The 12 Best DARKER Gray-Blue Paint Colors

ByKylieMawdsley

DARKER SHADES OF GRAY-BLUE FOR YOUR WALLS, CABINETS, EXTERIORS, & MORE

When it comes to popular shades of dark gray-blue, there’s no shortage of options. However, just because a color is popular doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for your home. This is why I’ve created this blog post: to hone in on the colors I use time after time in my Online Paint Color Consulting.

If you’ve read any of my other blue-inspired blog posts (which will be listed at the end), you know that blue is rarely ‘just blue.’ In fact, there are several types…

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

Sherwin Williams Foggy Day kids room baby nursery with white painted board and batten and warm gray taupe carpet

Learn about this bad boy below! 

BLUE-PURPLE

Blue-purple (or blue-violet) paint colors are often seen as a bit cooler. While darker blue-greens aren’t nearly as popular as darker blue-purples, blue-greens take the lead in the lighter end of things.

Blue-purples are considered ‘clean colors’ in general, but depending on how much gray they hold, they can look very stormy rather than ‘crisp and fresh,’ especially in these darker ranges.

Benjamin Moore Anchor Gray with Collonade Gray, best navy blue paint colour. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint color consultant and blog

BLUE-GREEN

Blue-green paint colors aren’t necessarily warm, but they’re perceived as softer-looking (depending on how much gray is mixed in). The more gray a blue-green has, the stormier it will look.

Exterior siding with stone, white trim, similar to Hardie Iron Gray. Sherwin Williams Roycroft Pewter, black front door. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, virtual DIY advice

BLUE

Of course, there’s the odd blue that looks blue. Whoda thunk it.

GRAY-BLUE vs. BLUE-GRAY

While you might think they’re the same, it’s about which is the more dominant.

If a color is gray-blue, the gray is the dominant color you see. If a color is blue-gray, the blue is the dominant color.

However, like many colors, this one can be open to perception and shift depending on a room’s exposure, the surrounding finishes, and your take on things! This is also why it’s so important to sample carefully and compare different versions of the same color.

Garage door painted dark blue gray with red brick exterior. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, diy update ideas

THE LRV OF DARK GRAY-BLUE PAINT COLORS

Below, we’ll examine a range of gray-blues and blue-grays. These colors are dark due to their LRVS, which range between 6 and 20.

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Paint Colors Using LRV

the best dark gray blue paint colors, including blue green and blue violet. Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams, Kylie M Interiors, online paint color expert

1. BENJAMIN MOORE CHEATING HEART 1617

Cheating Heart is the OG of the blue-gray world and one of the darkest colors on the market (in this range). This wickedly dark shade of blue has a ton of black and gray, giving it a moody, dramatic look, whether on walls, cabinets, or your front door.

SHUTTERS OR FRONT DOOR WITH RED BRICK, CYBERSPACE, GRAY, CHEATING HEART, BEST PAINT COLOURS KYLIE M

SW Cyberspace (#10 below)| BM Gray 2121-10 (#9 below) | BM Cheating Heart

Cheating Heart has an LRV of 8.97, meaning you’ll be hard-pressed to see it looking black, although it can if you put it in a dark room.

That said, there’s no messin’ around with this bad boy; it’s still a seriously dark color with some junk in its trunk.

In this next image, if you compare Cheating Heart to the black door hardware, you’ll see it’s blue a bit easier…

Exterior painted off white, Benjamin Moore Sea Pearl, Benjamin Moore Cheating Heart painted front door, black light fixtures. Kylie M Interiors Edesign consulting

COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO CHEATING HEART

  • You’ll definitely want to sample Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron, which is coming up shortly.
  • I also recommend Sherwin Williams Cyberspace if you want to humor a bit more blue and less gray. 
  • Benjamin Moore Raccoon Fur is another good comparable for Cheating Heart and has a touch more blue (blue-violet).

Here’s Benjamin Moore Raccoon Fur in action…

Benjamin Moore Raccoon Fur feature accent wall with Pure White and art gallery style display in bedroom. Kylie M INteriors Edesign, online paint color specialist

And no, I don’t know what the artwork behind the bed is doing there. 

Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore’s Cheating Heart

2. BENJAMIN MOORE ANCHOR GRAY 2126-30

Anchor Gray is a blue-gray that’s near and dear to my heart, so much that I painted the family room in our last home with it. I chose Anchor Gray because I wanted the PERFECT blue-gray hue—one that was blue, but not by much, as I didn’t want ‘navy blue walls.’

Benjamin Moore Anchor Gray, White Dove trim, travertine stacked stone fireplace, tobacco brown leather chairs, gray carpet. Kylie M Interiors E-design, online paint color consulting. Best blue paint

Anchor Gray is a blue-gray that caters to purple over green, but not by a ton. As for depth, its LRV is 13.57, so it’s skookum, but not overwhelming with its depth, as shown on this front door…

Arbor Blend green gray vinyl siding, almond trim, Benjamin Moore Anchor Gray front door, dark charcoal gray black asphalt fiberglass roof

COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO ANCHOR GRAY

  • Anchor Gray has some great options for sampling and comparing, including Gray Shower, which is a bit lighter and smokier.
  • Compare it to Sherwin Williams Web Gray (coming up shortly) to see a little shift in undertones!
  • You’ll find similarly gorgeous shades in my Blue-Gray Curated Color Bundle, which makes sampling life a heck of a lot easier!

Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Anchor Gray

Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Anchor Gray…

Benjamin Moore Anchor Gray colour of the year, Kylie M, best blue gray paint colour

3. BENJAMIN MOORE TROUT GRAY 2124-20

If you like the idea of Anchor Gray but want a bit less blue, Trout Gray could be what you’re fishing for. This beautiful shade of gray definitely has a blue-purple undertone, but it’s more subtle and stormy than Anchor Gray.

Benjamin Moore Trout Gray for painted cherry cabinet with white quartz countertop. Kylie M INteriors Edesign

Trout Gray has an LRV of 16.41, putting it in the middle of the medium-dark range. This makes it a great option for cabinets, feature walls, and islands. At this depth, you can also cover your walls with it without having to worry about too much visual weight.

BTW: I chose Trout Gray for our primary bedroom, and I’ll post photos soon!

In the meantime, look at how amazeballs Trout Gray looks on this painted kitchen island with a marble tile floor…

Trout Gray painted dark gray cabinets, marble tile floor in kitchen, Chantilly Lace walls and trim (Benjamin Moore) Kylie M Interiors Online paint color consulting (2)

Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Trout Gray

COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO TROUT GRAY

Oh, there’s no shortage of comparable colors for this bad boy…

4. SHERWIN WILLIAMS WEB GRAY 7075

Web Gray is an awesome shade if you’re unsure which blue undertone you prefer. This is because while Web Gray is a pretty evenly balanced gray violet, it doesn’t cater hard to green or violet.

As for depth, with its LRV of 13, Web Gray packs a punch without too much saturation (saturation is depth + degree of color).

Sherwin Williams Web Gray, beige siding, cream trim. Kylie M INteriors. Sidelight kept white. Edesign, virtual paint colour services.

The 9 Best Front Door Paint Colors

While Web Gray looks bluer on the above door (via natural light), we chose it for my sister-in-law’s accent wall in her staircase, and check out how different it looks…

Landing of staircase, shiplap feature wall, Sherwin Web Gray and Pure White, warm gray carpeted stairs. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint color consultant, diy decorating ideas

This photo reminds me of how lucky she is to have me (wink wink)

Web Gray appears much darker on this accent wall because it’s not getting a direct hit of light, unlike the previous door. In-person, there’s also a wee tiny wink of green popping up in the blue.

Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Web Gray

COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO WEB GRAY

Web Gray has such an interesting balance with its undertones that it’s hard to find great comparisons. I suggest…

  • Benjamin Moore Gunmetal, if you want to see a bit more green undertone blended in (shown below).
  • Sherwin Williams Grays Harbor (#7) if you want to see more COLOR (and a bit more green).
  • Sherwin Williams Gibraltar (#6) if you want to drop the green entirely.

Here’s Gunmetal on exterior siding. While it’s not in the shade, it’s not getting any sunshine…

Benjamin Moore Gunmetal, best medium or dark gray paint color with undertones on exterior siding with no sun

And here’s Gunmetal in the sun, picking up much more green…

Benjamin Moore Gunmetal, dark shade of gray paint color for exterior siding in full afternoon west facing sun

Picking Exterior Paint Colors: Why Your Home’s Exposure MATTERS! 

5. BENJAMIN MOORE WROUGHT IRON 2124-10

Whether Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron is a soft black-blue or a dark gray-blue blend is up to you, as it’s as borderline as my humor.

wHITE QUARTZ COUNTERTOP, BLACK AND WHITE CHECKERBOARD TILE FLOOR, BENJAMIN MOORE WROUGHT IRON PAINTED KITCHEN CABINETS, GOLD HARDWARE

The Best White & Off-White Quartz Countertops

This popular shade pops up on front doors and the odd island. While it can also be used as an accent wall, because it has an LRV of 8.17 AND lacks the commitment to blue that Cheating Heart has, it can read a touch blackish in some lights.

Exterior, terra cotta tile roof, orange pink tones, stone and brick, green painted siding, light greige trim, Wrought Iron painted front door

COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO WROUGHT IRON

  • When looking at Wrought Iron, I almost ALWAYS recommend sampling Cheating Heart (#1).
  • Sadly, Sherwin Williams doesn’t have a color even remotely close to Wrought Iron (or Cheating Heart). The closest is Cyberspace (#11), and that ain’t sayin’ much.

Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron

6. SHERWIN WILLIAMS GIBRALTAR SW 6257

Gibraltar is a beautiful blue-gray that’s almost well-balanced between the two. Of the undertones, it’s a touch more inclined to purple than green, but not by a lot.

Sherwin Williams Still Water painted front door, light gray silver metal roof, Benjamin Moore White OC 151 trim and Gibraltar front steps and porch floor

As for depth, Gibraltar has an LRV of 14, making it a medium-dark color able to hold its own without going black like Wrought Iron can.

This next exterior was feeling pretty sad and drab in its old color palette…

Exterior before gibraltar, painted shingles and steps

With a few coats of Gibraltar, removing the shutters, plus a new paint color for the front door and concrete steps, it has a whole new lease on life…

Sherwin Williams Gibraltar, dark blue-gray exterior shingles and siding, painted steps in Serious Gray, dark brown purple front door and beam, white windows, character home, cottage

Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Gibraltar…

SHERWIN WILLIAMS GIBRALTAR BLUE GRAY, PEEL AND STICK SAMPLIZE, KYLIE M

Thank you to my Online Color Consulting clients for sending in their photos—I couldn’t do this without you! 

7. SHERWIN WILLIAMS GRAY’S HARBOR SW 6236

I’m obsessed with Gray’s Harbor and can’t wait for more clients and readers to send in their photos (hint hint).

If blue-purples have you clenching your bum cheeks, you can finally relax. Gray’s Harbor is a medium-dark shade of blue-gray with a decent green mixed in.

With its LRV of 12 and more saturation than Gibraltar, Gray’s Harbor is great if you want more commitment to color without going over the top.

Here’s Gray’s Harbor looking badass and beautiful on this interior door and trim…

Trims and interior doors painted Sherwin Williams Grays Harbor, gray blue green blend with Benjamin Moore White Dove

You can see a snippet of Gray’s Harbor on this bathroom vanity…

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

COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO GRAY’S HARBOR

  • I have mad love for Sherwin Williams Foggy Day, a slightly lighter take on Gray’s Harbor.
  • And that’s it – not much compares to Gray’s Harbor.

8. BENJAMIN MOORE CHARCOAL SLATE HC-178

I LOVE Charcoal Slate, and often recommend it to my Online Color Consulting clients. This moderate, moody gray-blue is stunning on cabinets, a feature wall, a kitchen island, or a bathroom vanity.

Benjamin Moore Charcoal Slate dark gray painted vanity, marble hexagon small tile floor, On the Rocks wall color, Chantilly Lace beadboard backsplash white quartz.

The Best Dark Blue Paint Colors for Cabinets

Charcoal Slate is gray with a blue-purple that’s reasonably noticeable but not overwhelming. Like Trout Gray, it looks gorgeous with marble. This stormy color has an LRV of 14.51, which makes it a bit darker than Trout Gray, but with similar intentions.

My Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Charcoal Slate

Sherwin Williams City Loft, Benjamin Charcoal Slate paint color on fireplace molding, home decor, taupe sofa. Kylie M Interiors Online Paint color

Shown with Sherwin Williams City Loft on the walls

Here’s Charcoal Slate compared to the much GRAYER, Benjamin Moore Gray 2121-10 (#9) and Cheating Heart (#1)…

Benjamin Moore Charcoal Slate, Gray 2121-20, Cheating Heart, dark blue gray and soft blue black island paint colors for cabinets

COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO CHARCOAL SLATE

  • For a lighter and slightly bluer look, I recommend Benjamin Moore Ashland Slate.
  • If you like the depth of Charcoal Slate but want a bit more blue, compare it to Benjamin Moore Anchor Gray (#2).

The Best Light to Medium Gray-Blue Paint Colors

The 13 Best Blue-Green Blend Paint Colors

9. BENJAMIN MOORE GRAY 2121-10

I hesitated with Gray 2121-10, as while it’s certainly a gray-blue blend, it has quite a bit of purple in it, to the point that in some lights, the purple can take charge. However, it’s so stinkin’ gorgeous and works well on so many surfaces that it’s worth exploring.

Gray 2121-10 (you need that number to find/order it; otherwise, BM will give you hundreds of ‘grays’ to look at) is a medium-dark gray with an LRV of 11.51, putting it close to the dark range.

Dark hallway with chair rail, beige carpet, lower walls Benjamin Moore Oxford White upper walls Gray 2121-10. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, diy decorating ideas

As mentioned, Gray 2121-10 has an interesting blend of gray, blue, and violet, a combo that’s made it famous on front doors…

Benjamin Moore Gray 2121-10, front door paint color, gray blue, stamped concrete front porch, greige, warm gray stucco

Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Gray 2121-10

The 9 Best Front Door Paint Colors

COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO GRAY 2121-10

  • If Gray doesn’t have enough color, take a peek at Benjamin Moore’s Deep Space, which is gloriously deep and winks at blue without being punchy.
  • I highly recommend comparing Gray to Sherwin Williams Web Gray (#4) for a helpful lesson in undertones. Comparing the two will show you what each holds in its back pockets!
  • For a bit of levity, you have to check out Benjamin Moore Steel Wool, which I used in the dining room in our last home (shown below)…

A south facing room does well with cool green, blue and purple paint colours or grays with undertones. Shown here Benjamin Moore Steel Wool by Kylie M Interiors E-Design and Online Decorating

10. SHERWIN WILLIAMS CYBERSPACE 7076

Whether Cyberspace is navy blue or blue-gray is open to perception. If you ask this color cowgirl, it’s a BIT too blue to make the cut. But hey, it’s not all about me (not all the time, anyway). 

Sherwin Williams Cyberspace, white quartz countertop gray veining, dark navy blue popular cabinet or island colour. Kylie M Interiors Edesign

When I have Online Color Consulting clients who find traditional navy blues too strong, Cyberspace is often the perfect choice. While it picks up a good blue hue, it’s grounded with a shot of gray. 

Home bar with wine display and storage, beer and wine fridge. Bianco Drift quart countertop, painted gray cabinets and Sherwin Williams Cyberspace. Kylie M INteriors E-design

Sherwin Williams Cyberspace: IMAGES, Info, & More

ALTERNATIVES TO CYBERSPACE

With its wink more blue hue, you might want to compare this to similar shades, including…

  • Benjamin Moore Cheating Heart (#1) will show you the softness in Cyberspace.
  • Benjamin Moore Temptation has similar intentions, but is a bit lighter with its LRV of 10.72 (Cyberspace’s LRV is 6).

11. SHERWIN WILLIAMS WALL STREET 7665

Now, I’m not going to tell you that Wall Street is a typical blue-gray paint color, as it ain’t. 

Instead, Wall Street is a darker gray paint color with a blue-purple undertone. Sometimes the blue is a bit more obvious, other times the purple shows up at the party. 

Sherwin Williams Wall Street in dining room with coffered ceiling and white wainscoting, hallway entryway in Sherwin Williams Wool Skein with dark wood floor and gray-blue ceiling paint color

In the above dining room, Wall Street looks gorgeous with white white wainscoting and dark wood flooring. 

How to Update Dark Wood Cabinets

Here’s Wall Street compared to some alternatives, including Gibraltar (#6)… 

Aesthetic White walls. dark gray blue violet paint colors, accent or feature wall. Sherwin Williams Wall Street, Gibraltar, Serious Gray, Benjamin Moore Eclipse, brick accent

SW Gibraltar | BM Eclipse | SW Serious Gray (mad love, although it’s that bit lighter)

12. SHERWIN WILLIAMS FOGGY DAY 6235

If you want a slightly lighter approach to blue-gray (and love green), let me introduce you to Foggy Day. 

Sherwin Williams Foggy Day kids room baby nursery with white painted board and batten and warm gray taupe carpet

Whereas some of the previous colors cater to blue-purple undertones (which are often more popular), Foggy Day is a blend of blue, gray, and green. 

Sherwin Williams Foggy Day gray-blue-green and Alabaster warm white samplize peel and stick with Kylie M.

Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Foggy Day.

It’s also a bit lighter than many of the others, with its LRV of 20, so if you find some of the others a bit heavy, this could be the ticket! 

Sherwin Williams Foggy Day: IMAGES, Info, & More

13. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ROYCROFT PEWTER 2848

Roycroft Pewter gets the short end of the stick when it comes to popularity, as it’s not in the main part of the fan deck. 

Instead, it’s stuck in the buttcrack of the Historic Interior Collection, which doesn’t get nearly enough attention (like me).

Exterior siding with stone, white trim, similar to Hardie Iron Gray. Sherwin Williams Roycroft Pewter, black front door. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, virtual DIY advice

Now, compared to the other colors on this page, Roycroft Pewter skews green, for reals. In fact, the green might put you off if you’re looking for a legit blue-gray. 

While the green isn’t as obvious in the previous photo, you can see more of it here…

Cherry kitchen cabinets painted Benjamin Moore Classic Gray, best off-white warm gray paint color. White quartz, Roycroft Pewter painted island, white oak floor. Kylie M Interiors Edesign

However, it didn’t put ME off and I chose it for our home’s exterior…

Exterior beige BEFORE edesign

Review of Sherwin Williams Roycroft Pewter, dark gray paint color on exterior, similar Hardie Iron Gray. Kylie M Interiors Edesign (1)

COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO ROYCROFT PEWTER

Oooo, the question is, do we lean more green or more blue?

  • To better see the blue in Roycroft Pewter, you MUST compare it to Sherwin Williams Grizzle Gray – it’s neat to see the shift! 
  • If you prefer a bit more blue, bounce back to Sherwin Williams Web Gray (#4)

Sherwin Williams Roycroft Pewter: IMAGES, Info, & More

Well, that’s it for now – this color cowgirl needs a drink! 

READ MORE

The Best Light to Medium-Depth Gray-Blue Paint Colors

The Top Shades of MEDIUM Blue Paint Colors

How to Pick Your Best Shade of Blue

The Best Dark Blue & Dark Green Paint Colors for Kitchen Cabinets

The 18 Best Blue & Green Bedroom Paint Colors

Get the best color advice…

Check out my Online Paint Color Consulting! 

Kylie M Interiors, online paint color expert, consulding, edesign, Best Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams. Market (1)

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Initially written in 2023, updated in 2025

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9 Comments

  1. Can you please tell me what 2 paint colors were used above and below the brown wood chair rail in the dining room picture with beige chairs and beige rug? They appear to be some kind of white on top and gray on the bottom.

    Reply

    1. Hey Marcy! I can’t find that image in here, but i THINK I know which photo you’re talking about. If I’m right, the top is SW Aesthetic White and the bottom is Benjamin Moore Stonybrook 🙂

      Reply

  2. Hi, very helpful post. Can I pair anew gray with a dark color for my interior doors? Roycroft Pewter, web gray, grizzle gray, peppercorn, or cityscape?

    Reply

    1. Yup, Anew Gray walls can look beautiful with darker interior doors and is super flexible! Of those, I personally porefer Grizzle Gray and Cityscape, but the others could be pretty too.

      Reply

  3. Hi Kylie. I’m considering using Grays Harbor for my exterior, but it may be a little light. Is there another color that is a bit darker than Grays Harbor or is it a color that can be darkened? Thank you for all your videos and articles, they are very helpful. 🙂

    Reply

    1. Hey Susan, you’re welcome! I LOVE Grays Harbor and am so excited you’re considering it! I would definitely ask if it can be darkened. I’m sure it wouldn’t go MORE than 25%, but I would hope they can do at least 25%. If not, ask for 20%, as sometimes you can go down in increments until it works (they just have to watch that the can of paint doesn’t overfill with the extra tint 😉

      Reply

  4. Hi Kylie,
    I am going to be moving and know I will be painting cabinets, getting new counters. I am leaning towards cabinets being Pure White and the Island Cyberspace with brass/gold fixtures. I am unsure about a wall color. I normally go with Repose Gray, but would Agreeable Gray or even Pure White be better?

    Reply

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