Benjamin Moore Steel Wool 2121-20: Undertones, Best Uses, & More -

Benjamin Moore Steel Wool is one of my favorite, moody gray paint colors. Dramatic, smoky, sexy, this gray has it all…or does it?

When choosing the best paint color for your home, it comes down to undertones, LRV, your room’s natural lighting (exposure), finishes, the color of your underwear, and so much more. So, while I’ve seen Steel Wool look amazing on walls, cabinets, and exteriors, you need to find out for yourself if it’s the right shade for your home.

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WHAT TYPE OF COLOR IS STEEL WOOL?

Steel Wool is a dark gray or charcoal gray paint color, and it’s a cool one. While some are scared off by its undertones, you might be surprised at how well a gray like this suits a range of interior finishes (and a few exterior ones, too).

THE LRV OF BENJAMIN MOORE STEEL WOOL

Steel Wool has an LRV of 20.73 (according to Benjamin Moore), putting it in the medium-dark range and not even close to the super dark end of things. This means Steel Wool is a great choice for a bright room, as it’ll hold up to intense natural light.

What about a dark room? It’s hit and miss. While Steel Wool has a bit more chroma than some flatter grays, it doesn’t necessarily have enough to rise above the shadows and depths – it needs SOME light to come to life.

In this foyer, notice how bright Steel Wool looks on the right and how gloriously moody it looks on the lower left. Also notice Doug the Doodle…

Not sure what LRV is? It could save your paint-lovin’ life. LRV & Paint Colors: A Homeowner’s Guide.

WHAT ARE STEEL WOOL’S UNDERTONES?

Steel Wool most often appears with blue-purple undertones that aren’t super subtle but also not crazy overwhelming (unless you’re sensitive to blue-purple hues). Remember, EVERY GRAY has undertones; may as well pick your poison!

WHAT’S THE BEST WHITE TRIM WITH STEEL WOOL?

Steel Wool is WILDLY flexible (like me in my early 20s). When it comes to the best whites for your trim or cabinets, again, like me in my 20s, you’ve got options…

Benjamin Moore Cloud White is one of my most recommended shades
Also check out Benjamin Moore White Dove for a bit more softness.
For a cleaner, crisper contrast, look at Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace

Steel Wool with Cloud White trim and Sherwin Williams Creamy upper walls

Get your Peel & Stick sample of Steel Wool

WHERE STEEL WOOL LOOKS BEST (& WHERE IT DOESN’T)

Just because it’s a dark, badass beauty doesn’t mean it’s meant for every painting project. Let’s see where Steel Wool does its best and worst work…

Accent walls – a million times, yes
Kitchen islands and bathroom vanities
Exteriors
Single room paint colors
I wouldn’t consider it for an open-concept space, and it usually loses when it comes to painting the entire kitchen cabinetry this color (there are other options).
Awesome for south-facing rooms to balance out some visual warmth.

Now let’s get a bit more focused…

AS AN EXTERIOR PAINT COLOR

While Steel Wool could look lovely on some homes, it can have a bit too much color (chroma) for the average roof, brick, and stonework. This doesn’t mean it won’t suit yours, but be sure to check it out on both the sunny and shady sides!

Check out Steel Wool grabbing a sneaky gray-purple out of my client’s stone!

If your home has a dark charcoal gray-black roof, Steel Wool could be an interesting choice (depending on your home’s other features).
If you want a darker shade, but worry about it looking too dark in your northern or heavily shaded light, it offers depth without a ton of visual weight.

There’s also a chance that your home suits a different type of gray, with different undertones, in which case you’ll want to explore these TOP 10 dark gray paint colors.

5 Tips for Choosing an Exterior Paint Color

AS AN ACCENT WALL PAINT COLOR

COME TO MOMMA! Heck yes, Steel Wool was made to be an accent wall. From there, it’s just about choosing your best coordinating paint color with it, including a range of off-white and light taupes, as well as warm off-whites.

It’s also great as an accent door color, either for the outside or inside of your front door, back door, French doors, or any door you want to feature. Heck, you can even put it on your Domaine D’or (for the one you adore…remember that commercial?).

ON KITCHEN CABINETS

Steel Wool could definitely work on kitchen cabinets, islands, or built-in cabinets. I believe its biggest challenge is that it has a ton of competition in that category, including the ever-popular Benjamin Moore Trout Gray, Charcoal Slate, and others.

WITH WOOD CABINETS, TRIM, & FLOORS

Steel Wool is super flexible, and you can expect it to go with a wide range of wood tones.

The fun thing about this pairing is that Steel Wool’s cool vibe is a great way to accent a wood’s inherent warmth, especially golden and honey oaks, and many red-toned woods.

WITH CREAM CABINETS OR TRIM…

I wouldn’t. Cream cabinets and trim are fussy about their partners, and Steel Wool ain’t it. Instead, check out similarly dark greiges or muted green-grays.

DOES STEEL WOOL GO WITH MARBLE?

Steel Wool is a gorgeous paint color that pairs well with many marble tiles and countertops. Its gray-blue-purple tendencies often tap into a similar hue in some types of marble. See a few more gorgeous options to sample and compare with it shortly…

WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO STEEL WOOL?

While there will never be a perfect match (every color has its own personality and nuances). Let’s compare a few of the top contenders to sample and compare…

BENJAMIN MOORE STEEL WOOL VS. BENJAMIN MOORE TROUT GRAY

As mentioned earlier, Trout Gray gives Steel Wool a big run for its money. When it comes to depth, Trout Gray is darker with its LRV of 16.41. It’s in the medium-dark range, but has more meat on its bones. As for color, Trout Gray can pop up a bit bluer and less gray in comparison (while still being gray).

Colors like Trout Gray, Steel Wool, and SW Serious Gray are stunning colors to sample with marble finishes.

Undoubtedly, Trout Gray is the more popular of the 2, especially for cabinets.

BENJAMIN MOORE STEEL WOOL VS. BENJAMIN MOORE ROCK GRAY

If Steel Wool is a bit darker than you’d like, check out Rock Gray. Rock Gray has an LRV of 23.77, so it’s in the medium-depths, but on the lower, darker end.

However, from there, you’re getting a similar approach to color, as both are grays that easily appear with a blue-purple hue. Of the 2, Steel Wool is usually preferred for its depth.

DOES SHERWIN WILLIAMS HAVE ALTERNATIVES?

While no color can be a perfect match, they’ve got some great ones to compare…

This cute lil’ home is painted in Sherwin Williams Serious Gray.

Sherwin Williams Serious Gray is amazeballs – mad love. It’ll kick a bit more color (blue-purple) your way.
I also love the depth and sensuous look of Sherwin Williams Gibraltar.
I also suggest trying a weeee shift in undertones with Sherwin Williams Web Gray – it’s more popular than them all!

WHAT COLORS GO WITH STEEL WOOL?

If you’re creating a color palette, it depends on your needs. Are you painting an adjoining room or trim? Is Steel Wool an accent wall, and you need a color for the remaining walls? Or maybe you just need a few colors that generally go with this shade – I gotchu, boo.

MEDIUM TO DARK GREENS: Don’t even get me STARTED on how badass and beautiful Steel Wool looks with darker shades of green.
TAUPES: In particular, off-white to light taupe paint colors make a pretty pairing.
CREAMS: It can be pretty with a range of muted creams, just watch they don’t scream yellow.
WARM OFF-WHITES: You’ll find a wide range of warm off-whites to go with it.
LIME GREEN: Dirty lime green and shades of chartreuse can be fun accents, as well as golds.
LIGHTER GREENS: Some light-medium to medium green-grays go well in a palette with Steel Wool, so long as they aren’t too light and washed out, or cold greens.

SUMMARY

Steel Wool isn’t a super popular dark gray paint color, but it’s the perfect shade for many homes, including those with marble finishes, dark roofs, those needing accent walls, and more.
Its LRV is 20.73, putting it on the low, dark end of the medium range.
Its undertones tend to appear blue-purple – they’re open to perception as to which is the bossiest, or if they even show up at all.
It goes with a wide range of wood tones, as it’s a great accent color. It’s not happy with cream cabinets and trims, though.

Benjamin Moore’s 10 Best DARK Gray Paint Colors

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