Comparing Two of the Most Popular Gray Paint Colors: Undertones and More!
For those of you who’ve dabbled in paint colors, I’m sure you’ve heard of Benjamin Moore’s Revere Pewter, THE go-to gray paint color.
Well, I’m here to turn the color world on its purdy lil’ butt and introduce my new UBER fave gray paint color…and I will preface this all by saying that I still have maaad love for Revere Pewter – but it’s more like my dirty mistress now as Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray is my new MAIN SQUEEZE!
If you looked at these two colors side-by-side, you might say, ‘hey you crazy Ginger, these are basically the same color’.
The keyword here is ‘basically’. They ARE basically the same color for the following reasons:
- They’re similar depths – sitting in between light and medium
- They’re neutral grays with a very slight greige feeling to them
- Both are warmer looking than many of their cooler cousins like Gray Owl and Stonington Gray
Read more: The 10 Best Gray and Greige Paint Colors
BUT (Kardashian sized…) there is one main difference, so let’s dive a bit deeper
Exploring Colonnade Gray and its undertones
Colonnade Gray will ‘look like gray’ – it just won’t look like a typical cold and icy gray. With its soft greige undertone, it will neutralize a space without changing the visual temperature of it.
This room had mostly northern light and some eastern
Colonnade Gray has a slightly warm base to it. As for undertones, every gray will have either blue, green or purple undertones – even warm grays. Colonnade Gray has a VERY mild tendency to favour green, however, more so than some other gray, it can EASILY wink at the other undertones, depending on your exposure.
This space gets MOSTLY southern light
When those subtle cool blue and purple undertones pop up, it’s more often in north or east-facing rooms, whereas Colonnade is more likely to favour that mild green in south or west-facing light. However, all said, the undertones are quite subtle.
The above photo really shows Collonade Gray and how it will act in a room with moderate lighting. Remember, when people take photos of rooms, they often add a TON of light so things look light, fresh and clear – personally, I think this photo is the best representation of Collonade and how it should look in an ‘average’ room.
Exploring Revere Pewter and its undertones
Just like Colonnade Gray, Revere Pewter CAN flex into any of the cool undertones, BUT – it has to try a lot harder. Most of the time, Revere Pewter heavily favours a warm, earthy green undertone and only rarely flashes into blue or purple. However, even with the green being more dominant, it certainly won’t punch you in the face – it’s quite passive…but it’s there.
Let’s look at it with a vague blue or blue-green undertone first…
Revere Pewter at its coolest in a north-facing room
Do not expect it to look this cool-toned for you, these rooms are the exceptions – not the norms. Of the DOZENS of times I’ve used Revere Pewter in my E-design, only three times has it come up more cool-blue toned. It’s like the perfect storm of exposure/trim color/lighting/etc…which can cause this and there’s really no fixing it short of picking a different color.
This next bedroom is an example of Revere Pewter at its best…
Ahhh, there it is – our green undertone. This is a great example of Revere Pewter at its greenest (left side of the photo). Notice that even when the undertones come to the surface, it’s STILL a beautiful color.
What is the LRV of Colonnade Gray?
Colonnade Gray has an LRV of 53. If you’re wondering what the HECK LRV is, I highly recommend you get out your reading glasses – it could save your color-pickin’ life.
Read more: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Paint Colors with LRV
An LRV of 53 means that Colonnade Gray sits nicely in the light-medium range. It’s not a fresh and light color, but it’s also not heavily weighted. It would be too dark for most hallways, but a great depth for a reasonably well-lit room.
What is the LRV of Revere Pewter?
Revere Pewter’s LRV comes in at a hot 55. It’s close. For all intents and purposes, they have very similar depths, but if you were to compare them side-by-side, you WOULD see a subtle shift with Revere Pewter looking a wink lighter.
Click HERE or on the above image to see available packages!
Let’s take a quick break to talk about paint samples…
Undoubtedly, you’ll be heading out in the near future to grab paint samples – stop right there! I want you to check out SAMPLIZE. Samplize offers peel and stick paint samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots. Here are just a FEW reasons why I recommend Samplize to my clients…
- Samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1-3 business days, depending on location
- At $6.99, they’re more affordable than the samples pots/rollers/foam boards that are needing for traditional paint sampling
- If you keep the samples on their white paper, you can move them around the room
Revere Pewter (slightly darkened) on kitchen cabinets!
Which gray paint color is better for…
- Partnering up with marble: SW Colonnade Gray
- If you prefer warm, earthy grays: BM Revere Pewter
- For a north-facing room: BM Revere Pewter, if you want to try to balance the cool light a bit
- For a south-facing room: SW Colonnade Gray, if you want to balance the warm light a bit
- Mass flexibility: I’ve got to give it to Colonnade Gray, by a wink
So what do you think? Does Colonnade Gray give Revere Pewter a run for its money? I think so!
Want to learn more about Revere Pewter? Check out my Youtube video for more!
Chat soon,
Check out my Online Color Consulting E-Design for your own Personal Consultation!
READ MORE
The 10 Best Gray and Greige Paint Colors
The 12 Best Gray Neutrals for Your WHOLE Home
KYLIE M INTERIORS E-DESIGN VIRTUAL, ONLINE PAINT COLOR, DECORATING AND DESIGN CONSULTING SPECIALIST IN SHERWIN WILLIAMS AND BENJAMIN MOORE PAINT COLORS DIY DECORATING BLOG
Originally written in 2017, awesomely updated in 2019
I own a small ranch home with my kitchen open to my living room. I painted my living room, dining room ,hallway and kitchen Colonade gray, I looked at a lot of gray’s before choosing.
I have heard some say that there is a touch of green, I really dislike green and i have never seen a green hint in my home.
My finished basement is getting done in Agreeable gray.
I love Collonade gray!!!!!!
Author
Well Kathy I’m glad to hear this! It’s this kind of info that helps readers decide if it will work for them – thank you!
Can you mix Collanade grey with cool greys? OR is that a complete NO.
Author
Hi Erika! I would, as long as they are softer ones, so ones that aren’t to crisp/clean – ones that have some decent blue/green undertones in them would be quite pretty! (ie: Magnetic Gray)
Hi Kylie,
Can I use Collonade Gray if I have antique white moldings, trim, doors, woodwork all throughout my home?
Author
Hi Margaret, it does depend on how creamy/warm the antique white is. If it’s super subtle than probably yes, but if it’s creamier, it could just be too warm…
I have colonnade gray in my living & dining room. Almost a year since I painted, I haven’t seen that green peek through. However the beige undertone comes forth every so often. Its great in the dining room because I have large windows but in the living room, its somewhat dark. Overall, I like the color. No major sneakey undertones and I think it commits to a grey for the most part.
SN: Colonnade gray LRV is 53 and RP is 55.
Author
Hi Julie, thank you for letting me know! I JUST painted the main floor of our new home in this colour (north facing) and i LOOOOVE it. There’s only 1 part of 1 wall where a minor green comes up in the later afternoon, but fractional. It is really just an awesome greige!
What is this hate for a gray paint that has a green undertone? The most beautiful neutral paint I ever had in a living room was Martha Stewart’s Cord. The tone was a bit beyond light. Cord was such a chameleon that guests would ask, “What color is it? Gray? Green?” I’d love to use it in my present home, but it no longer exists. I’ve called Martha Stewart and Valspar, the company that manufactured it, hoping to get the formula, with no luck.
Author
Hi Joan, I do like a gray with a green undertone – including Revere Pewter! However, I’ve found that with my E-design clients, on the questionnaire that they answer, it is one of the more common preferences, to avoid a ‘gray with a green undertone’! Purple and pink undertones also rank high as colours that they want to avoid – each to their own! 😉
I have used SW Colonnade Gray in our last two houses. I’ve yet to pull any green undertones, but it does pull quite a bit more blue than the swatches or online pics show! Obviously I don’t mind that bc I continue to use it, mainly to keep things simple. Quite a few of my friends have went with it as well and are happy. One time down the gray paint sample hole was enough for me lol
With that being said, we got some granite in our master bath and it’s a lot more gray/blue than I expected and just too close to the Colonnade paint color. (I got frustrated and let my husband make the final decision on the granite-last time that will happen) Our bathroom window is shaded and frosted-so little natural light (this may be the ONLY room I’ve noticed Colonnade pulling the tiniest bit of green). Is there a similar color maybe with higher LRV you would recommend swatching? I’ve tried PPG Fossil Gray, Valspar Cool Slate, Olympic North Beach and a couple others. I may try some whiter tones, any suggestions which ones to start with?
Author
Hi Brittyn! I’m sorry, but without seeing the granite and the bathroom itself, I really can’t begin to tell you what would look good! If you’re interested, I do have affordable E-design services, might do the trick? https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/online-decorating-design-services/ Then I can look at photos and questionnaire answers and come up with some options that actually make sense!
~Kylie
My husband and I remodeled our kitchen a couple of years ago—white cabinets, golden oak hardwood floors, and white/taupe/grayquartzite countertops. I was leaning toward Revere Pewter for the walls, but wasn’t 100% sure. Then I found BM York Gray, which to my eye was ALMOST the same as RP but just a very tiny bit different. I can’t really say how because side by side paint chips look virtually the same, but I just seemed to go for the YG instead and it looks awesome on the walls. Now I’m looking for something for the adjacent LR and FR. Collonade Gray is nice but is there a BM color like it (sorry, SW). Honestly, I’m a huge fan of BM paints and have always used them, and I have no desire to try any other brand!
I’ve been obsessing over your site since we decided to paint our house and used a lot of your suggestions with doing my SW color consult. BUT we have tinted windows because of East/West facing rooms and Colonnade Gray at 50% looks icy blue! I was convinced until they did a sample wall for me this morning and now…lost…and they come tomorrow.
Author
Oooo, those tinted windows are tricky. I wonder if a subtle shift to Amazing Gray would help?
Awesome post Kylie. Many years ago I chose cream blinds (actually I now think they have yellow undertones). I love the Colonade Gray but have concerns about painting the room in CG because of the blinds. My trim is also beige and will be painting them Decorater White BM. Am I making a big mistake since blinds are this creamy/beige/ yellowish color? Love love love your blog.
Author
Oooo, I don’t know Vivian, the Decorator White trim makes me AWFULLY nervous with cream/beige/yellowish blinds, it will definitely highlight them via the contrast with the white. I worry about THAT more than I do the Collonade!
Hi,
I am planning to paint my bedroom and would like to do one accent wall with a navy blue such as Hale Navy or Gentlemen’s Grey (something along those lines) and I am looking for a color that coordinates. I was considering Revere Pewter or Collanade Grey but I’m worried about any undertones they might pick up from the dark blue. I do not want the bedroom to end up looking baby blue next to navy. Would either of those colors work? The room is south facing. I am looking for a greige to go with the navy and not an icy/cool grey.
Thanks for any help!
Author
Hi Jaime, I think those are a great place to start! If you go much warmer you risk losing the pretty navy/greige connection!
EEeeekkkk! Decided on Anew Gray (over agreeable or amazing) for my light floors, they are birch, have turned to a yellow/honey color….NOW I think Colonnade may be the better choice! I want “gray” to tie into my kitchen and addition, but know my colors are warm, so looking for the coolest warm gray there is! LOL
Thoughts Anew or Colonnade for light floors, decent light – dark brown leather furniture! Have SW barn red and SW ramie on the walls now…
Thanks!
Author
Hi Susan! If I were to choose between the 2 (and I have, because I have Collonade in my own home!), it would be Collonade as you’ll get a bit less of a greige/taupe effect up against the more yellow/honey coloured wood 😉
I have honey oak cabinets and honey oak floors – would Collonade Gray work with all the honey oak? My appliances are the new black stainless steel.
Author
Hi Diane! It actually depends MORE on your countertop/backsplash, but generally, Collonade can be quite pretty with the warmer woods 🙂
Love this blog. Don’t see any comments for exterior color. I’ve had my heart set on Revere Pewter for my florida home – contemporary with no trim contrast. The contractor prefers Sherwin-Williams. I have lots of sunshine and greenery. Should I go with revere pewter, colander gray or worldly gray?
Author
Hi Daryl! For the exterior, Revere can be beautiful, but it will probably look a bit warmer than you expect, I’m always surprised by it! You might find that Colonnade holds that colour just a WINK more as it’s a touch grayer. And of course it depends on your exposures/stone/brick/roof, but generally I do like Colonnade.
Hi! Would any mauve or pink type shades go with this color?
Hello,
I have a dark basement with only one tiny window on the northside. I’m looking for a gray that will lighten up the room, but don’t want it to look tan or beige. Can you recommend one.
Thanks .
Hi Kylie, how does SW skyline steel compare to collonade gray? I’m thinking either one for the main body of our house.
Hello,
I am torn between Revere Pewter and Collonade Gray. My living room furniture is a suede royal blue and the flooring has touches of brown, gray, and tan. Trying to see what color paint will look best in that room to brighten it up and the undertones won’t clash.
Author
Off the top, I lean more into Colonnade than Revere Pewter from what I’m hearing, just because it’s a bit cleaner :).
I’m so bummed. I’ve waited a long time to be able to use Revere Pewter and Edgecomb Gray.
No matter what room I tape the paint swatches up on the wall in,, and in multiple places in each room, they both look majorly purple toned to me. Doesn’t matter if I have them up in a south, west, north or east facing room- all very purple looking.
Such a bummer
I thought it’s maybe the paint swatch being funky (the ones from the BM store) and that maybe getting the actual sample paint would make a difference but I’m not so sure since they look so purple.
Author
Hi Stephanie, they really SHOULDN’T be looking that way, and certainly not in every room, which leads me to think you might be placing the samples right on your old paint colour. Perception can really skew things and it’s SO IMPORTANT that you surround your samples with white (poster board is great because it’s thicker) to separate the OLD from NEW!
You mean you had the paint lightened 25 percent? I’m debating between that and 50, so you happen to have a pic?