Living Rooms Benjamin Moore Gray Owl – Home » DIY Projects » Painting » Paint Colors » Benjamin Moore Gray Owl (#OC-52): Full Review + Photos
Benjamin Moore’s Owl Gray (AKA OC-52 and 2137-60) is one of the best-selling gray colors. And the reason is not surprising. It’s a beautiful shade of gray… but is it the right shade of gray for your home? We hope this article will bring you closer to that answer.
Living Rooms Benjamin Moore Gray Owl
Not so long ago, the design world was talking about cool gray. It is not surprising because they create a clean and modern atmosphere.
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But as the times change, so do the choices in the world of interior design. In recent years there has been a shift from cool grays to warm grays and grays (mix of gray and beige).
Today I have an amazing color to show you… Benjamin Moore Gray Owl. This is the latest addition to the series that goes deep into different color palettes.
This gorgeous color shade is a popular pale gray that often reads as a cool neutral. Gray Owl and Stonington Gray (another popular Ben Moore shade) have reigned as Benjamin Moore’s two most popular gray colors for years.
It certainly has a blue color, which can appear in a room with cool northern light, although you can see green instead of blue.
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Looking at one of the Gray Owl 1″x1″ cards might lead you to think it’s a well-balanced neutral gray. However, when on the wall, Gray Owl usually reads cool (although many describe it as a warm gray).
This color is so beautiful and clean that you can use it anywhere and everywhere! Consider using this color in all areas of your home, including:
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Undertones are the subtle differences you notice that make one gray (or color) different from another gray (or color of the same color). These subtle colors are not often seen in paint colors, but they seem to pop and stare at you on the wall after painting the entire room.
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Gray color usually has a tone – usually blue, green or purple. Instead of avoiding them, use them for other shades in the room.
Gray Owl has a soft green/blue color that causes the shadows to change shape based on the light.
Gray Owl is light gray with green-blue undertones. Like most neutral grays, you’ll likely find that it reflects the color of nearby decor.
NOTE: NO COLOR WILL APPEAR THE SAME AT DIFFERENT TIMES, PLACES OR CONDITIONS. Use color charts to show you how you hope your lighting and decor will affect your color scheme.
Gray Owl 2137 60
As for swatches, I highly recommend these non-removable, reusable, changeable and sticky color swatches ⤵
Color is not static. It is a living, breathing and ever-changing element of your home. Both light and surrounding texture affect their appearance.
I love BM Gray Owl with the beach color. It goes naturally with green and blue and looks amazing with white and wood.
LRV = light brightness value: Scaled from 0-100, where 0 is completely black and 100 is white color. Lighter colors REFLECT more light than them and therefore have a HIGHER LRV, and vice versa darker shades).
Benjamin Moore Gray Owl: Color Spotlight
A gray owl reflects less light. It has enough saturation to be clearly gray (as opposed to white), but enough light to not darken the room.
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To understand the overall color profile of Gray Owl, including its tone, let’s compare it to a few other popular colors: Gray Classic, Gray Stonington, and Gray Repose.
Gray Classic (LRV of 74.78) is a shade lighter than Gray Owl. Compared to Owl Grey, Classic Gray OC-23 is warmer and leans towards beige brown, but can also read off-white in a bright room.
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Another popular Benjamin Moore color for comparison is Stonington Gray (HC-170). The Stonington Gray (LRV of 59.75) is probably more popular than the others listed here, including the Gray Owl.
But I think it can be overused, especially in places that don’t have a lot of natural light that are dark. In addition, Stonington Gray has a softer, bluer tone compared to the gray-green color of the gray owl.
The shade is nice, but don’t buy into the hype unless you know where you stand. There are plenty of other great shades for low light situations… like Gray Owl, maybe. I think of the gray owl as the “beach” and the Stonington gray as the “window”.
Sherwin Williams Repose Gray (SW 7015) is our final color comparison with Gray Owl. At LRV 60, it hits that saturation sweet spot. It is darker and richer than owl gray, with deeper beige tones and a lighter gray undertone.
Benjamin Moore Gray Owl Review & Inspiration Ring’s End
Are you dizzy with the color possibilities? If you’re not ready to commit to Gray Owl, check out these other gray colors and popular gray colors:
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Now that we’ve taken a closer look at the samples and made some comparisons, let’s see where the rubber meets the road. Or, in this case, when the brush meets the wall.
We’ll see how the Gray Owl looks in real life under different lighting conditions and the many other “things” in the room (furniture, countertops, etc.) that the color can do.
Benjamin Moore Gray Owl (paint Color Review)
Remember that the image on the computer screen is not a substitute for looking at the pattern on your wall. However, I think seeing them can at least help control the color with or without further research.
A quick note: don’t forget to think about choosing the right color… it’s not just about finding the right color! Here we have a detailed explanation of the glow selection.
Christine has beautiful marble in her kitchen. The Gray Owl color works great in this space from @christineonpoint as a neutral and allows the wall tiles to be the star!
Below you can see a great example of Benjamin Moore’s Owl Gray used in Lillie’s vintage dining room. There is a window in the room, but as you can see, there is also a shaded area.
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The gray owl stays very gray in this room and plays well with the bare woods and bright whites that decorate the room. It specializes in separating warm wooden floors and cold dark doors.
Kellie from Gratefully Vintage has many gray owls in her beautiful home. Below you will find their entrances, both painted with gray owls.
Generally in the bedrooms, and on the ground floor, solid colors are good. If you prefer something with a slight sheen (and easy to clean), choose eggshell or satin.
What about green? Home with Kiki makes good use of Gray Owl to give this room a clean, modern and comfortable bedroom.
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The lighting conditions in this room from Sengerson reflect the changing colors and shifting tones that make up Gray Owl. The difference is negligible and it works well here! There are some light blue vibrations going on in this space.
Don’t miss the ending! Shell or satin light is perfect for the bathroom. Why? In this article we will tell you about paint color.
Here, Gray Owl is used as the cabinet color in this cozy bathroom by Kendra Parker Design.
A gray owl looks great with this white claw on @ourdavidsonbayhome. He stepped back and let himself be the star.
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Light gray in this light-filled living room from the DIY Playbook. No serious tone… middle of the road, very gray in this shot.
Here’s a great example from @buildingalifeadventured of a gray owl on the living room wall. It’s unobtrusive and fun to sit on to let the decor draw attention.
Finally, a good look at the @dallasonyxwillyandfamily Gray Owl in natural light! It’s interesting to see how Gray Owl plays in this situation, this time backlit.
Here’s Ben Moore’s gray owl in @prettythings61’s living room with indoor lighting. It almost reads beige here, due to the abundance of wood and brown.
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So if you’ve seen my closet, you’ll know that I choose Shannon and Aaron’s lamp here in their beautiful space. And if you use Benjamin Moore Nimbus (also a
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