All About Benjamin Moore Collingwood – Not Your Everyday Gray!
If you’ve been paying any attention to Pinterest these days, you may have noticed that the shift is starting. The shift from cool to warm – the shift from gray to greige. Sure, it’s been sneaking up on us, but in my e-design adventures I’m getting more and more requests for greiges and warm grays. And right now, the winner winner chicken dinner HAS to be BM Collingwood.
Benjamin Moore Collingwood
Collingwood is a warm gray ALMOST greige. If it had a wee willy wink more beige in it, it’d be in greige territory, but since it doesn’t – it’s a warm gray.
What is a warm gray? Well, traditionally, gray is a cool colour 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 actually way more technical than that, but I’m kind of a meat n’ potatoes gal here).
So, now you have a warm gray. Well, just because you have a warm gray doesn’t mean you lost its cool undertone – and this bad boy decided to keep ONE undertone in particular…(moment of suspense, wait for it…)
The Undertones of Collingwood
Collingwood has a soft, feminine, slightly purple undertone. Will your walls be purple? Well, if you have a north facing room and a hate-on for purple then it might make you twitch – just a bit. However, generally speaking, the purple is more about the softness of the colour, and really, one of the few ways to get GRAY without blue or green. But keep in mind, that given the WRONG influence, ANY gray can pick up a subtle blue or green.
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The LRV of Collingwood
The LRV of Collingwood is 62 – MY MAGIC NUMBER! If you’ve read my previous blog posts on LRV, you’ll know that this is a pretty rad number. If you haven’t read those posts then you get SLAPPED with a wet noodle and you better get your reading glasses on…
62 is a great LRV because it’s the depth that the ‘average room’ can handle. If your room gets adequate lighting (interior and exterior) this colour will hold its own. If it’s a slightly brighter room, it won’t wash out TOO much. If it’s a slightly darker room, it isn’t too weighted. In the words of the late great Goldilocks – it’s juuuuust right.
In the foyer below, with warm yellow toned flooring, just LOOK at how soft and subtle Collingwood is – MAD love (I bet it’s south facing).
In this hallway, with dark wood flooring, Collingwood looks classic and soft…
And while it might not be the perfect COLOUR for every room, its LRV sets it up for success.
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Where does Collingwood do its BEST work?
Collingwood in a north facing room
North facing light is a cool light that is gray with a vague blue undertone. It can also just slightly enhance other cool colours, 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 purple undertone.
In the above photo, look at the highest part of the wall, just above the closet. This really shows Collingwood in its normal glory.
If you have a north facing room and want a gray, but not a cold gray, you MIGHT need to go more into the greige range as Collingwood just might not be enough to hit your happy place.
Collingwood in a south facing room
In a south facing room, Collingwood is a nice, neutral way to cooool down that warm yellow light coming in the windows, offering some neutral, but not COLD balance.
If you have a south facing room and LOVE a more traditional gray, you might not find Collingwood cool enough. If so, check out more traditional cool grays like Gray Owl, Big Chill or Stonington Gray.
Collingwood in an East or West Facing Room
Oooo, these rooms are buggers. While north and south facing rooms have a bit 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. In the afternoon, it can fall a bit flat and drab if you don’t have adequate interior lighting
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 it feels. If you’re SUPER jacked on it, then check it at the time of the day when you LEAST use the room and make sure it’s still liveable for you.
And do you want to see what a LIFESAVER Collingwood is? I was sent this GLORIOUS funk-da-fied kitchen via my E-design services. My client wanted to keep everything – except the wallpaper. We needed a versatile paint colour that could nod to the funk, but simplify the overall look.
And whadda ya know, Collingwood did JUST the trick!
The Best Paint Colours for an East Facing Room
The Best Paint Colours for a West Facing Room
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READ MORE
Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray: A Modern Farmhouse E-design
The Best Benjamin Moore Gray Paint Colours
This post was originally published in 2017 but was updated and revamped.
Kylie I love reading your blog. You mention how color changes in different light. Also which way the room faces makes a big difference. What happens when you have a room with three large windows facing east, north and south?? Hard to follow when it says if you have a East facing room or a north facing the color will pick up this undertone.. So if the room faces east with a window, but has windows on the north and side do I still go by a east facing room.? So confused…I’m I just reading to much into this…
Hi Kathleen! You’re right, sometimes we get so caught up in something that we need to step back – I do it with my home ALL the time, I over think the heck out of it! It can be about when you use the room the most, or which exposure is the dominant one. In the end, it ‘sounds’ like your room will be relatively flexible, more so than a room with only 1 exposure, so I think you probably have a good range to consider and can put more focus on coordinating with the products in your home (ie: countertops/flooring/furnishings). If I ever HAD to choose an exposure to honour, I PERSONALLY would lean to the south over the north, but that’s because I generally prefer slightly warmer colours – someone who prefers cooler colours would lean to the northern/cool end!
I hope that helps 🙂
~Kylie
Would this color look ok in a north facing-wall of windows room with a warm beige stone fireplace and maple windows? A lot of people are trying to update the warm beige/browns with the popular gray/greige colors but it’s seems like it would be hard to do if your not willing to paint the wood trim or change a fireplace facade. How do you bring in a Collingwood color with the warmer unchangeables in a home ? Btw, my daughter is a Kylie M too!
Hi Lori! Collingwood is pretty flexible. I’ve found it can flex a bit more into it’s gray, subtle purple MORE in a north facing room, so you’ll want to see how it settles for you. If it’s just a bit gray, you might need to warm things up a bit! If you’d like me to take a look at your room I do have an affordable and fun E-design service! https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/the-best-paint-colours-for-west-facing-rooms/
~Kylie
Hi Kylie,
I’ve painted most of the interior of my home BM Revere Pewter, but find it a bit too muddy and dark in my north facing (very small) kitchen with limited light due to a big tree in front of my window.
Do you think Collingwood would work as a replacement on my kitchen walls, and do you feel it will it ‘blend’ well enough with the rest of the Revere Pewter walls throughout the house?
PS – love your site and all your posts. Thank you so much form Kelowna!!
Oh Tammie, it’s hard to say! There’s so much to consider – not just the Revere Pewter in the adjoining rooms. Even MORE important are the countertops, cabinet colour, flooring, etc… so while they certainly find together, I can’t say it will look good in your own kitchen – but it is a beautiful colour and will be fresher than RP!
Thanks for this. My husband picked Revere Pewter and I picked Collingwood. We have White Dove trim. We plan to do the family room/kitchen (all open). Also the 2 story foyer and hallway.
TIme to get the swatches on the wall and see what happens!!
Great article! Just the info I was looking for! What color trim works best with Collingwood? Thank you! Beth
Good good – that’s what I like to hear! For trim colour, I might look at BM White Dove for a soft warm, but not too creamy approach, or keep it CLEAN AND CRISP with Super White!
Kylie, I’m a huge fan! I’m a color consultant in Northern California and find my taste and esthetic very similar to yours. Thank you for your witty and informative blogs!. I’m a Sherwin Williams gal. Do you have a fave SW that compares to Collingwood?
Well, thank you Barbi! Oh, I do looooove Collingwood and SW just doesn’t have one that quite hits it. The best would probably be SW Agreeable Gray, but it would need to be lightened to hit the right depth. Modern Gray is also similar…ish, but warmer/more greige…
When it comes to Collingwood, I’d be more inclined to ask SW to colour match the actual paint chip right into their brand 🙂
Thanks for writing!
~Kylie
Best design blog on paint on the web
Wow, thank you Mariza – that made my day!
Good article! Thanks Kylie! Would love to hear your thoughts on BM Baby Fawn, Cedar Key and Pale Oak.
Wendy
Hi Wendy, thank you for the note! Now those colours could ALL get blog posts on their own, so I can’t go too far with my thoughts. In general, these are all soft, feminine warm gray/greiges. If you are wanting to avoid the blue/green type of grays and like a softer touch, they are very valid choices!
~Kylie
Love the color….I was going to use revere peweter but I saw it in a home with lots of light and in a bedroom with not so much. I think I’ll go with this choice.
I have to paint the ceiling in the bedroom, could I do a darker Greyish/blue color?
Hi Tana, yes I think you could pull that off, absolutely!
I love love this color! I have a swatch on the wall and so far like it a lot. Your post helped me pick this color so thank you. Its between this one and Colonnade Gray lightened by 25% I just want to see if any funny business will happen with Collingwood in east and west facing rooms?
Thank you.
Hi Jadena, that’s a tough one! I have seen Collonade pick up a tiny (tiny) wink of green. Big deal, no, as long as you’re okay with that (and it’s rare that it shows up to the party). I lean a bit more toward Collingwood…
What Sherwin Williams color is most like Collingwood Gray?
Well, Collingwood is a creature unto itself! The closest you could probably get is SW Agreeable Gray, lightened by 25%…
Hi Kylie! I am painting my house in Collingwood thanks to your suggestion! I want to do a couple accent walls. I tried to buy Escarpment at Home Depot but they don’t have it in their system. Are there any other accent wall colors you’d recommend? Thank you!
Hey Christy, good to hear from you! On a softer note, BM Thunder is really pretty and a more striking one, BM Metropolis…I also LOOOOVE SW Dorian Gray…
Short of that, if you can get the Escarpment chip from BM, Home Depot will be able to match it for you!
I want to use BM Stone Harbor for my laundry room. There are no windows in the room. Can I use the same colour for the ceiling?
If it’s a flat ceiling you can, if you have adequate lighting. If it’s textured, I wouldn’t…
Considering this color for our living room, kitchen and entryway, LR and entryway face east, kitchen west, great lighting with windows, skylights, can lighting.
I was leaning toward SW Agreeable Gray until I saw Collingwood! I am trying to get a nice gray paint with a warm feeling and want to avoid the cooler blue tones of other grays without going too brown. This color seems like a nice compromise. Our furniture is neutral leathers and warm teak. Your opinion??
Hi Susan, could be a nice choice! I’m hesitant to say anything for sure without photos – but I DO love Collingwood!
The house is unfinished, just finished drywall this week. Power line in but not yet turned on, but hopefully soon. I am trying to get ahead of the game so to speak and narrow down some of my choices. I did walk through twice this week at different times of the day. I am headed to the paint store tomorrow, saved drywall pieces and cut them down to 2×2 foot pieces which my husband has primed. Once painted I can move them around during the day and night to see how all of them look. I think this color will work well, guess I’ll find out! I had also looked at SW Passive and BM Stoningham but fear they will go blue on me.
I have 2 runs of hallways that will only be lit with wall sconces and solatubes. Thinking to go lighter with BM Shoreline there and in our entry hall. The wall sconces are ceramic and a medium granite gray color.
Great LRV info on your site, it has helped a lot!
I painted my entire house in collingwood two years ago and I love it. I would like to do an accent wall in the master bedroom in witg blue tones. Is there a paint colour that would match collingwood or should I stay with the colours you have suggested. The bedroom faces south – lots of light.
Collingwood matched my Bellingham quart in the kitchen and then we went with it throughout.
I am happy to see you love collingwood!
I have been scouring your blog for the past few weeks trying to soak up as much information I can. You really know your stuff and you are amazing and hilarious at putting this in a way we would understand it! Personally my poor husband has painted our living room three colours now and about ten sample colours now and nothing has hit that jackpot. We have dark walnut floors, brown couches and we’re just trying to give the room a more modern look, so we assumed grey! But we have two large east facing windows that seem to change every colour as soon as we put it on the wall! We’re aiming for an LRV around 60 (thanks to your fabulous info) we’ve found anything lower is too dark and anything higher is going white. Currently pale oak is on the walls and it has gone very cold (which I was hoping for some warmth) and almost white. Do you think collingwood would be worth a try? As it is darker and the darker version of balboa mist, or will it still be cold with our east facing windows?
Hi Danielle, if you are finding Pale Oak to be too gray, you likely won’t find Collingwood much better – it’s tricky, I know! And when it comes to personal questions, I do try to refer to my E-design, this way I can take a look at your room and come up with options based on your exposure, furnishings, floorings, etc…, otherwise I’m just guessing! I do have fun and affordable packages! https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/online-decorating-design-services/
~Kylie
Hi, love your posts… so much great information. We recently moved into a new house and updated our kitchen. Our cabinets are BM Simply white and our counters are grey and white (Atlantic Salt). Now I am faced with painting the walls. We have tried three different ‘Grey’s and found the blue undertones too much so now I am torn between Balboa Mist and Collingwood. Or to complicate it SW Agreeable Grey. What would you suggest; we have North facing windows. Thank you, Liz
Hi Liz! Ooooh, when it comes to personal questions I do prefer to go through my E-design, otherwise I’m just guessing on your room and the type of gray in the counters/amount of light coming in/etc… I do try to give as much info on my blog and if that doesn’t work, it might be time for a closer look! It’s affordable and fun 😉 https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/online-decorating-design-services/
~Kylie
I am enjoying your blog! I am trying to find a gray for our older, wood-trimmed home, so I wanted a warm gray. I have tried about 7-8 samples and am leaning towards collingwood but in some places like the hallway it feels too dark (it’s open, so no great cut off point to switch colors). Is there a color slightly lighter, soft, and pretty that you would recommend? I also love blue/greens and would like to do an accent wall to incorporate those colors. Any suggestions?
Hi Anita, thank you for writing! When it comes to personal questions, there’s so much more for me to consider – flooring, flow of light, size, decor…So, I would recommend you check out my E-design service which is affordable and fun! https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/online-decorating-design-services/ This way I can spend some quality time with your room, rather than just guessing.
~Kylie
Kylie, you are a great instructor. I’m a newbie And thoroughly enjoying all of your posts I’ve worked through.
Does Collingwood like cooler brown/tans?
Do you have a post about cooler greige’s with the 2006/07 brown/tans ceramic tile? It was a neutral back then with the blues… not so much now.
Thanks.
Hi,
I am re-doing guest bathroom and want a grey with purple hue; is this a good color? Bathroom only has very tiny window above shower, so really no light
Hi Jeanie! When it comes to personal questions there are SOOO many other things to consider – tile, countertop, flooring, etc… The only way for me to give GOOD advice is via my E-Design, which is affordable and fun, especially just for 1 room! https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/online-decorating-design-services/
~Kylie
I just painted my house with collingwood and one feature wall with hale navy and I am loving it! Thank you for all your color reviews… they helped me make the right decision.
Nawal.
You are most welcome Nawal, I’m glad it all helped!
Thank you for this great info! Our new kitchen faces east and we have decided to do our perimeter cabinets in Collingwood and the island in BM Hunter Green. This post just solidified my notion about how perfect Collingwood is as I was trying to avoid green in the gray I chose. Thank you SO much for all the info!
Jennifer, you are MOST welcome, thank you for the note!
HELP! I love your color reviews. I painted sample boards and scoured the internet and I loved Collingwood in every photo and on my board. My painters used it in my upstairs hallway and it is tan/beige! I am so disappointed. Not the soft gray/greige I was expecting. Any advice to help it pick up more gray and any other color suggestions I could use to get that soft gray look I was hoping for in the downstairs areas I was planning to use Collingwood in? I am desperate as the painter needs to know my plan! Thank you for any help.
Hi Kristen, have you tried playing with your light bulbs? Maybe a daylight bulb would help to enhance the cooler tones? It really shouldn’t be tan/beige…even though it is a warmer gray.
I agonized for weeks over Collingwood or Revere Pewter for a bathroom. I think I really wanted to like RP because it seems it was “the” go to colour that everyone was using. However it just didn’t quite hit the mark so I chose Collingwood and love, love, love it. Have recommended it so many times.
My local paint store also recommended Collingwood, but the swatch looks slightly purple in my home. Are there any warm greiges without the purple or pink undertones?
Hi Rachel, check out BM Edgecomb, it will be your best bet for avoiding purple!
Kylie, thank you so much for your suggestion. Silly question, but is Edgecomb the same colour as Baby Fawn?
Your e-design before and after of the funky kitchen is remarkable! Collingwood looks perfect in there and makes the kitchen sing! SO impressed! Love seeing examples like this.
Thank you Elle! I know, I was SO tickled when she sent the after photos – it turned out so lovely!
~Kylie
What’s the best curtain color / pattern for gray walls in bedroom?
Hi Linna! That is a tricky question as it all depends on the size of the room, the type of gray you have on the walls (what undertones it has) as well as flooring, bedding and personal tastes! Personally, I’d choose a curtain that is either a darker or lighter version than the wall colour, to keep things simple. That being said, there are some fabulous patterns out there or complementary colours like teal that could look quite lovely!
~Kylie
Love your blogs. I have Collingwood in my East facing ensuite. I am surprised to hear it pulls purple as Its beautiful in my ensuite and doesn’t show any purple. And it doesn’t really change to anything offensive throughout the day. Just nice and neutral. I would love to see a post on paint colours for basements that usually have tiny windows and not many at that! Thanks for all your info.
Ooo good to know, thank you Cammy! And I do have a blog post for basement colours, if you want to check it out! There’s also links within this blog post, to other related blogs posts 🙂 https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/the-best-light-paint-colours-for-a-dark-room-basement/ If you’re ever looking for something, type a keyword into my search bar on the right-hand side and you might be surprised at what you find! https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/the-best-light-paint-colours-for-a-dark-room-basement/
~Kylie
Just wondering what you would recommend in a west facing bedroom that would be slightly warmer in the morning and still maintain a warm ness in the afternoon without being too dark and without green or blue undertones.
Hi Sandra, thank you for your note! YOu might want to check out my blog post re: West Facing rooms, it might be helpful for you! https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/the-best-paint-colours-for-west-facing-rooms/ I do try to give as much complimentary info as I can on my blog and if that doesn’t help, then it might be time for a closer look with my E-design! https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/online-decorating-design-services/
~Kylie
Hi Kylie,
Great, informative post, as usual. I just had to tell you that I think your suggestion to use Collingwood for that Funky Kitchen was genius! What a transformation. Not only does it seem to make the orange tile and cabinets look pretty instead of garish, but it seems to go with the floor perfectly, too! It looks like a funky designer kitchen now! How do you do all that from online photos? Amazing abilities you have, girl!
BTW–do you have to do a professional type calibration on your moniter to make sure the colors are accurate? Just wondering, as I can’t seem to get my moniter to calibrate well just using the standard windows calibration settings. Thanks.
Hi Phyllis, thank you! I don’t have professional calibration, I’ve just got a darned good eye and a quality computer! SO many of the floorings, tiles, countertops, I’ve seen in my local decorating adventures (literally thousands of homes) so a lot of it is so familiar to me!
~Kylie
Hi, we are painting our two-story family room in Collingwood, we just love this color. I’m wondering which white semi gloss to pick to go with it for our trim and fireplace mantle?
Hi Susan! I like the look of BM White Dove, which is a warm white with a neutral undertone. It’s a softer look than a clean crisp white, but not too warm like Cloud White.