HomeBEHR PAINT COLOR REVIEWSBEHR’S 6 Best Light Gray Paint Colours (Cool & Warm)

BEHR’S 6 Best Light Gray Paint Colours (Cool & Warm)

Posted on February 11, 2023 by KylieMawdsley

WHAT ARE BEHR’S TOP GRAY PAINT COLORS?

Do you have questions about BEHR’S most popular shades of gray? I’m here to help.

While I specialize in Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore paint colors, I’m sitting down with BEHR to answer questions you have about some of their most popular paint colors, questions like:

  • What can I expect from these colors re: undertones?
  • What Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams paint colors do they COMPARE to?
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray vs other popular shades, Repose Gray, Collingwood, Classic Gray, Edgecomb Gray, REvere Pewter, KYlie m

IMPORTANT NOTE: I don’t do Online Colour Consulting specifically with BEHR (only BM and SW) and don’t know their colors intimately, but this info should DEFINITELY help you out. And while I’m usually a SAUCY lil’ Ginger, these blog posts are more straightforward to get you started on your next painting project!

Paint colour reviews, Behrs best light gray paint colors. Kylie M Interiors edesign, edecor, online paint colour advice and consulting virtual

BTW, because I don’t use Behr colors and ONLY use photos from my E-DESIGN clients, I don’t have photos of these colors in action, but I will show you COMPARABLE colors for the general idea. 

1. BEHR DOLPHIN FIN 790C-3

If you’re eyeing Dolphin Fin for your next project, I have the details you need…

IS DOLPHIN FIN A WARM OR COOL GRAY?

Dolphin Fin is a slightly warm gray – not TRADITIONALLY warm in that it looks greige, but it sure as heck isn’t cool-toned. It’s what I call a ‘stormy gray.’

WHAT’S DOLPHIN FIN’S LRV?

With an LRV of 59, Dolphin Fin is a light depth gray but is a slightly heavier light shade of gray, not a bright, fresh one.

If you have a dark room, this depth could be a bit heavy looking; you might consider a gray with a higher LRV. However, if your room gets moderate light, it could settle in quite nicely.

The best neutral gray paint colour, Behr Dolphin Fin. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint colour consulting (1)

WHAT ARE DOLPHIN FIN’S UNDERTONES?

EVERY gray will have cool undertones. While Dolphin Fin is no exception, its undertones are quite passive and similar to those of Sherwin Williams Repose Gray, another popular warm gray paint colour. Of the three undertones, Dolphin Fin is slightly more inclined toward green.

Open concept great room or living room with Sherwin Williams Repose Gray, light wood flooring. Kylie M.

Shown above, SIMILAR colour, Sherwin Williams Repose Gray

WHAT PAINT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO BEHR DOLPHIN FIN?

  • Sherwin Williams On the Rocks, but OTR has a wink more purple undertone
  • VERY similar to Sherwin Williams Repose Gray, but it’s a bit softer
  • For a TOUCH more purple/taupe, check out Behr Chic Gray PPU26-10

Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Repose Gray

 

2. BEHR SILVER DROP 790C-2

If you’re looking for a lighter shade of gray, Silver Drop could be just the color for you…

IS SILVER DROP A WARM OR COOL GRAY – OR IS IT GREIGE?

Silver Drop is definitely a warm gray that winks politely at the greige end of things via its warm backdrop.

WHAT’S THE LRV OF SILVER DROP?

Silver Drop offers a LIGHTER approach to gray. With an LRV of 69, it’s a light gray – not washed-out but doesn’t have NEARLY as much body as Dolphin Fin.

The best behr gray paint colours, undertones and LRV. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint colour reviews and advice

WHAT ARE SILVER DROP’S UNDERTONES?

You might find that Silver Drop is one of the colour ninjas – grays that can and WILL pick up any of the 3 cool undertones with only a little encouragement, even though it DOES mildly favor green. The look of this colour can easily be influenced by the room’s exposure, interior finishes, and EVEN personal perception!

WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO SILVER DROP?

  • Silver Drop is slightly warm but not as warm as Sherwin Williams Drift of Mist.
  • Benjamin Moore Titanium, but Titanium is a wink more fresh and green.
  • Silver Drop is similar to Sherwin Williams Crushed Ice, but Silver Drop grabs a touch more green undertone.

 

3. BEHR MISTY COAST PPU25-13

Misty Coast is one well-named color – let’s find out why…

IS MISTY COAST A WARM OR COOL GRAY?

Misty Coast is one of my favourite gray Behr paint colors. It’s cool, but not ICY cold, more of a subtle stormy look – one MIGHT even call it misty.

WHAT IS MISTY COAST’S LRV?

Misty Coast has an LRV of 68. This puts this stormy shade of gray in the mid to high end of the LIGHT range. While it might not have the right energy for a low-light room, at least its higher LRV helps out. For this reason, Misty Coast is best suited to a room with average+ natural light.

WHAT ARE MISTY COAST’S UNDERTONES?

Misty Coast comes out with a soft, subtle blue undertone that can SOMETIMES sway blue-green…but barely.

Bathroom, freestanding tub on pebble tile floor. Wickham Gray paint colour, white cabinet with marble countertop. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint colour expert and consultant

Shown above, SIMILAR colour, Benjamin Moore Wickham Gray

Misty Coast has an LRV of 68, which is tucked nicely in the light range. However, if you ask me, it LOOKS like it should have a slightly lower LRV, but I thought could be just because of the storminess of it.

WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO MISTY COAST?

  • Kind of in-between Benjamin Moore Wickham Gray and Stonington Gray. Stonington has more depth, whereas Wickham looks a touch fresher and lighter, although the LRVs are virtually the same.

Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray and Gray Owl: Comparing the Two

Paint Color Review: Benjamin Moore Wickham Gray

 

4. BEHR SILVER CITY MQ2-59

Silver City is a gray paint color with a bit more meat on its bones. Let’s see what this bad boy’s all about…

IS SILVER CITY A WARM OR COOL GRAY?

Silver City isn’t terribly warm or cool, making it more of a stormy gray. This means that if you have a north-facing room, it could look a bit cooler than expected. However, if your room has southern exposure or afternoon western sunshine, Silver City could look a ‘bit’ warm.

WHAT’S THE LRV OF SILVER CITY?

Silver City is slightly darker than the average shade of gray (used for walls), with an LRV of 57. Still in the light range, but it’s a HEAVY light, so it might not be the best for a dark room.

Paint Colour review of Behr Silver City, best gray paint color. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, popular paint colour advice and consulting on top colours

WHAT ARE SILVER CITY’S UNDERTONES?

Regarding undertones, this bad boy EASILY swings between a very subtle green or violet (it’s one of the gray ninjas, for sure). The less committed a color is to an undertone, the more EASILY SWAYED it is by exposure, interior finishes, and personal perception.

Exterior with gray siding, white trim, gray black roof, white porch. Sherwin Williams Knitting Needles, best gray paint colour. Kylie M Edesigns

Shown above, SIMILAR colour, Sherwin Williams Knitting Needles

BEHR’s Best White & Soft Off-White Paint Colors

WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO SILVER CITY?

  • Sherwin Williams Knitting Needles is close but DOES cater to violet, helping you see Silver City’s tendency to grab a tiny touch of green.
  • Similar to Sherwin Williams Silverplate, but not QUITE as stormy/muted and slightly less undertone.

 

SAMPLIZE peel-and-stick paint samples are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER, and ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots.

While sadly, Behr hasn’t signed up with Samplize, ALL of the other top brands have, and I highly recommend you check them out.

  • Samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1 DAY
  • they’re more affordable than the samples pots/rollers/foam boards that are needed for traditional paint sampling

KYLIE M INTERIORS ONLINE PAINT COLOR CONSULTING, SAMPLIZE PEEL AND STICK ON THE WALL, REVIEW

Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE

5. BEHR STERLING 780E-30

Sterling sets itself apart from the previous shades of gray – let’s find out why…

IS STERLING A WARM OR COOL GRAY

Unlike the previous grays that are stormy and warm, Sterling is a COOOOL gray. A color like this can balance the warmth of a south-facing room nicely but could be a wink cold for a north-facing room.

WHAT’S THE LRV OF STERLING?

With an LRV of 65, Sterling is tucked quite nicely in the light range, not too heavy, and not washed out.

The best cool gray paint colour, review of Behr Sterling. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint color advice consultant

WHAT ARE STERLING’S UNDERTONES?

Sterling is soft and fresh with its soft blue-purple undertone. This undertone makes Sterling an interesting choice with crisp white trim and even some marble surfaces.

WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO STERLING?

  • Sherwin Williams Reflections, but Reflections is LIGHTER, a touch brighter, and just a wink more purple.
  • If you want to take things a WINK cooler, check out Behr Gray Shimmer, which has an LRV of 69.

Can I Paint My North-Facing Room Gray?

 

6. BEHR EON N370-2

Have I saved the best til the last? We’ll see!

IS EON A WARM OR COOL GRAY?

Eon is a beautiful, muted, calming, WARM gray paint color. However, its warmth isn’t overwhelming; it’s only a polite nod.

WHAT’S THE LRV OF EON?

Eon has an LRV of 65, making it a great, moderately light paint color – darn close to my magical LRV number for almost any room!

Benjamin Moore Moonshine gray paint colour on walls, Sherwin Williams Grays Harbor painted vanity, white quartz, black hardware, small bathroom. Kylie M Interiors Edesign

Benjamin Moore Moonshine

WHAT ARE EON’S UNDERTONES?

Eon has a soft, pretty green undertone…and it’s not that subtle about it, either.

WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO EON?

  • Benjamin Moore Moonshine is similar but more likely to lean blue than Eon.
  • Benjamin Moore’s Titanium comes across a TOUCH warmer and slightly less green than Eon.

Paint Color Review: Benjamin Moore Moonshine

Now, I REALLY wanted to find a Behr gray that was similar to one of my FAVE GRAY PAINT COLOURS, Benjamin Moore Collingwood – but no can do Sue. If you’re curious about what Collingwood looks like, you can read about it HERE.

Benjamin Moore Collingwood, best warm gray paint colour, Silver Gray ceiling, Sherwin Dover White trim, contemporary living room. Kylie M INteriors Edesign, online paint color consultant

Benjamin Moore’s 9 Best Gray Paint Colours

PEOPLE ALSO ASK…

WHAT’S THE BEHR VERSION OF SHERWIN WILLIAMS AGREEABLE GRAY?

BEHR’S Toasty Gray N320-2 is definitely comparable to Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray. While NO colors will be the same, there will always be shifts in either LRV, undertones, or temperature (or all three); these two colors are definitely similar.

If you’ve never heard of Agreeable Gray, it’s one of the most POPULAR neutral paint colors right now, followed closely by Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray.

READ MORE

The Best WHOLE HOME Gray and Greige Paint Colours

BEHR’s Best White & Soft Off-White Paint Colors

Valspar’s 4 Best Light Gray Paint Colors

Gray Paint Colours: The 3 Undertones You NEED to Consider

North, East, South, West: Which Paint Colours is the Best?

NEED HELP?

Check out my Online Paint Colour Consulting packages! 

The best paint colors for room or cabinets. Benjamin or Sherwin Williams paint colours. Kylie M Interiors Virtual, Edesign, online paint colour consultant and blogger market

Chat soon,

Kylie M Interiors, decorating blog, e-design, online colour consulting expert. signature

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN EARLY 2020, UPDATED IN 2023



Comments

  1. Kylie,
    I think you are the one and only reason I’m still sane after becoming in the “paint hues” know! You helped me through this meticulous journey so much! I can’t thank you enough for what you do. You’re excellent at this!
    Take care!
    Kim

    1. Post
      Author

      Oh Kim, what a nice note to get – THANK YOU! I never know what sticks and what doesn’t, so I’m glad you found it helpful :).

  2. Thank you! Thank you! I recently moved to a new state and only have The Home Depot which has totally thrown me for a loop with paint colors. I appreciate your effort and sharing!

  3. Love your takes on colors!!! I wish I would have found you a few years ago when I painted my home. I have silver city throughout my downstairs townhome. It definitely gives off a light blue color with my accent walls in radiant silver by BEHR. I am currently trying to figure out a good color for a half bath (no windows) downstairs and I’m finding when bringing home color samples that it doesn’t go well with silver city. It’s a very tricky color. 🙂 debating on going darker or white.

  4. I just painted several rooms with Behr Solemn Silence. I wanted a real silvery gray with no blue. After living with paint chips on the walls as well as splotches of paint samples on the walls for a year I chose Solemn Silence because I thought Dolphin Fin looked a little muddy. Well, in a lot of light the Solemn Silence actually looks like a very light blue. Even with blue things on the wall it looks blue. I thought blue would make it look more gray. No such luck. 🙁

  5. We just bought a house painted entirely in dolphin fin. Every room, ceiling and all. The kitchen cabinets appear to have one coat of primer… I’m not a fan of stark white cabinets (so hard to keep clean) and I want a warm kitchen.

    I love SW Accessible Beige. Is there a SW color could I paint cabinets that would complement Accessible Beige walls without being blindingly white and dirt showing? Is there a ceiling/trim SW color that would work with both Accessible Beige and Behr Dolphin Fin?

    I have no eye for undertones at all and I’m afraid I’ll choose something that clashes horribly. I was thinking Accessible Beige walls, Aesthetic White for cabinets, and Alabaster or Pure White for ceiling and trim but I don’t know if those will work with Dolphin Fin (or each other, for that matter–hah!).

  6. I didn’t realize Sterling was such a popular color. I used it for our master bath. It looked nothing like I thought it would, but I have grown to love it. We have tons of artifical light in our bath as we only have a small opaque window in a west facing wall. Sterling’s purple undertones dominate when the room is fully lit- which has inspired me to do a light purple in the bedroom.

    1. Post
      Author

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

More Posts

Meet Kylie

Thank you for visiting!  I'm so glad you're here!  Come on in to learn a little more about me!

Categories