Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal: Undertones, LRV, & Where it Works Best

Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal is a dark, stormy gray paint color. It works well on kitchen cabinets, exterior surfaces, and accent walls.

Dark paint colors like Kendall Charcoal can look different in person than online due to differences in natural lighting, surrounding finishes, and personal perception.

However, if you’re looking for a wicked dark gray paint color, Kendall Charcoal should be at the top of your list.

But just because I rave about it doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for your home. You have to sample it, compare it to similar samples, and make sure it jibes with the needs of your interior and exterior finishes. So, let’s find out what makes Kendall Charcoal so friggin’ gorgeous…

IS KENDALL CHARCOAL A WARM OR COOL GRAY?

Although Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal can look pretty darn gray, it does have a weeee tiny wink o’ warmth. That said, don’t expect to see it, as Kendall Charcoal looks like a pretty neutral, dark gray color most of the time.

If you have a south-facing light, you can expect Kendall Charcoal to lean into that warmth without going remotely greige...like at all. If you have a north-facing light, Kendall Charcoal will commit hardcore to its gray base without any warmth unless you pair it with a legit icy-cold gray (which you probably wouldn’t anyway).

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

THE LRV OF KENDALL CHARCOAL

Kendall Charcoal has a SKOOKUM dark LRV of 14.61 (according to BM’s website), placing it near the dark end while still retaining some softer roots. With this LRV, Kendall Charcoal is a medium-dark.

If you have a bright room, Kendall Charcoal will definitely lighten up while creating a killer contrast with white trim. However, if you have a dark room due to not enough lights or small/no windows, you can expect it to look almost black—soft black, but pretty darn heavy.

Not sure what LRV is? It could save your paint lovin’ life – read all about it HERE.

WHAT ARE KENDALL CHARCOAL’S UNDERTONES?

Every gray has undertones, either blue, green, or purple. While some grays can easily flex into any of those, Kendall Charcoal usually appears with a touch of green—it’s SUBTLE, but it tends not to go blue or purple.

Here’s your Peel & Stick paint sample of Kendall Charcoal…

WHAT’S THE BEST WHITE TRIM FOR KENDALL CHARCOAL WALLS?

Kendall Charcoal is pretty friendly with a wide range of white paint colors. However, it doesn’t love super cool whites and is more inclined towards the likes of…

• Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace for a clean, contrasting look
• Benjamin Moore White Dove for a softer, more subtle (but still contrasting) look
• Benjamin Moore Oxford White, which is in the middle!

The 8 Best White Paint Colors from Benjamin Moore

WHERE DOES KENDALL CHARCOAL LOOK BEST?

Not all paint colors are meant for all surfaces. It’s important that the color you choose isn’t just one you love, but also one that suits your interior and exterior finishes. Let’s take a look at a few hot topics…

KENDALL CHARCOAL AS AN EXTERIOR PAINT COLOR

HELLS YEAH, Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal can look amazing on exterior siding, stucco, trims, or doors! I can’t promise it’ll look good on YOUR home, but I can say that if your home (roof/stone/brick/surroundings) can handle dark charcoal gray with this super passive green undertone, it could look pretty badass.

5 Tips for Choosing an Exterior Paint Color

BENJAMIN MOORE KENDALL CHARCOAL ON KITCHEN CABINETS

Kendall Charcoal is an awesome cabinet color. Whether you’re painting your kitchen cabinets, lower cabinets, island, or bathroom vanity, Kendall can do it all.

Kendall Charcoal is known for coordinating with a few granite countertops that were popular in the early 2000s.

The Best Paint Colors for Bathroom Vanities

KENDALL CHARCOAL WITH CREAM TRIM OR CABINETS?

Kendall Charcoal won’t always help cream cabinets or trim look updated. I wouldn’t say it’s a hard no (as it can be situational depending on your exact cream and other finishes). Still, there are usually better options with a bit more green undertone or a dark, greige look, which can be a nice combination.

WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR?

Of course, you never want to choose your paint color without comparing it to several similar shades. However, finding the same color or a strong alternative in Sherwin Williams isn’t easy, as Kendall Charcoal is a bit more unique. Expect to see some interesting shifts in undertone and temperature. This said, you might find one of these even BETTER suited to your walls, cabinets, or exterior!

• Sherwin Williams Grizzle Gray is a stunning green-gray
• Sherwin Williams Roycroft Pewter is a dark gray with an interesting, flexible blend of undertones – I painted the exterior of my home this color and LOVE it.
• Urbane Bronze, from Sherwin Williams, will shift you into a glorious greige shade.
• Oh, check out Sherwin Williams Peppercorn, too; it’s pretty badass.

Here’s Roycroft Pewter on the exterior of our home with K2 stone…

Here’s Peppercorn on a kitchen island with white quartz countertop and Sherwin William Egret White walls…

By the way, if you’re thinking of color matching between brands (e.g., getting BM to make an SW paint color), you might want to read THIS first.

WHAT COLORS GO WITH KENDALL CHARCOAL?

Now, this is where you get to have some fun. When creating a color palette with Kendall Charcoal, here are some shades you might consider…

• Many soft and deep shades of tan
• Light to medium-depth taupes can be beautiful and play off Kendall Charcoal’s mood.
• Subtle, muted off-whites offer a beautiful contrast.
• Medium-depth and moody purple grays can be beautiful accents for Kendall Charcoal, as can rusty hues.
• A wide range of warm whites and some creamy whites as well.

READ MORE

The Best Sherwin Williams Dark Gray Paint Colors

Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Amherst Gray

The 4 Best Paint Colors for Your Kitchen Island

Need help?

Check out my Online Paint Color Consulting – I’d love to help!

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2020, UPDATED IN 2025