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Benjamin Moore Gray Owl: a paint color review

Searching for that perfect light gray paint color? Benjamin Moore’s Gray Owl might be the right color for you.

Gray Owl is a gray paint color that has notes of blue and green in it. Depending on your decor or trim colors, Gray Owl will appear lighter or darker and will appear more blue or green.

Keep reading to learn more about Gray Owl and whether or not it will work in your next project.

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benjamin moore gray owl

Is Benjamin Moore Gray Owl warm or cool?

Gray Owl is definitely a cool gray color. This can easily be observed by placing Gray Owl by warmer grays like Revere Pewter.

Gray Owl undertones

Like many gray or greige paint colors, Gray Owl is tricky! The undertones in Gray owl can show either blue or green or even both colors depending on your lighting, furniture and fixed elements (floors, cabinets, ect.)

Typically, you’ll observe the blue undertones found in Gray Owl, but occasionally, and especially if you have cherry wood tones in your home, you’ll see the green undertones.

Order a peel and stick sample of Gray Owl.

If you’re realizing that a blue/green undertone won’t work for your space, here you’ll find my master list on the best grey paint colors for every decor scheme.

What colours go with Gray Owl?

Gray Owl is pretty neutral and works really well with a farmhouse color palette.

if If you’re trying to build a color palette around Gray Owl, here’s some of my favorite color combinations.

Gray Owl and Hale Navy: I love, love love this combination. This pairing works really well because both of these colors are in the cool paint color family. It’s also very pretty because the Hale Navy is a striking contrast when compared to Gray Owl.

Gray Owl and Wolf Gray: This color combination is simply divine. If you want to stay in the gray color family but want a contrast, Wolf Gray works well because it has those same dusty blue undertones as Gray Owl.

Gray Owl and Pike’s Peak: Again, another beautiful pairing. Still sticking with that gray color family, Pike’s Peak is much darker and has more of a blue color than Wolf Gray. Pike’s peak would be a beautiful color on built ins in a room painted in Gray Owl.

Gray Owl and green blue paint colors: Because of the undertones of Gray Owl, you could easily get away with pairing it with any number of blue green paint colors. I love it with Newburg Green and Palladian Blue.

Gray Owl and a bright white: Wondering what white trim color to pair Gray Owl with? If you’re looking for a more stark contrast, go with a crisp white, free from too many yellowy undertones like Simply White or Chantilly Lace.

Gray Owl and a creamy white: If you’re not into the stark white, you can still pair Gray Owl with a creamier white, just make sure it’s not too yellowy.

Does Gray Owl go with Edgecomb gray?

Gray Owl and Edgecomb gray do not pair well together. Gray Owl is a cool paint color, while Edgecomb Gray is a warmer color. And while Gray Owl can pair well with colors that have warmer undertones sometimes, this isn’t one of those times. Just look at how the two colors clash together when positioned next to each other.

If you want to pair Gray Owl with another gray, you must go much, much lighter than Edgecomb Gray.

Gray Owl vs. Repose Gray

Comparing the two colors, we can see by looking at their light reflective values that Gray Owl (LRV of 65) is slightly lighter than Repose Gray (LRV of 60). Additionally, both of the colors do have a slight green undertone depending on the lighting, but overall, Repose gray is a more of a warmer color overall and has just a hint of brown to it, as well.

If you’re deciding between the two, look at your fixed elements–would they go better with a color that has cool undertones (Gray Owl) or warmer undertones (Repose Gray)? Also take note of your home’s lighting. Gray Owl is a lighter color and won’t look as dark as Repose Gray would in a home that doesn’t have too much natural light.

Will Gray Owl work in your home?

The only real way to know if Gray Owl will look good in your home is to test it out. Online photos are great for inspiration, but won’t tell you how the color will look in your home.

You must pay attention to your light. Do you have a lot of windows? Is the room you want to paint Gray Owl in North or South facing? North facing rooms are opposite the sun most of the day and therefore will make your paint color look cooler. Likewise, South facing rooms receive ample sun, making your color look warmer.

Purchase a peel and stick sample of paint to add to your walls or get a sample from your local hardware store and paint it on the room in question. It’s best to add the sample to a white poster board hung on the wall to get the most accurate color representation.

Observe the color throughout the day and notice how it looks in the morning, as the sun moves away from the room and at night with lighting. Make sure you like it as the light moves.

Additionally, look at how the floor and furniture work with Gray Owl, too. If you’ve got red/cherry undertones the blue undertones of gray owl will come out. If you have cooler undertones like blues, you’ll likely notice Gray Owl’s green undertones more.

Don’t forget to think outside of the box with Gray Owl–I love it when used on interior doors! If you like the idea of painting your doors something other than white, check out my post on interior door paint ideas.

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