Benjamin Moore Moonshine: LRV, Undertones and a Little More
If you love moonshine, you have to be careful, that stuff can KILL you! OH, you’re researching the OTHER moonshine, that makes more sense (wink wink).
Moonshine is definitely one of the more popular gray paint colors, but like MOST grays, it’s not as simple as it looks, which is why we’re taking a closer look at it today with a QUICK color review.
I love to show RELATEABLE & REAL homes, so ONLY use photos from my Online Color Consulting clients. This means I don’t always have the quality pics I need (hence the ‘QUICK Review’), but DEFINITELY have some SUPER helpful info to help you on your way!
What type of paint color is Benjamin Moore Moonshine? Is it warm or cool?
Moonshine is a soft, gentle gray paint color that’s a COOL looking paint color (literally and figuratively!). However, it’s not as ICY cold as some, but definitely isn’t a traditionally warm gray by ANY STRETCH of the imagination – it’s what I refer to as a slightly STORMY gray.
You’ll find it looking a wink softer and warmer in south-facing light and western afternoon light. In north-facing light, it will absolutely look like a cooool gray with pretty darned passive undertones (which we’ll get into shortly).
Read more: North, East, South, West – Which Paint Color is the Best?
What’s the LRV of Moonshine?
Moonshine has an LRV of 68.28, which puts it in the light range (learn more HERE).
Not sure what LRV is? It could save your paint lovin’ life – read all about it HERE.
What are the undertones of Moonshine? Will it look like a true gray?
Moonshine is a gray BUT has some sneaky undertones (as do ALL gray paint colors). While Moonshine is MOST likely to lean into a blue undertone, it can easily go blue-green or considerably green with only a minor blue backdrop. HOWEVER, I’m being anal, and many people see Moonshine as pretty darned gray.
What’s the best way to sample Moonshine?
Like with every paint color, I highly recommend using SAMPLIZE. Samplize is a peel & stick paint sample that you can easily move around your room for over HALF THE COST of traditional sample pots – and they deliver right to your front door!
Learn all about Samplize HERE
If I’m painting my walls Moonshine, what’s the best white paint color for my trim?
If I suggest Moonshine for one of my Online Paint Color Consulting clients, for trim, I’m most likely to suggest…
- Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace
- I also like Sherwin Williams High Reflective White
Read more: SHOULD I Paint My Wood Cabinets White? A QUESTIONNAIRE
Read more: The 4 Best White Paint Colors from Sherwin Williams
Is Moonshine a good color for the exterior of my home?
Paint colors with this depth can be tricky on the exterior of a home because they don’t have enough depth/body to hold up to direct natural light, which means they can REALLY wash-out and look quite non-committal. I usually prefer hitting the off-white range, with a purposeful commitment to off-white or a color like Benjamin Moore Gray Owl, which would hold up a bit better.
Gray Owl exterior
Read more: 5 Tips to Choosing an Exterior Paint Color
Is Moonshine a popular paint color right now?
Moonshine is reasonably popular. It’s not up there with Gray Owl or Sherwin Williams Big Chill but certainly holds its own.
Sherwin Williams Big Chill
What Sherwin Williams paint colors are the same as or similar to Moonshine?
Every color has its own particular nuances and there will be NO perfect match – you WILL see shifts in undertones, temperature and depths, but you could check out…
- Sherwin Williams First Star (which I don’t have a review of yet)
- Sherwin Williams Big Chill
And if you’re thinking of color matching between brands (ie: getting BM to make an SW paint color), you might want to read THIS first.
What type of paint colors look good with Moonshine?
When it comes to putting Moonshine in a palette with other colors, I’m most likely to check out…
- 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
- Some greens or blues, as long as the have gray mixed in
- VERY gentle subtle, cream off-white paint colors
Not sure if Moonshine is right for you? Want a bit warmer or cooler? I’ve got more!
BENJAMIN MOORE STONINGTON GRAY
Read more: Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray
SHERWIN WILLIAMS BIG CHILL
Read more: Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Big Chill
Read more: 12 Best Whole Home Gray and Greige Paint Colors
Not sure which paint color is best for YOUR home?
Check out my Online Paint Color Consulting – I’d love to help!
KYLIE M INTERIORS E-DESIGN AND ONLINE VIRTUAL PAINT COLOR EXPERT, SPECIALIZING IN BENJAMIN MOORE AND SHERWIN WILLIAMS PAINT COLORS DIY DECORATING AND DESIGN ADVICE BLOGGER
Could Moonshine work with Simply White trim? I live in Kentucky, so it just seems right to have a color called moonshine on my walls. 😂