Benjamin Moore Moonshine: Undertones & Real Home Use

Moonshine is one of the more popular gray paint colors, and it’s not just because its name sounds like a good time. It has a lot going for it, everything from its depth to its undertones. But like MOST grays, it’s not as simple as it looks, so we’re taking a closer look at it today with a color review.

WHAT TYPE OF COLOR IS MOONSHINE?

Moonshine is a soft, gentle gray paint color that’s COOL-looking (literally and figuratively!). And while it’s not as icy cold as some, it isn’t a traditionally warm gray by ANY STRETCH of the imagination – it’s what I refer to as a slightly STORMY gray.

It will be softer and warmer in south-facing and western afternoon light. In north-facing light, it will look cool gray with pretty darned passive undertones (which we’ll get into shortly).

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

WHAT’S THE LRV OF MOONSHINE?

According to Benjamin Moore, Moonshine has an LRV of 68.28, which puts it in the light range. This general range is relatively light, meaning it will wash out quite a bit if your room is reasonably light and bright. On the other hand, if you have a dark room, Moonshine can fall a bit flat and dull if you don’t jack up that interior lighting scheme.

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

To show you RELATEABLE & REAL homes, I ONLY use photos from my Online Color Consulting clients. This means I don’t always have the quality pics needed, but DEFINITELY have some SUPER helpful info to help you on your way!

WHAT ARE MOONSHINE’S UNDERTONES?

Moonshine is gray but has some sneaky undertones (grays have undertones (the way they naturally lean!). While Moonshine is MOST likely to lean into a green undertone, it can easily go a bit blueish with very little encouragement. However, most of the time (as shown above), it settles a relatively neutral shade of gray with little undertone.

Get your SAMPLIZE PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF MOONSHINE HERE! 

WHAT’S THE BEST WHITE TRIM OR CABINET COLOR?

If your walls are Moonshine, you must be careful with your trim and cabinet color, as Moonshine has pretty specific requests…

• Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace for a simple, bright look
• Sherwin Williams Pure White offers a softer look than Chantilly Lace but is still very pretty.
• I also like Sherwin Williams High Reflective White (although it’s not as easy to get)
• Be careful with warm whites like White Dove and Simply White. They contain yellow, which can bounce off the cool undertones in Moonshine quite a bit.

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IS IT A GOOD EXTERIOR COLOR?

Generally speaking, no. Paint colors with this depth can be tricky on the exterior of a home because they don’t have enough body to hold up to direct natural light, which can make them really wash out and look quite non-committal. If you’re exploring this type of color, check out Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray and Sherwin Williams Tinsmith and compare them.

Gray Owl exterior

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WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO MOONSHINE?

Several colors are reasonable comparisons to Moonshine. Remember, every color has its particular nuances, and there will be no perfect match—you WILL see shifts in undertones, temperature, and depths. Here’s what I recommend sampling and comparing.

MOONSHINE vs. BENJAMIN MOORE GRAY OWL

I love comparing apples to apples. Starting with depth, Gray Owl has an LRV of 64.51, making it a shift darker than Moonshine – subtle but noticeable. As for undertones, Gray Owl is a bit more neutral and slightly less inclined toward green. Of the two, Gray Owl tends to be the more popular choice.

Here’s Gray Owl in a reasonably well-lit east-facing room with Benjamin Moore Cloud White trim…

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Gray Owl

MOONSHINE vs. BENJAMIN MOORE HORIZON

This is another GREAT comparison (if I do say so myself). Regarding depth, Horizon has an LRV of 72.82, putting it on the edge of the off-white range. While Moonshine is reasonably light, it’s noticeably darker than Horizon.

Horizon also has a cleaner, cooler look than Moonshine. It’s cooler and less inclined towards green (although it still pops up). It can favor blue more often than Moonshine.

MOONSHINE vs. SHERWIN WILLIAMS CRUSHED ICE

If you want the look of Moonshine but in Sherwin Williams paint, Crushed Ice is worth comparing, although it has a slightly different approach. Crushed Ice comes off a bit warmer and muddier than Moonshine. Whereas Moonshine isn’t cold, it’s more vaguely stormy; Crushed Ice can pick up a slightly more noticeable warmth.

As for undertones, Crushed Ice has a minor tendency towards green but can flex out of that depending on the room’s exposure, whereas Moonshine’s undertones are usually a bit more noticeable/cooler.

FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Crushed Ice

WHAT COLORS GO WITH MOONSHINE?

When it comes to partnering with Moonshine, I recommend a mason jar and a barf bucket. If you want to paint with it, check out these shades.

• Blue-green blends (with a more muted gray backdrop)
• Blue-gray blends with some depth and body (blue-grays leaning slightly green)
• Some soft, gentle, off-white paint colors, as long as they’re lighter than Moonshine
• Some greens or blues, as long as they have gray mixed in
• VERY gentle, subtle, cream off-white paint colors
• The best accent colors with Moonshine (for a feature wall, kitchen island, etc.) have some degree of blue-green but are WELL-grounded in gray. Depending on whether Moonshine looks a bit more blue or green in your room, they might need to be tweaked, but I love Benjamin Moore Kitty Gray, Benjamin Moore Gunmetal, and some other dark shades. Avoid purple undertones.

READ MORE

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Not sure which paint color is best for YOUR home?

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

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2020, UPDATED IN 2024