Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist (OC-27): Undertones, LRV, & Best Uses
Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist has been a hot shade for years. While it was strongest during the gray trend, its approach to warmth, depth, and undertones has it holding its own even in today’s updated, warmer interior.
Walls, cabinets, exteriors, Balboa Mist is showing up all over the place, but does this mean it’s the best color for your home? Let’s find out how its undertones, LRV, and temperature might affect exactly how and where you use it…
Updated with fresh images and new content for 2026
WHAT TYPE OF COLOR IS BALBOA MIST – IS IT WARM OR COOL?
Balboa Mist is a warm gray paint color bordering on the edge of taupe. What makes it warm? This gorgeous shade of gray contains a subtle bit of beige, helping to cut back on any traditional cool gray tendencies it could have.
And being gray, Balboa Mist can lean that bit grayer (without looking cold) if you have north-facing light. However, with south-facing or warm afternoon western light, it can still look gray while picking up a taupe-like warmth. This flexibility leaves it ‘open to perception’ as to what type of color it is!
THE LRV (DEPTH) OF BALBOA MIST
Balboa Mist has an LRV of 65.53, so it’s FIRMLY planted in the light range. This particular depth means that it’s bordering on the off-white range, but doesn’t come close to the light-medium range – it’s more or less in the middle. The 62-74 range is a great place to start if you’re not sure which depth you want on your walls.
Benjamin Moore’s Best Warm White Paint Colors
B. Mist in the bathroom
WHAT ARE BALBOA MIST’S UNDERTONES?
Every gray has undertones. Like death, taxes, and empty wine bottles, there’s no avoiding them, and Balboa Mist can definitely appear with a purple undertone (warm purple).
WILL IT EVER LOOK PINK?
Being a warm gray with a wink at purple, Balboa Mist can look a bit purple-pink; however, the focus is most often on the ‘purple’. While the odd time it looks passive (below), more often than not, the purple is visible, and the pink is more of an undercurrent.
FUN FACT: All the photos in my blog are from my Online Color Consulting clients, readers, and friends— because real homes deserve to be celebrated (dirty laundry and all!) While not magazine-perfect, they’re packed with ideas and proven color choices to help you create a home you’ll love.
WILL IT EVER LOOK GREEN?
It sure as heck shouldn’t! If Balboa Mist appears green in your space, it could be due to several factors…
- the color/temperature of your light bulbs
- reflection from the outside (trees/grass/shrubs)
- glaze on your windows (often has a greenish tint)
- you didn’t get it mixed at Benjamin Moore, or it’s a mistint
- extreme afternoon western sunshine
Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Balboa Mist…
THE BEST WHITE TRIM PAIRINGS WITH BALBOA MIST
When it comes to choosing the perfect white for trims, ceilings, and doors, I lean towards…
- Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace for a simple, clean contrast
- Benjamin Moore White Dove provides a softer contrast with Balboa Mist
- I also love Sherwin Williams Pure White (even more than White Dove)
The 8 Best White Paint Colors from Benjamin Moore
WHERE BALBOA MIST DOES (& DOESN’T) WORK BEST
While it’s gorgeous on many surfaces, it’s not suited to every job. Let’s see where it does its best work, starting with a quick summary, and then some more gratuitous details…
- As a whole home color, assuming it suits each room’s finishes and lighting. It also suits single rooms and open-concept spaces, humoring a range of colors for any adjoining rooms.
- With a range of wood stains
- It’s best for walls and less popular on cabinets, trims, or exteriors
AS AN EXTERIOR PAINT COLOR…
Balboa Mist is okay for exteriors, but several other colors do the same… but better. Don’t get me wrong, while it can be beautiful, it can also be a bit too passive – not committing to being an off-white, but not strong enough to hold up to decent natural light.
You also need to check that its undertones don’t come up too much in exterior lighting.
When sampling it for your exterior, also compare it with BM Nimbus, Classic Gray, Collingwood, and Pale Oak.
WITH WOOD STAINS…
Whether you have wood cabinets, trims, flooring, or furniture, Balboa Mist can be a pretty partner. Red, yellow, or orange stains? It’s worth sampling.
Notice how soft and subtle it is in this kitchen with early 2000s maple cabinets, oak flooring, and trim…
It’s important to note that there aren’t interior lights on, and it’s still doing quite well!
The beams and blinds in this next living room have a red-orange hue, and the walls look gorgeous, as the paint color picks up some of the colors in the rocks. HOWEVER, this is also a great example of its undertone potential (I say potential like it’s a good thing…in this case, it might not be)…
Pay close attention to the wall space to the right of the fireplace – there’s that purple hue popping up, and it ain’t subtle about it. That said, it could likely be softened by playing around with the Kelvins of the light bulbs, since this wall gets a ton of interior light and less natural light.
The Best Paint Colors with Red Stained Woods
DOES BALBOA MIST GO WITH CREAM CABINETS OR TRIMS?
That’s a hard no. In fact, it’s so hard, I’m getting a little excited. The combination of its depth, undertones, and temperature makes it a pretty darn terrible partner to cream cabinets and trims, due to its yellow base.
WHICH PAINT COLORS ARE SIMILAR?
When trying to find the best paint color for your space, it’s important to COMPARE COMPARE COMPARE. Let’s compare Balboa Mist to other popular warm gray paint colors.
BENJAMIN MOORE BALBOA MIST vs. CLASSIC GRAY
These are 2 great comparisons. Balboa Mist and Classic Gray have similar intentions, as both are warm grays that can look quite taupe. However, the big difference lies in their LRVs: Balboa Mist is 65.53, while Classic Gray is 73.67. This difference means Classic Gray offers a softer, less obvious contrast with trim. That said, it’s more likely to wash out in good natural lighting.
- You might also find that Balboa Mist’s undertones can show up at the party a wink more
- Classic Gray can settle a bit warmer, making it look gentler
Color Review of Benjamin Moore Classic Gray
BENJAMIN MOORE BALBOA MIST vs SHERWIN WILLIAMS EGRET WHITE
I’m obsessed with Egret White and often suggest it to my Color Consulting clients alongside Balboa Mist. And while they’re very similar, Egret White is about 25% lighter than Balboa Mist and often comes across a bit more muted, with less obvious (and slightly warmer) undertones.
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Egret White
BENJAMIN MOORE BALBOA MIST vs COLLINGWOOD
Is Balboa Mist the lighter version of Collingwood? Oh, the rumor would have it! However, while these two are similar, they’re only kissin’ cousins.
Balboa Mist is a bit lighter than Collingwood, due to Collingwood’s LRV of 61.52. Along with this shift in LRV, Balboa Mist can also look a bit warmer and sliiiiightly more purple-pink in comparison. This is why they’re awesome colors to compare!
Color Review of Benjamin Moore Collingwood
Let’s look at a few more and notice how pretty they are with this orange-stained wood flooring…
SW Egret White | SW Modern Gray | SW Aesthetic White (not as comparable, but still pretty).
WHICH PAINT COLORS GO WELL WITH BALBOA MIST?
You don’t have to look far to find colors that look good with Balboa Mist, such as some of the following…
- GRAYS: gray paint colors with similar undertones that are lighter and darker than it
- OFF-WHITES: For a subtle flow from room to room, pair B. Mist with a range of subtle off-white paint colors
- GREENS: Ooooh, the glory of greens! There are so many that can look gorgeous, including subtle sage greens and some light-medium to medium greens
- GRAY-BLUE: A ton of gray-blue blends look amazeballs with B.Mist, from light to medium shades to darker, moodier hues
- WARM WHITES: For a gentle look, pair it with soft and subtle warm white paint colors
WHAT DARK PAINT COLORS (ACCENTS) WORK WITH IT?
Balboa Mist has a ton of moody friends that are great for cabinets, front doors, or feature walls.
- DARK GRAY-TAUPE: Darker warm gray paint colors (with a violet undertone) like Benjamin Moore’s Metropolis can be gorgeous for accent walls and kitchen islands
- DARK GREENS: Greens are beautiful accents, especially the more muted ones found here and here (Sherwin Williams).
- GREEN-GRAYS: Heavy green-gray blends, as well as blue-gray-greens can be pretty – maybe for the inside of your front door!
- NAVY BLUE: Navy blue paint colors, including Sherwin Williams Cyberspace and Benjamin Moore Anchor Gray
PROS & CONS: SUMMARY OF BALBOA MIST
While the above blog post gives you the full details on this top-selling neutral from Benjamin Moore, let’s hit the basics…
- Balboa Mist is a warm gray that can look warm enough to appear taupe. This makes it great for homes that demand grayish paint colors but whose homeowners want to squeeze in a little warmth.
- For those who care, paint color trends have shifted away from grays. This means you may want to think twice before painting your whole home this color. You might compare it with some warmer whole-home shades.
- It has undertones that can appear more obviously than not. This is most commonly purple, but it can look purple-pink. This is a pro, as many common interior finishes cater to these undertones (more so than green or blue).
- Balboa Mist’s LRV of 65.56 puts it in my favorite LRV range. This is great for those who are unsure what depth suits their room. Start here, and you can adjust lighter/darker from there as/if needed.
- It looks awesome with a ton of wood stains, including yellow, orange, and red stains. It can also work with many graywashed and whitewashed wood finishes.
- Suits bright whites, as well as slightly warm white paint colors for trims and cabinets.
- It’s not at all well-suited to cream cabinets or trims – check out these colors instead.
READ MORE
The Best WHOLE HOME Taupe & Greige Paint Colors
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Popular Gray
Benjamin Moore Pale Oak: Paint Color Review
Get the best paint color advice with Kylie M’s Online Color Consulting – I’d love to help!
Is there a light greige or grey that you think has undertones firmly in the pinks rather than the purples? I mean subtle undertones, not really a pink colour. Thanks!
I am thinking of painting my basement with a few walls of Kendall charcoal- would Balboa Mist work for all the other walls? With white doors and baseboards? At first I was thinking to use Revere Pewter for the majority of walls, but then came across Balboa Mist…
I like the sounds of this! The subtle green in Kendall can be interesting with the subtle violet in Balboa!
Do you think Balboa Mist would pair nicely with Accessible Beige?
Nooooope, not my fave combo. I think the purple undertone of Balboa could enhance Accessible’s VERY MINOR tendency to flash a bit green and they could feel off together 🙂
Do you have any suggestions for a nice soft color (with a lighter LRV to try and brighten the area) that would compliment Accessible Beige and help tone down the green undertone?
Balboa Mist and SW Gossamer Veil are almost identical on color swatches. 67 and 62
Hi Laurie (is this my Instagram Laurie??)! On a larger scale, you should see a pretty darned good shift. Both are warm grays that are TRYING to be greige. Balboa Mist though has a very soft, gentle warm purple undertone whereas Gossamer Veil VERY EASILY leans into green :).
Greetings. What color is on the walls of the bedroom with the teal chair and balboa mist in the bathroom? So pretty! Thanks, Dana
Hi Dana! That’s Collingwood as the lighter colour and BM Escarpment as the slightly darker feature gray colour 🙂
Thank you! I thought that was balboa mist in the lighter paint in the bathroom?
Hi Kylie,
Your website is incredible; I have learned so much from you over the last few days (and spent way too much time here!) I really want grey walls but based on what I learned from you- I need pink undertones and not blue or green due to existing floor, kitchen etc. I thought balboa mist was a good fit but it may be too light for my South/east facing room with a ton of natural light. Is there a gray with lower LRV and pink/purple undertones that you would recommend? Thank you so much!
Ooooo, do check out BM Collingwood, which you could even darken by 25% if you want a bit MORE depth. It is TOTALLY the same vibe as Balboa :).
Would you recommend Balboa Mist in a living room with mahogany wood trim?
Hi Jill, it can depend on the stain that’s on the mahogany, but as long as it has a subtle reddish to it, yes, it could be pretty!
Does Chantilly lace trim work with balboa mist?
You betcha!
How about white dove? I placed my sampilize with it and it looked pretty good. I’m trying to keep the trims consistent throughout my home and I’m using mostly white dove, so thought I would try it with balboa mist in our media room. Thanks!
I LOVE your website. I spend hours here lately! We are painting our master bedroom Balboa Mist. It’s a south and west facing room with small windows and not a ton of natural light. I’m also repainting our bedroom furniture. Is there a gray color you would recommend for the furniture?
Oooo yes, check out BM Escarpment!
Your website is so helpful and so addicting!! I painted my kitchen balboa mist, thanks to your help. 🙂 it’s the perfect light, crisp color and I love the lavender undertones that come out in the evening. I’m trying to decide on a slightly darker version for an adjoining room and much darker but same family color for a living room. Any suggestions?
Thanks so much for all the helpful information!!! Trying to decide between collingwood and balboa mist. I have a ton of natural light and artificial light. Which do u think?
Oooo, that’s a TOUGH one. With a ton of light, I’d naturally lean into Collingwood with its bit more depth. I mean, both will washout in a lot of light, but Balboa will MORE. 🙂
Thank you for suggesting Balboa Mist as a wall color to tone down orange-y oak cabinets. I repainted my kitchen and this color complements the oak, without accentuating it. It’s neutral and beautiful!
I SO love to hear this – thank YOU for the comment!
I used balboa mist in my sunny kitchen with natural cherry cabinets and trim and it basically looks white. No depth to it at all. I have prominent grey/blue veining quartzite with warm taupe background, charcoal backsplash and cherry shaker cabinets. Any suggestions to replace balboa mist with a color with more bite?
Ahhhh yes, colours with higher LRV’s can wash out. To get a bit more HOLD you might have to jump into the likes of SW Versatile Gray/Requisite Gray :). If you don’t know about LRV, I have an AWESOME blog post on it to check out, it can be very helpful! https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/paint-colours-and-lrv-the-ultimate-guide-to-choosing-the-right-colour/
Do you know the stain color of the floor in the entry/Stair picture? My cabinets will be finished in Balboa Mist in a VERY light South West Kitchen. I have Red oak floors I’m staining and while the bleached nordic floor is so in now I’m afraid of the red oak pulling pink or red. Any suggestions for stain colors? I’m leaning to either Special Walnut or provincial.
Do you think Balboa Mist will go well together with October Mist?
Personally, I would bump up lighter to Classic Gray 🙂
If using Balboa mist on walls, would BM Graphite be a good contrast for an accent wall. This would be in a open kitchen/dining area with Honey Oak cabinets and trim.
Hi Kylie,
Would Balboa Mist walls pair nicely with SW Pure White trim and cabinets?
Thanks!
You bet it would, Tim!
Hi Kylie,
Would balboa Mist on the walls go well with White Dove trim?
Thanks,
Emily
Hi Kylie,
Would you recommend BM balboa mist or collingwood for kitchen cabinets? If so, what would you recommend for trim color and wall color?
Thank,
Lori
Oooo, those are a lot of big questions, best answered by my E-Design! It ALL depends on your backsplash, countertop, flooring and lighting situation. GENERALLY though, I would lean into Collingwood for cabinets 🙂
I have snowbound in my dark hallway, orange toned wood trim throughout the house, and I want to paint a north and eastern facing room Balboa Mist, I want to to flow even though the rooms are separated by a door, will this clash?
Hello, we have planned to paint our entire basement BM classic gray but accidentally painted one wall balboa mist (which we used upstairs in the rest of the house. Must have mixed up the paint cans. Dang it). Anyways the one wall is the fireplace wall which would look the best as an accent wall if we planned to have one. Do you think we can just leave those two together? I don’t think it looks bad (and I have to really look hard to notice there’s a difference). Not sure if those pair well in the same room though so figured I’d ask your professional opinion.
That’s the great thing, they go together and are subtle enough that most people will think it’s the same color – more of a shift in shadows than change in color :).