Benjamin Moore Collingwood OC-28 Paint Color Review

Collingwood – not your everyday warm gray!

If you’ve been perusing Pinterest lately, you may have noticed a shift from gray to beige, taupe, and greige. I see this same trend in my Color Consulting adventures; I’m getting more and more requests for the warmer end of things.

However, some grays straddle both worlds. They are committed to a traditionally cool gray look but aren’t gratuitously warm, either. In this department, Benjamin Moore Collingwood has to be the winner-winner chicken dinner.

WHAT TYPE OF COLOR IS COLLINGWOOD?

Collingwood OC-28 is a gray paint color. While it’s certainly a warm gray and softer than traditional shades of gray, it’s not warm enough to step into the taupe or greige end of things and is definitely not beige or anywhere near it.

As it relates to Benjamin Moore’s best-selling gray paint colors, Collingwood is near the top of the list (along with Classic Gray, Revere Pewter, and Stonington Gray—the OGs of the gray world).

But what is a warm gray?

Traditionally, gray is a cool color with either blue, green, or purple undertones. Once you add a bit of brown-beige to the mix, it becomes a warm gray (it’s way more technical than that, but I’m a meat n’ potatoes gal here).

Collingwood looks gorgeous in my client’s living room, which has a slightly darker, cooler shade of gray on the ceiling. 

WHAT ARE COLLINGWOOD’S UNDERTONES – WILL IT LOOK PURPLE?

Collingwood is a neutral paint color at its heart, but it also has a soft, slightly purple undertone. Will your walls look legit PURPLE? If you have a north-facing room and a hate-on for this particular shade, it might make you twitch – just a bit. But generally speaking, the purple is more about the softness of the color. This undertone is also a great way to get gray without blue or green.

In my client’s kitchen (below), notice how the undertone of Collingwood rises on the left-hand side. I love it, but it’s unusual, as the undertone is usually more passive (considerably). To get this actual look, you may need a color with more undertone or even a color with more of a more committed purple hue.

This next photo shows the walls in one of my favorite local clients’ homes, in which Collingwood’s violet undertone is more natural.

WHAT’S THE LRV OF COLLINGWOOD?

The LRV of Collingwood is 62 (61.52) – MY MAGIC NUMBER! You’ll know this is a pretty rad number if you’ve read my previous blog posts on LRV. If you haven’t read those posts, you get three slaps with a wet noodle and better get your reading glasses on…

• The Ultimate Guide to Light Reflectance Value (LRV)

• LRV – The Magic Number You Need to Know

• LRV, Paint Colors & YOU

62 is a great LRV because it’s a depth the ‘average room’ can handle. With Collingwood having this LRV, if your room gets adequate lighting (natural or otherwise), it will hold its own. If you have an overly bright room, any paint color with this LRV (or higher) will wash out, as will Collingwood.

On the other hand, if you have a slightly darker room, Collingwood has a noticeable depth without looking too dark (although that would be open to perception). However, don’t expect it to work any wonders, as dark rooms need light to come to life. You might need a bit more commitment to color to get it showing up at the party.

In this hallway with dark wood flooring, Collingwood looks classic and soft, but notice how it dies off as the hallway gets darker…

While it might not be the perfect color for every room, its LRV sets it up for success.

Get the Online Color Expert that DESIGNERS hire! 

COLLINGWOOD IN A NORTH-FACING ROOM

North-facing light is cool natural light with a slightly cool gray cast. Just like cool light bulbs, northern light can slightly enhance other cool colors, so in a north-facing room, you can expect Collingwood to look less warm gray and more neutral gray while still keeping a soft, subtle violet undertone.

In the above photo, look at the highest part of the wall, just above the closet. This shows Collingwood in its usual form.

COLLINGWOOD IN A SOUTH-FACING ROOM

In a south-facing room, Collingwood is a nice, neutral way to cool down the warm yellow light flooding through your windows. It offers a neutral but not cold balance.

These next two rooms showcase Collingwood in what is likely a south-facing light…

If you have a south-facing room and love a more traditional gray, you might not find Collingwood cool enough. If so, check out a more traditional-looking gray like Gray Owl or Stonington Gray. Gray Owl is a bit more stormy and has a green-blue undertone. Stonington Gray is also stormy but a bit darker and has a bit more blue in its hue—especially compared to the warm softness of Collingwood. While these can look a bit muddy or weirdly warm in some lights, they’re popular colors overall.

Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Collingwood… 

…delivered to your front door in 1 DAY!

COLLINGWOOD IN AN EAST OR WEST-FACING ROOM

Oooo, these rooms are buggers. While north and south-facing rooms have more consistency throughout the day, east and west-facing rooms change quite drastically. Here are a few tips to help you decide if Collingwood can work for you…

EAST-FACING ROOM

In the morning, Collingwood will look lovely and quite natural. However, if you don’t have adequate interior lighting, it can look a bit flat and drab in the afternoon.

WEST-FACING ROOM

In the morning, Collingwood will look a touch flat and drab. However, in the afternoon, it will shift into a gorgeous soft, warm gray.

The key is to figure out what time of day you spend the most time in your room and see how Collingwood feels in that light.

North, East, South, West – Which Paint Color is the Best?

WHAT’S THE BEST WHITE TRIM COLOR FOR COLLINGWOOD?

If you’re looking for a white for your trims or cabinets, Collingwood loves a slightly cleaner approach.

• I would lean into Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace the most.
• However, Simply White is also a beautiful choice.
• Benjamin Moore White Dove looks pretty too, for a slightly lower contrast look.

DOES COLLINGWOOD GO WITH CREAM TRIM?

That’s a big fat no. Collingwood is a hot mess with cream trim, and I’d avoid it at all costs.

The Best Paint Colors to Update Cream Trim

DOES COLLINGWOOD GO WITH WOOD TRIM OR CABINETS?

Collingwood can look amazing with so many wood stains and finishes. Maple, cherry, oak, yellow, orange, and red—Collingwood is no one-trick pony and accommodates almost everything.

The Best Paint Colors with Red Wood Finishes  | Paint Colors That Go With Pink-Stained Woods

WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO COLLINGWOOD?

In the battle of the warm grays, Collingwood has some serious competition. Let’s examine some of Benjamin Moore’s and Sherwin William’s top-selling shades to see which ones compete.

COLLINGWOOD VS. BALBOA MIST

Collingwood and Balboa Mist are often in the running for the same project. This is because they have similar intentions: warm grays with a violet undertone. However, when you compare the two, you’ll see that while both colors are in the light range, Collingwood is darker (LRV of 61.52), whereas Balboa Mist is a bit lighter (LRV of 65.53). Another difference is that Balboa Mist can show a bit more undertone and the odd time a bit more pink mixed into its violet undertone.

Unlike many comparable shades, thanks to the shift in depth and tweak in undertones, Collingwood and Balboa Mist look good in a palette together (e.g., adjoining rooms). Collingwood also goes well with Classic Gray, another similar shade of gray; it’s just much lighter with its LRV of 73.67 and has a bit more warmth (read its review HERE).

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist

COLLINGWOOD VS. AGREEABLE GRAY

Okay, now we’re comparing apples to apples! Agreeable Gray and Collingwood are super similar. Collingwood’s LRV is 61.52, whereas Agreeable Gray is a touch darker with its LRV of 60 – you’re splitting hairs, and they’re short and curly.

The real difference, however subtle, is that Collingwood commits to a violet undertone. In contrast, Agreeable Gray is a bit more flexible – it can look slightly green OR slightly violet depending on its surroundings. Then there are times when you don’t see any undertone at all, but that can apply to both colors! When I have a client greatly opposed to purple undertones, I suggest Agreeable Gray over Collingwood, as long as it suits their space (but still mention that it can pick up the odd flash of violet).

My FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray

WHAT DARK COLORS GO WITH COLLINGWOOD?

Heck yes, but it’s not as easy as grabbing any old hue. While not all of these are meant to be directly beside Collingwood, they include colors that work in a color palette/adjoining room.

• Collingwood is a soft neutral, and it likes toned-down or slightly earth-toned colors.
• This includes popular shades of blue-grays (with a bit of green) such as Benjamin Moore Brewster Gray, Silver Mink, and the darker, striking navy-gray approach of Benjamin Moore Anchor Gray.
• Muted off-whites can be gorgeous (avoid an off-white that’s colder than Collingwood or overly creamy).
• I love Collingwood with more committed blue-green-gray blends like Benjamin Moore’s Gray Wisp.
• As for green, again, a little dab will do ya. Check out the more muted, earthy greens such as Benjamin Moore’s October Mist, the darker green-gray look of Cos Cob Stonewall, and many darker shades of green as well.
• darker grays with similar undertones, including Sherwin Williams Dovetail
• dark blue-gray blends, including blue-violets and blue-greens
• popular navy blue paint colors, including Benjamin Moore Hale Navy

Want something a bit different? I GOT MORE!

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Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist

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This post was originally published in 2017 but was updated and revamped in 2024