray
Benjamin Moore states that this color is “an all-purpose silvery gray with relatively neutral undertones”.
Stonington Gray is part of the Historic Color Collection which comprises the more popular colors available from Benjamin Moore. It’s also part of the Southwest Color Palette.
What is the undertone of Stonington Gray?
Stonington Gray has blue undertones and slight purple in some light. It is mostly a neutral gray unless paired with cool-toned whites and bright natural light. Then it tends to pull a little on the blue side.
Is Stonington Gray warm or cool-toned?
Gray paint colors are considered warm-toned when their undertones pull towards beige or even green. Believe it or not, there is actually a term for this and it’s called a Greige paint color. I have a post dedicated to the best greige paint colors.
Gray paint colors are considered cool-toned when the undertones pull more blue or purple. And yes, I have a post for the best cool-toned gray paint colors as well.
When it comes to Stonington Gray it falls into the category of cool-toned because it has blue and slightly purple undertones.
What is the LRV of Stonington Gray?
LRV stands for light reflective value and it measures the amount of light a paint color reflects. It’s a scale of 0-100, 0 being the darkest black and 100 being the brightest white.
The LRV for Stonington Gray is 59.75. It straddles the line between being a light paint color and mid-toned.
How Light Affects Stonington Gray
The amount of light a room receives is very important when considering a paint color but the way a room faces also makes a big difference.
Stonington Gray can look different in different situations depending on whether the light is from the north or south. Let’s dive in:
- 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.
How does all of this affect Stonington Gray? This color will look good in every room but you might see a touch more blue in the north-facing room. The fact that this color is cool-toned will help balance out the warmth in south, east, and west-facing rooms.
The best thing you can do though is get a sample and try it in every room you want to paint.
What is the best way to sample Stonington Gray?
If you aren’t sure whether Stonington Gray is for you then I highly suggest getting a paint swatch and putting it on your wall for a few days and looking at it in various lights.
You can get a small paint sample at the paint store or you can purchase a 12×12 inch square from Samplize that is peel and stick. No mess, no fuss. It’s super simple and they carry tons and tons of different colors. What’s better, it gets mailed right to you!
Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray Whole Home Color Palette
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Where to Use BM Stonington Gray
Honestly, friend, the sky is the limit with this color! You can use it in any space you want it’s such a versatile color. Here are a few of my favorites that I recommend to my friends and clients:
- Entryways
- Bedrooms
- Bathrooms
- Family rooms
- Cabinets
- Doors
- Exterior
- Basements
Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray in Real Rooms
Let’s take a look at some real homes where Stonington Gray is used.
SG in the Entryway
You can see how nicely this color pairs with the white wainscotting on the bottom third of the wall. The brightness of this room makes the paint color look light, even though it’s considered a medium-toned gray.
Stonington Gray in a Bedroom
Isn’t this nursery just the most adorable room! I love the wood wall and the crib’s color looks like it is painted with the same color as the pretty walls.
Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray in the Bathroom
I love how this paint color pairs with the marble floors. If you have marble mosaics like this or even a Carerra Marble countertop this will be the perfect paint color to pair with them.
Stonington Gray on the Exterior of the Home
This house is gorgeous, isn’t it! I love how the gray color of the siding pairs with the beautiful stone.
Paint Colors that look good with SG
Hale Navy looks amazing with Stonington Gray. They are both cool-toned and the darkness of Hale Navy against SG makes the color pop.
Boothbay gray is another that looks really good with SG. Boothbay gray is a blue-gray color that pulls really hard on the blue side.
Amherst Gray is another dark color that looks great with Stonington Gray. Amherst Gray is a timeless color that is also part of the historical collection. It’s pretty dark with an LRV of 17.
The Best White Trim Color to Use with Stonington Gray
I really like pairing SG with a bright, crisp white trim color. A few of my favorites from Benjamin Moore are Decorator’s White, Chantilly Lace, and Super White.
Similar Colors to Stonington Gray
Stonington Gray vs Gray Owl
Both of these paint colors are extremely popular with Benjamin Moore that’s why I am comparing them. Stonington Gray has mostly blue undertones whereas Gray Owl has green undertones.
They are both considered cool toned but Gray Owl has been known to pull warm in rooms that have little natural light.
Gray Owl has an LRV of 65 which makes it a much lighter color than Stonington Gray.
Benjamin Moore has these colors as being very similar to Stonington Gray.
I also think that Stonington Gray is very similar to Coventry Gray. The big difference is that Coventry Gray is darker. But I think they look amazing together!
Are You Painting the Room Yourself?
If you are doing the job yourself then good for you! Painting is one of the easiest DIY projects a person can do and it makes such a big impact on the look and feel of your home.
If you are doing the work yourself then you want to check out these posts:
- The Right Way to Test Paint Samples in Your Home
- The Best Paint Brushes for Latex Paint
- 11 Must-Have Supplies for Paint a Room Like a Pro
- 5 Tips on Choosing the Perfect Color for Your Home
Stonington Gray Color Recap
What have we learned about Stonington Gray?
- It’s part of the Benjamin Moore Historical Collection
- It’s one of Benjamin Moore’s most popular colors
- It’s cool-toned
- Has blue and slight purple undertones
- Has an LRV of 59.75
- Looks great in any room of your home, even the exterior
- Plays well with many other colors
- North-facing rooms will bring out the cooler undertones, especially blue
Final Thoughts on Stonington Gray
What can I say, this is a great paint color and I think would be a great choice for your home. I have recommended it to clients and it has always turned out beautiful!
If you don’t like any blue at all then you might not like this color but the only time you will really see the blue is in a north-facing room. If blue isn’t for you then check out some of the other gray colors I have linked below.
In the end, choosing a paint color is an important decision. I hope I have made the process a little easier. Happy painting!
Other gray paint colors you might be interested in…
- Sherwin Williams Repose Gray
- Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter
- Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray
- Sherwin Williams Passive
- Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist
I hope you learned a little something about Benjamin Moore’s Stonington Gray. There is no doubt that it is one of the most popular mid-toned grays, where would you use it in your home?
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.