Benjamin Moore Boothbay Gray HC-165

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Boothbay Gray is one of Benjamin Moore’s most popular paint colors. It’s a mid-toned steel gray with a hint of blue.

I have a fun paint color to talk about today,

I’m a big fan of it, but then again, I am a big fan of most colors. But it is a really pretty paint color.

There is no other backstory other than that I like the color and wanted to talk about it.

The color of the day is Benjamin Moore Boothbay Gray HC-165.

STATS – LRV, HUE FAMILY, COLOR COLLECTIONS

1. LRV – 43.26
2. HUE FAMILY – Blue Green
3. COLOR COLLECTIONS – Historical Colors

Let’s tackle LRV first. What is it?

LRV, or Light Reflectance Value, is a measurement commonly used by design professionals. It measures the amount of light reflected from and absorbed by a surface. LRVs range from 0 -100, with 100 being pure white and 0 being absolute black. A great article to read to learn more about LRV is Light Reflectance Value: What Do Those Numbers Mean?

Knowing the hue family a color is from helps one understand it a bit more. This is more useful with near-neutral paint colors, but it is still a valuable piece of knowledge when looking at any color.

The Historical Color Collection is

 A collection of 191 time-honored hues comprises our most popular palette. Steeped in tradition, the refined, elegant colors of the Historical Collection deliver timeless color that can be used in traditional as well as contemporary spaces

Benjamin Moore

Doing some painting yourself? Make sure you pick up this essential painting tool!

WHAT ARE THE UNDERTONES OF BOOTHBAY GRAY?

Undertones are subjective, so if you have an imbalanced lighting situation, you may see Boothbay Gray show more blue and possibly a bit of green. If the lighting is evenly balanced across all lightwaves, it will appear as a steel-like gray paint color.

I always suggest testing a paint color in the room where it will be used to see how the light will affect it.

WAIT! Before you start painting make sure you have the best painting tools to make your job easier. It will take hours off your painting time!

IS BOOTHBAY GRAY WARM OR COOL-TONED?

Boothbay Gray is a cool-toned paint color.

Grays can be tricky to decipher. But usually, when a gray has a bit of blue to it, it’s cool-toned.

A way that may help you if you are stumped by the tone of a color is to compare it to another color you are familiar with.

Here’s an example.

My suggestion is to grab a paint sample and swatch it on your wall. This way, you will see how it looks in your home.

BOOTHBAY GRAY AND LIGHTING – CARDINAL DIRECTIONS

Lighting is one, if not the most, important factor in what a paint color will look like.

It broadly affects how you will perceive a paint color. For this reason, it’s a great idea to know the lighting condition and the cardinal direction of the room when you choose the right paint color.

It’s important to remember always to take lighting into consideration while choosing a paint color. But you cannot forget the other elements influencing a paint color’s appearance. This includes fixed elements like cabinetry, flooring, tiles, etc., and the decor colors you choose for your home.

WHAT ARE THE BEST LIGHT BULBS TO USE?

Don’t forget about your light bulbs! The color of the light bulbs in your home is commonly overlooked and can affect how a paint color looks.

All lighting affects your paint color regardless of whether it is natural or artificial. But artificial lighting can somewhat be doctored, and that’s with the color of the light bulb you use.

The color of the light bulbs you use will influence how a room’s paint color looks. Unfortunately, this is an important detail that is often overlooked.

With the variety of light bulbs available, it can become overwhelmingly confusing. I mean, what really soft white and bright white?

Thankfully, it becomes easier once you know a little bit about light bulbs.

For reference, light color or light appearance is measured on the Kelvin (K)temperature scale. Lower Kelvin numbers mean more yellow light; the higher the Kelvin number, the whiter or bluer light.

Remember, lower Kelvin (K) numbers = yellow light, Higher Kelvin (K) numbers = white/blueish light

I always recommend using this type of light bulb.

Be cautious of the light bulb names such as “daylight” or warm light.” I’d advise against picking a light bulb by its name.

Instead, always check the package for actual facts. This allows you to choose the best bulb for you.

Don’t forget that lighting plays a significant part in how a paint color will look at times. There are other determinants to be aware of. For instance, decor, furniture, fixtures, cabinetry, and floors. These elements can affect and/or influence how a paint color will look in your room.

THE BEST WAY TO SAMPLE

I’m an advocate for testing and sampling paint colors. I wholeheartedly believe it’s a legit way to see how a paint color will react in a room.

There are several different ways to sample paint colors. To learn how to get the most out of your samples, grab the sampling paint colors worksheet.

WHAT IS THE BEST TRIM COLOR TO USE WITH BM BOOTHBAY GRAY?

Let’s discuss some trim paint colors that look good with Boothbay Gray.

The most popular color choice for trim is white, which makes sense because it goes with everything. But not all white paint colors are created equal.

I find that cool-toned paint colors, like Boothbay, work best with cool-toned or clean white paint colors.

Here are a few paint colors that work well.

1. Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace.
2. Benjamin Moore White Dove.
3. Sherwin Williams Pure White.
4. Benjamin Moore Cloud White

That being said, painting your trim white isn’t the only option you have.

For a cohesive look, you can opt for a monochromatic color scheme and use Boothbay Gray as both the wall and trim color. To add a subtle variation between the wall and trim, try selecting a different sheen or finish for the trim. This will create a slight contrast between the two elements while maintaining overall consistency.

WHERE SHOULD YOU USE BOOTHBAY GRAY?

When it comes to decorating and painting, there are no strict rules on how to use BM Boothbay Gray. The beauty of it is that you can use it wherever you like.

We tend to worry too much about what is right or wrong when it comes to decorating. But the truth is, the only thing that matters is that you are happy with your color choice.

OFFICE

DOORS

IS BENJAMIN MOORE BOOTHBAY GRAY A GOOD EXTERIOR PAINT COLOR?

Absolutely! BM Boothbay Gray is a great exterior paint color option.

Choosing exterior paint colors can be a bit tricky at times because there are a couple of things that you need to be aware of.

First, paint colors need a good amount of depth to withstand the sun. For example, a very light gray paint color, like Classic Gray, will look white on the exterior of a home. Why? because it doesn’t have enough depth.

Also, paint colors look lighter in the sun. This again comes down to the depth.

Your best bet is to look and sample darker colors than you initially thought.

I think this is a gorgeous paint color for the exterior. Whether it’s on the whole house or just the front door, it has a decent amount of depth to withstand the sun.

WHAT COLORS GO BEST WITH BENJAMIN MOORE BOOTHBAY GRAY?

Creating paint color combinations is like matching your eyeshadow and blush colors. It’s all about color theory.

To create color combinations that work together, you must ensure they complement each other.

That being said, sometimes it’s still a pain in the you know what to find paint color combos. Because of that, I like to share a few colors that work harmoniously with Benjamin Moore Boothbay Gray.

• Stonington Gray HC-170
• White Wisp OC-54
• Pearl River 871
• Mountain Mist 868
• Gossamer Blue 2123-40
• Revere Pewter HC-172

Use these colors for inspiration to create your own perfect color palette for Boothbay Gray.

WHAT IS THE SHERWIN WILLIAMS COLOR EQUIVALENT?

Let’s discuss color dupes and equivalents to Benjamin Moore Boothbay Gray Gray.

Unfortunately, there are no Sherwin-Williams paint colors that perfectly match Boothbay. However, there are similar colors that could work as substitutes if you prefer Sherwin colors.

WHAT ABOUT COLOR MATCHING?

You can color match with Sherwin Williams paint, but do it with caution and always start with a small sample.

The thing with color matching is that sometimes it works, and you are happy with the color. However, I have also seen it go terribly wrong.

Paint manufacturers formulate paint differently. No two are alike. This is the reason why color matching doesn’t work all the time.

When choosing a paint color, it’s best to skip color matching and choose from the brand’s collections.

COLOR COMPARISONS

Far left is Stonington Gray; next is Boothbay Gray..then Gray Owl..then SW Passive.

Let’s have some fun and compare Boothbay Gray to some other paint colors.

BOOTHBAY GRAY VS. COVENTRY GRAY

• Benjamin Moore Boothbay Gray has an LRV of 43.26, similar to Coventry Gray’s 48.18
• Coventry Gray is a smidge lighter than BG
• Both are cool-toned paint colors
• There is the potential for both these colors to show blue in certain lighting.
• Boothbay Gray has a more blue feel to it.
• Coventry Gray is slightly more neutral.

READ MORE: COVENTRY GRAY PAINT COLOR REVIEW

BOOTHBAY GRAY VS. SMOKE

• Benjamin Moore has an LRV 56.39, which is higher than BG’s 43.26
• Smoke is the lighter paint color of the two.
• BM Smoke 2122-40 has a bit less saturation, and Boothbay is a bit more colorful.
• Smoke is a gray paint color from the green hue family and can show a bit of blue/green,

BOOTHBAY GRAY VS. MINERAL DEPOSIT

• Sherwin Williams Mineral Deposit has an LRV of 43, the same as Boothbay’s LRV.
• Mineral Depoist is a hair lighter.
• Boothbay Gray is a bit more saturated. Not by much, though.
• Mineral Deposit is also from the blue-green hue family.
• Both Gray paint colors have the potential to look blue in specific lighting.

RECAP

• LRV – 43.26
• HUE FAMILY – Blue Green
• COLOR COLLECTIONS – Historical Colors
• It’s a gray paint color with a bit of blue in it
• it’s cool-toned
• The best way to sample is by using Samplize Peel & Stick Paint Samples.
• It’s a tremendous, calming paint color to use anywhere, especially in bedrooms and bathrooms.
• SW Mineral Deposit is a very similar paint color.
• It looks fantastic with a clean white trim.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Ok, I have a few thoughts about Boothbay Gray.

First, it’s a gorgeous paint color. I tend to love cool-toned paint colors, and this one is a beauty.

That said, even though it is gray, Boothbay Gray likes to pull blue in some light conditions. If you want nothing to do with blue, stay away from It.

But if you are open to cooler tones and a bit of blue or even green, this may be a great option for you.

As I always say, you should get samples of your paint colors and swatch them in your home before proceeding. The colors you see on the screen are not how they look in person.

There is no better way than sampling to see how the paint color will actually perform in your home.

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