Benjamin Moore Rockport Gray: Undertones, Best Uses, & More
By Kylie
May 12, 2024
Rockport Gray is one of my favorite warm neutrals for a range of painting projects. Thanks to its undertones (sneaky) and depth, it’s an interesting option for accent walls, cabinets, exteriors, and more.
Greige and taupe paint colors can be hard to choose, especially when they’re as tricky as Rockport Gray. Between green and purple undertones and a wide range of depths, it’s hard to know where to start. This is why it’s good to have a little Ginger tucked in your back pocket (and I ain’t talkin’ about the plant).
WHAT COLOR IS ROCKPORT GRAY?
While its name suggests ‘gray,’ Rockport Gray has more warmth than a traditional gray. This warmth, along with a particular undertone (which we’ll talk about shortly), makes Rockport Gray a gorgeous shade of taupe.
If your exterior or room gets southern sun or western afternoon light, you might see Rockport Gray lean into its warmth, nodding at the very (ahem, VERY) muted beige world.
On the other hand, if your home has northern light, Rockport Gray settles out well, leaning slightly toward gray.
North, East, South, West – Which Paint Color is the Best?
THE LRV OF ROCKPORT GRAY
With its LRV of 36.61 (according to Benjamin Moore), Rockport Gray is a medium-depth paint color. This depth means it’s never used for the entire interior of a home and is more popular in single rooms, on feature walls, cabinets, exteriors, and doors.
Not sure what LRV is? It could save your paint-lovin’ life – read all about it HERE.
WHAT ARE ROCKPORT GRAY’S UNDERTONES?
Rockport Gray is sneaky. While it’s more likely to appear with a vague purple hue, the odd time – ooo boy, there’s a wink of green! For this reason, I’m hard-pressed to call Rockport greige or taupe – it’s more of a hybrid!
If the term ‘undertone’ is new to you, it’s a slang way of describing a tendency towards one color or another. Of course, this can change depending on a room’s exposure, lighting, etc.
You might see the subtle green undertone compared to the purple undertone in the dining chairs.
Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF ROCKPORT GRAY
WHAT’S THE BEST WHITE TRIM COLOR WITH ROCKPORT?
Rockport Gray is reasonably flexible with its white partners, humoring bright and warm whites. My favorite combinations include…
- Benjamin Moore White Dove (fave)
- Benjamin Moore Cloud White
- Sherwin Williams Pure White
The 8 Best Benjamin Moore White Paint Colors
IS IT A GOOD EXTERIOR COLOR?
HECK YES! Of course, it depends on your roof, stone, and brickwork, but Rockport is often a GREAT choice for an exterior because of its flexibility. Just remember that it can look WARMER on the exterior than on some interior walls.
Notice how greige it looks on a cloudy day in this next photo…
Between these two photos, notice how Rockport Gray picks up a flash of green undertone in the top photo and looks a bit more purple-hued in the bottom one…
5 Tips for Choosing an Exterior Paint Color
WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO IT?
There are several colors worth comparing to Rockport Gray. You never want to pick a color based on itself – compare colors to see shifts in undertones, depths, and temperatures – you never know what you’ll end up with!
- Benjamin Moore Graystone
- Sherwin Williams Fawn Brindle
- Benjamin Moore Gettysburg Gray
Even better, you can save time and money by getting your CURATED COLOR BUNDLE, which includes Rockport Gray and my top comparable shades!
And if you’re thinking of color matching between brands (i.e., getting Benjamin Moore to make a Sherwin Williams paint color), you might want to read THIS first.
The BEST Medium-Depth Taupe, Greige, & Beige Paint Colors
WHAT COLORS GO WITH ROCKPORT GRAY?
Being an earth-toned paint color, Rockport Gray is inclined towards colors that are a bit more muted and grounded, such as…
- Darker gray-blue blends, as well as dark gray-green blends
- Muted and trendy beige and tan paint colors
- Rockport isn’t super happy with lighter, cool gray paint colors—they’re too cold for it.
- Some soft shades of taupe and greige can be interesting with Rockport Gray.
READ MORE
The BEST Medium-Depth Taupe, Greige, & Beige Paint Colors
Sherwin Williams Pavestone: My Paint Color Review
The Best Mushroom-Inspired Paint Colors
Get the best paint color advice with Kylie M’s Online Paint Color Consulting – I’d love to help!
ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2020, AWESOMELY UPDATED IN 2024
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Meet Kylie
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For over 24 years I’ve helped 12,000+ homeowners and renters make more confident decisions on paint colors and affordable home updates using real home examples and practical, experience-based advice. My goal is simple: help you love the home you have.
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Homeowner’s Guide: White Kitchen Cabinets
This isn’t another ’10 Best Cabinet Colors’ list, because there is no SINGLE best white for every home and every kitchen.
Learn how to choose a white cabinet paint color that works with your countertops, backsplash, flooring, trim, lighting, and home—so you can rule out the wrong whites, sample fewer colors, and choose with confidence.
158-page PDF – Instant Download
$34.95Accent Colors – And How to Use Them
This isn’t about plastering your home in the ‘Color of the Year’ or following the latest trends (unless you really want to).
It’s about finding accent colors that work with YOUR home, YOUR style, and YOUR comfort level.
Because the best accent color isn’t one you love on a paint chip, it’s one that makes everything around it look better.
118-Page PDF – Instant Download
$34.95
Homeowner’s Guide: Exterior Paint Colors
Painting your home’s exterior is a BIG investment and choosing a color based on a tiny paint chip, a trend or the house down the street can be an expensive mistake.
Learn how to look at YOUR roof, YOUR windows, YOUR brick (or stone) and YOUR home as a whole so you can understand what colors make sense.
The goal? Less guessing, fewer samples and a lot more confidence before gallons of paint go on your home.
206-page PDF – Digital Download
$44.95Exterior Trim Paint Colors
This isn’t a list of ‘the best trim colors’, although you’ll get a ton of links to great shades!
You’ll learn how to look at your home and understand whether it needs contrast, repetition, connection, or a little visual peacekeeping to pull it all together.
Because trim might seem like a small detail…but spread it around all four sides of your home on multiple surfaces and it suddenly has a pretty big job.
118-page PDF – Instant Download
$24.95
Comments
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How does Rockport Gray look next to lightened Edgecomb Gray?
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Do you recommend and black color that would go with Rockport Gray and Swiss Coffee?
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Check out Sherwin Williams Iron Ore which is a soft black 🙂
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Kylie, would you recommend Rockport as a shutter color with Revere Pewter (Body) and White Dove (trim), or would you rather use Greystone or Chelsea Gray? South facing entrance to home.
thanks in advance!-
Hiya! I would stay away from Rockport and lean more into Chelse Gray or Greystone for sure 🙂
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I’m considering rockport gray as a shutter color for a revere pewter house with white dove trim. The roof is “weathered wood” so it’s kind of a brown with green undertones. I like the graystone but am wondering if it conflicts with the roof! I’m wondering what the rationale for avoiding rockport gray shutters is!
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Well, Rockport Gray can be a bit unpredictable. It can grab a subtle green, but sometimes a wink of violet, which doestn’ feel right with Revere Pewter :). It’s definitely not a hard-no, it’s just a ‘sample carefully’ 🙂
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Hello, I love this website! I have Rockport gray siding and wondering if you would have any suggestions for a good dark blue front door. The front is South facing. Many thanks!
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Oooo, check out Sherwin Williams Cyberspcae!
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What color stain is the porch in the photos?
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I picked up a sample of Rockport gray and love the color on the wall. Considering doing it on the accent wall of our dining room. Main color through the house is Pale Oak with White Dove
Trim. We have used SW Grays Harbor (similar to cyberspace) as an accent in sitting room and master bedroom and Revere Pewter on doors and hall bath waistcoat. After reading this blog, I’m hesitant to use it and worried it will pull green or not have enough conflict with Pale Oak. I felt Chelsea Gray was too dark but may need to reconsider now. Do you have a recommendation? -
Would rockport gray work as a shutter color on a brighter white house with a black roof? Trying to soften the look by repainting the current black shutters!
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From the sounds of it, this could loook great! check out SW Dovetail and SW Graystone for a subtly different look and see which you like the best 🙂
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I am considering Rockport Gray for a master bathroom, to go with a dark blue vanity, gold hardware and existing beige marble (w/ a slight hint of gray running through). I am trying to decide on a paint color that would work… would you recommend Rockport Gray for this?
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Hi Lisa! It’s so hard to say without seeing it, however, many marbles have a gray that lean blue or purple (the odd one has green). I’d only worry about Rockport’s tendency to lean a touch green could potentially clash?
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