Benjamin Moore Metropolis CC-546: Paint Color Review -

A WARM GRAY/TAUPE FOR WALLS, CABINETS, & EXTERIORS

Long before Sherwin Williams Dovetail rocked the cabinet color world, there was a little ‘ole color called Metropolis making a name for itself.

While it didn’t get quite the fanfare during the gray trends of 2015 (give or take a few years), Metropolis is a color that I refer to constantly in my blogging and Online Color Consulting worlds.

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So, today, we’re going to take a close look at this popular warm gray-taupe paint color to see if it could work for you and your home!

WHAT TYPE OF COLOR IS METROPOLIS? GRAY OR TAUPE?

There isn’t always a clear line between colors, and this rings true with Metropolis.

Some see Benjamin Moore Metropolis as a gray paint color – a very WARM gray paint color. Others see its warmth as taupe, which is warmer than gray.

Neither is wrong, and it doesn’t really matter anyway, it just needs to suit your home.

You might find Metropolis shifting its appearance based on your room’s exposure. For example, Metropolis might look warm gray on your bathroom cabinet with east-facing light…

On the other hand, it could look SUPER taupe on your south-facing exterior siding…

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WHAT’S THE LRV OF BM METROPOLIS?

Metropolis has an LRV of 24.46, putting it well into the medium-depths with a warmth, richness, and body that sets it apart from some of the other popular gray blends.

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

DOES METROPOLIS HAVE UNDERTONES?

You bet your boot skootin’ booty it does. Many of my Online Color Consulting clients are looking for the EVER-ELUSIVE neutral gray paint color (which doesn’t exist). And while you can often find ANY of the three gray undertones in one color, being a warm gray/quasi-taupe, Metropolis has a soft, subtle purple undertone.

Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Metropolis…

WHAT’S THE BEST WHITE TRIM COLOR WITH METROPOLIS?

Whether you need a shade of white for your cabinets or trims, Metropolis suits a wide range of whites. In particular, I recommend…

Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace for a brighter, simpler contrast
Benjamin Moore Oxford White looks great as well, although I love…
White Dove for a softer look
I also really like Sherwin Williams Pure White with it – it’s a FANTASTIC white

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IS METROPOLIS A GOOD EXTERIOR PAINT COLOR?

With its medium-range LRV, Metropolis can look amazeballs on the exterior. Just keep in mind that it might look a bit warmer in some exterior lighting, especially south-facing, morning eastern, or afternoon west-facing light.

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Aside from exposure, make sure it suits your stone, brick, roof, and other exterior considerations. This said, it’s a pretty flexible color for this use.

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IS METROPOLIS A GOOD CABINET OR ISLAND COLOR?

Absolutely. Metropolis is a beautiful depth if you don’t want white cabinets, but also don’t want a super dark, heavy color. A few points to ponder…

It’s hard to get a read on the countertop with the pink lighting on it, but the color samples show up reasonably well.

It can be a bit warm for some of the popular white and off-white quartz countertops.
On the other hand, its taupeish warmth suits many of the granite countertops from the ’90s and early 2000s.

WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO METROPOLIS?

When suggesting Metropolis to one of my Online Color Consulting clients, there are a few other shades I’m likely to ponder…

METROPOLIS VS BENJAMIN MOORE CHELSEA GRAY

Ahhhh, the clash of the tight ends. Wait, this isn’t my favorite part of watching Football, it’s paint. I mean to say the clash of the TITANS!

Metropolis and Chelsea Gray are two of Benjamin Moore’s best, darker gray paint colors. However, there’s a pretty clear difference between the two, and that’s the undertone.

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While Metropolis caters to a warm purple undertone, Chelsea Gray is known for picking up a weeeeee wink o’ green (the odd time). Sure, in some lights it might seem slightly purplish, but compare these two and see which seems the most inclined that way.

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While they’re super comparable in depth, with Chelsea Gray’s LRV of 23.34, and both are warm, Chelsea Gray is only a tiny bit warm.

Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray: IMAGES, Info, & More

How about Sherwin Williams? Do they have an alternative?

You bet they do! Compare Metropolis to Sherwin Williams Dovetail. Notice how Dovetail is a bit lighter (LRV of 26) and also a bit grayer – not as taupe-inclined as Metropolis.

As mentioned earlier, this makes Dovetail a bit better suited to many of today’s popular white quartz countertops, but even then, it can be a bit warm sometimes!

Sherwin Williams Dovetail: IMAGES, Info, & More

I’d also check out…

Sherwin Williams Gauntlet Gray, which is a bit darker.
Sherwin Williams Elephant Ear is warmer, but it’s often vying for the same painting project.

This exterior siding is painted Gauntlet Gray.

Elephant Ear is on the trim of this lovely home.

WHAT COLORS GO WITH METROPOLIS?

If you’re looking for colors that coordinate with Metropolis, it can depend on what you need them for – walls, cabinets, trims, or accents. No matter the project, these colors should get you started on your colorful journey…

Many shades of soft, light taupe.
Some lighter, warm grays with purple undertones can be pretty, but they should be on the warmer side of the gray range.
Metroplis DOESN’T love to be partnered with colors that are lighter and cooler than itself, unless there’s some good separation/walls between them (rooms apart).
It loves deep, grounded, darker earth-tones, particularly green-gray blends or even stronger, darker shades of green.
It can be pretty in a color palette with some darker muted navy blues or blue-gray blends.
A soft black like Sherwin Williams Iron Ore or a greige like Urbane Bronze are neat accents to Metropolis.