Benjamin Moore Pale Oak (OC-20): Undertones, LRV, & Real-Home Results
Benjamin Moore Pale Oak is a light, warm taupe paint color. It works well on interior walls, especially in open-concept spaces and bedrooms.
With its pink-purple-leaning undertones, Pale Oak can shift in appearance based on surrounding finishes.
This is why learning the ins and outs of this gorgeous taupe paint color is important – to see if it will work for YOUR home. Let’s find out…
FUN FACT: All the photos in my blog are from my Online Color Consulting clients, readers, and friends— because real homes deserve to be celebrated (dirty laundry and all!) While not magazine-perfect, they’re packed with ideas and proven color choices to help you create a home you’ll love.
WHAT TYPE OF COLOR IS PALE OAK?
Pale Oak is a taupe. Whereas warm grays with similar undertones are a bit cooler, taupes are a bit warmer and closer to beige (either a little or a lot.
While some taupes cater to gray or beige, Pale Oak hovers somewhere in the middle.
If you have a room with southern exposure or warm afternoon western sunshine, Pale Oak might lean into its warmth more than usual. However, in north-facing light or flatter eastern light, Pale Oak can settle nicely, sometimes even winking at the warm gray end of things.
North, East, South, West – Which Paint Color is The Best?
WHAT’S THE LRV OF PALE OAK?
Pale Oak has an LRV of 68.64. So, while it’s in the ‘light range’, it has a bit more freshness than many other popular taupe and greige paint colors.
Not sure what LRV is? It could save you paint lovin’ life – read all about it HERE.
With an LRV of 70, Pale Oak will wash out in a super bright room, as will any light paint color. To avoid this, you’ll want to look at colors with LRVs starting at approximately. 55 or lower.
If you have a dark room, Pale Oak can look a bit drab and dingy without adequate interior lighting.
WHAT ARE PALE OAK’S UNDERTONES? PURPLE OR PINK?
This is where you have to be careful. A lot of people turn to Pale Oak expecting a soft, warm gray with muted undertones. And it can look that way (especially in a north-facing room); however, Pale Oak has a reasonably noticeable purple-pink undertone.
While these undertones aren’t overpowering, they can be noticeable, especially if you don’t love purple-pink undertones. Make sure you sample carefully and compare it to other similar colors before you start slappin’ paint on the walls.
What Are The BEST Gray Paint Colors With NO Undertones?
Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Pale Oak…
Learn all about Samplize HERE
WHICH WHITE TRIM COLORS GO WITH PALE OAK?
Whether you need a white for your cabinets, trims, or ceilings, Pale Oak is a bit fussy about the whites it’s paired with. Here are a few of my favorites…
- Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace is a bright shade of white that offers a nice contrast with Pale Oak (it’s my top choice).
- Sherwin Williams Pure White is a softer white with subtle warmth
Benjamin Moore’s 8 Best White Paint Colors
IS PALE OAK POPULAR?
Is Pale Oak popular? You bet your cute little booty it is. In fact, Pale Oak is the best-selling paint color (non-white) from Benjamin Moore (here are 19 more top-selling shades).
While I don’t believe it should be the top color (due to its undertones), I don’t get to call ALL the shots.
Why do I doubt Pale Oak’s power?
Pale Oak is SUPER passive on this well-lit wall (you can expect it to show up more than this).
During my Online Color Consulting, I have a questionnaire that asks, ‘Are there any undertones you don’t like?‘ Hands-down, violet and pink (and green) are the most disliked (pink’s definitely in first place).
If you like violet-pink undertones, then you should be ready to roll (literally). However, if you don’t, you’ll want to tread carefully.
I find that many people approach Pale Oak as though it’s a simpler neutral, but it’s anything but straightforward.
This doesn’t mean that Pale Oak won’t work for YOU and your room, but hopefully this blog post helps you consider whether it really is the best fit. And if it’s not…
WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO PALE OAK?
The best thing you can do when looking for your perfect paint color is to sample and compare.
Here are some alternatives to Pale Oak…
PALE OAK VS. BENJAMIN MOORE COLLINGWOOD
These two colors are great comparables. Collingwood is similar to Pale Oak as it has warm purple undertones. However, it doesn’t stretch as far into pink, is a bit grayer (while still being warm) and has a bit more depth via its LRV of 61.52, which is a good dose lower than Pale Oak’s 68.64.
Obviously, Pale Oak is the more popular option, but I love Collingwood.
Benjamin Moore Collingwood Review: IMAGES, Info, & More
PALE OAK VS BENJAMIN MOORE BALBOA MIST
You definitely have to compare these two colors. With its LRV of 65.53, Balboa Mist is closer in depth than Collingwood, but still a wink darker than Pale Oak.
BM Classic Gray (another great one to sample) | BM Collingwood | SW City Loft | BM Balboa Mist
As for its temperature and undertones, Balboa Mist is a warm gray that can wink at taupe, but is grayer/cooler than Pale Oak. Because of this, it has less pink, while still having reasonable undertones.
Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist Review: IMAGES, Info, & More
As for which one’s better…I’d have to give it to Pale Oak as I prefer its warmth and softness.
WHAT SHERWIN WILLIAMS COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO PALE OAK?
While you won’t find an exact match (and I don’t recommend color matching), Sherwin Williams alternatives are amazeballs…
- Sherwin-Williams Egret White (shown below) is about as close as you’ll get to a match (LRV 70)
- I love Sherwin Williams City Loft (shown above).
- Sherwin Williams Modern Gray offers a bit more depth and warmth, if you’re curious about that look.
- What about Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray? While people ask about this, you’re looking at two colors that are reasonably distinct. They’re both SUPER popular, but Pale Oak offers a much lighter, softer, warmer approach to color.
WHERE DOES PALE OAK LOOK ITS BEST?
Pants hands down, Pale Oak looks best when it’s on all of the walls in a room. But if you’re curious…
DOES PALE OAK GO WITH CREAM CABINETS & TRIM?
Heck to the no, and for those in the back, HECK TO THE NO! Pale Oak’s undertones and depth make it a bad choice when it comes to creamy cabinets and trim. You might want to read THIS INSTEAD.
DOES PALE OAK GO WITH WOOD CABINETS & TRIMS?
Whether you have wood cabinets, flooring, trims, or furniture, Pale Oak can look amazeballs.
Here’s Pale Oak (sample on the right, above the mantel) with a darker, cherry-red wood stain…
LEFT SIDE: BM Classic Gray | BACKDROP WALL COLOR: BM Collingwood
In particular, Pale Oak looks beautiful with red or pink-stained woods as they have similar undertones. However, it also complements many yellow and orange stains.
BTW: If you have wood trim, Pale Oak will look lighter and more washed-out than it might if you had white trim for it to contrast against.
IS PALE OAK A GOOD CABINET OR EXTERIOR PAINT COLOR?
As far as kitchen cabinets go, it’s worth sampling, but some people find its undertones a bit strong. Plus, you’ll have one HECK of a time finding a coordinating wall color that isn’t darker than it or a simpler shade of white.
The Best Off-White & Light-Depth Cabinet Colors
As for exteriors, Pale Oak can be a beautiful exterior paint color, but again, be prepared for some pink undertones.
WHAT COLORS GO WITH PALE OAK?
If you’re creating a color palette with Pale Oak, it depends on what you need: a coordinating cabinet color, an accent wall, or an adjoining room? No matter what you’re painting, you should find what you need right here…
- Pale Oak loves light-medium to medium-depth taupes with similar commitments to undertone.
- I love the play of Pale Oak with any number of green-gray paint colors.
- There’s a world of darker grays that look amazing with Pale Oak, including Amherst Gray, Charcoal Slate, and Gray 2121-10; it just depends on the look/undertones you need.
- Varying shades of gray-blue (lighter and darker) can look great with Pale Oak.
- Light green paint colors make for pretty partners in adjoining rooms, as long as they aren’t OVERLY colorful.
- If you love blue-green-gray blends, you and Pale Oak have something in common!
- Pale Oak can be fussy with many shades of cream, beige, and tan. It much prefers taupe paint colors or even some light-medium to medium-depth greige paint colors.
Not sure if Pale Oak is right for you? Want a bit more gray, more beige, less undertone? I’ve got more!
READ MORE
The 12 Best LIGHT Greige & Taupe Paint Colors
11 Best Warm Neutral Paint Colors that AREN’T BEIGE!
The Best WHOLE HOME Warm Neutral Paint Colors
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray
Get the Paint Color Expert that Designers hire…
ORIGINALLY WRITTEN YEARS AGO (I can’t remember) – updated in 2025
Hi, Kylie,
I love your blog and all the information you provide on pant colors. Even your Quick n’ dirty reviews are thorough and easy to understand.
I have Pale Oak throughout most of my downstairs, and I can attest to the fact that it can flash a slight pink or purple undertone in the right lighting. I have found that sometimes it can look warm gray, off-white with a pink undertone, or even pick up some beige. As I’ve learned from you, though, many times the undertone is not overly obvious, but the color lends a softness to the walls as it remains neutral. I’ve found that it really plays well with black and charcoal gray, as these colors pop out against the softness of Pale Oak.
Thanks again for the interesting read!
Joe
Thank you Joe, it’s comments like yours that help other readers decide if a colour will work for them or not – I’m glad you’re seeing what I do and I’m glad you love it!
I love this colour! We have it in our bedroom and it looks so nice, clean and cozy. It can definitely flash some pink/purple at certain times of the day. I like that it still provides some contrast with the white trim. We have been trying to find something similar for our main floor but the struggle is real. Collingwood, agreeable grey, and classic grey all flash a lot of pink in our living room (perhaps a lighting issue?). Haha even our current coventry gray flashes a decent amount of pinkish purple in our house. Maybe it is all the dark hardwood and cabinets from 2010. Hopefully I will luck out and be able to purchase a package of yours, they have been sold out every time I check, good for you and your business, bad for me and my sample covered house haha.
I am currently testing out pale oak as our new exterior paint color of our home. I like it but I’m nervous about the purple undertones. My home faces West. Will that mean I’ll see more of that purple pull through? I only have one large area currently painted in the front to test. Hate to wait until the entire home is painted.
Hi Marci! It depends on how sensitive you are. There’s a local home painted in this colour and PERSONALLY…I find it a touch too violet, but the owner didn’t find it too violet at all, but saw it once I pointed it out ;).
Hi Kylie, Maybe you can shed some light… I have maple cabinets (pulling yellow/orange). I was thinking of using a neutral with purple undertones (pale oak) on the walls to camouflage the orangey-ness a bit (since they are opp color wheel). Room gets significant south-facing light. Ideas? Any help is appreciated!!
I think this sounds like a GREAT start, absolutely. My only thought is that if the room is super bright, Pale Oak COULD wash out quite a bit. Have you checked out colours like SW Popular Gray and Versatile Gray? Just a thought 🙂
Hi Laura just wandering if the pale oak worked for you. My cabinets pull more orange I went with balboa mist ( Thanks to Kylie) and I love it. I’m helping my sister choose & her cabinets pull more yellow ( different light) balboa won’t work. Was thinking pale oak?
Any help would be appreciated
Ty
Hi Kylie,
Thank you for all of the info you provide on your website, it has helped tremendously! I am repainting our master bedroom which is a decent size with large north and west facing windows. We have gunstock oak floors, wood trim, and medium stained wood bedroom pieces. So lots of wood! (Thanks hubby!) I am trying to figure out a warm griege that wont get too dark, and will lighten things up, but also not change into strange colors as the day goes by. We want to paint one of the walls as an accent color of BM Puritan Gray. We have pale oak in the master bathroom and it looks great!! It has a small west facing window in it. Do you think pale oak would be a good color for the bedroom as well, or would it look too light? I tried a bit of edgecomb gray but it looked almost too creamy yellow for my taste.. what would be your slightly darker version than pale oak?
I believe revere pewter is a darker similar version. I used it (albeit lightened 50%) in my living room and LOVE it. I have mid toned wood floors and trim (and lots of it), a brown leather couch and mid century brown furniture, not many windows nw/sw and houses are close together so little natural light and I like cozy so I don’t have bright artificial light either. It looks beautiful and is still light and airy (what I wanted). If you like blue grays farrow and ball’s pigeon looks absolutely beautiful with the wood trim and floors and while I used it in a hallway it would look great in a study or bedroom imo.
Hi Kylie,
I’m really enjoying all the videos you have made and am just now navigating the website. We have Pale Oak in our kitchen and connecting living room. I enjoy the color I like grey and my husband likes beige so we compromised with Pale Oak. I understand the pink undertones you brought up. I’m going to be painting the kitchen cabinets soon with a color like you mentioned Chantilly Lace but for the island I wanted to have a darker color like a charcoal or cinder color. I was wondering what your take is for a dark grey they would go well with Pale oaks undertones.
Hi Kylie,
We are painting our kitchen walls Pale Oak. The cabinets are Kendall Charcoal (lower) and SW Pure White (upper cabinets). All the trim/crown moulding will be Pure White. My question is, what should we paint the ceiling? Pure White? Pale Oak? A lighter version of Pale Oak?
Thank you for all of your blogs and videos! You are my go-to paint guru.
HI there, I am in a bit of a Pale OAk “dilemma” lol I am wondering what you chose to use for your ceiling and how it turned out. Our cabinet maker painted our kitchen cabinets PAle Oak and I am not at all happy with them in our space. We have a blank canvas so can introduce anything really. I was looking for a WARM white and the end result was pale oak ( picked by her) I do not want them to wash out and literllay have a day to decide on wall colours and ceiling colours to ensure our pale oak kitchen cabinets look warm and soft. I would love your feedback. I am so grateful!
Hi Kylie thanks for all the info on Pale Oak! We have it in our bedroom and it looks so nice, clean and cozy and it goes great with dark hardwoods. I’m going to be repainting our living area and primary hallway this color since I love it so much. There is a large exposed opening in our living room that leads into our kitchen and I wanted to do a different paint color in the kitchen. I wanted to do a gray with soft blue undertones so that it reflects a soft light non pastel blue gray color. I feel like this is a bold choice but I love it, I just don’t know if a gray/blue will work with pale oak and since you can see alot of kitchen walls from the living rooms, the colors need to work well together. I know the cooler kitchen color needs to be lower in LRV than pale oak and can’t be too fresh to pair with pale oak. Do you think BM Alaskan Husky, SW Tinsmith or SW Front Porch would give me the look I’m wanting in the kitchen, while also working with Pale oak? I figure BM Gray Owl is my safest bet, but it just looks so gray in my kitchen. Our kitchen cabinets are pure white, countertops are a white/gray granite and our kitchen floors are a very dark hardwood. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!
Several years ago I bought a house that was built in ’95 which has those rounded corners and that meant most of the walls needed to be painted the same color. There’s absolutely no place to start and stop different colors. Pale Oak to the rescue! Sometimes it’s a bit too pale but overall it’s a great compromise. I have a dark hallway, a living room that faces west, the dining room faces north and the family room faces east. I can see why Pale Oak is so popular.
I love reading this, thank you! Comments like this can help others make their choice, too 😉
Will pale oak go with light cherry kitchen cabinets and a natural wood (white oak) floor? I have a day to decide before the painter comes on Saturday! Help everyone!
Oh, I LOVE the sounds of this – as long as you love its undertones, I think it could be lovely! I mean, of course, I haven’t seen your space, but it SOUNDS right!