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cdisimone

Benjamin Moore Classic Gray - too beige?

7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago

I researched the heck out of a paint color before I painted my bathroom in search of the perfect warm grey that would complement my warm grey tiles - I wanted a Grey bathroom and chose Benjamin Moore Classic Gray. I actually thought they got the wrong color when I first saw it because it looks incredibly beige. I got a beige bathroom. Has anyone else had this experience with Classic Gray? I even considered that it was mixed wrong but when I put my sample next to it inside the bathroom, it seems to be correct. Everyone seems to love BM Classic Gray and I’ve never heard anyone say “eh, too beige”... so I’m wondering what perfect storm of events occurred to make it look so beige in my bathroom. Totally baffled and annoyed by “grey” paint!

Comments (83)

  • 5 years ago

    I would ask them to mix it again, blue does not sound right.

  • 5 years ago

    I am having the same issue and appreciate all the info above.. Does anyone have LED lights with Classic Gray in a room without a lot of natural light? I am curious what type of bulb you are using and if that can change it and if the walls still look vanilla-ish.

  • 5 years ago

    Just finished painting the family room. Classic Gray Benjamin Moore. My room is south facing currently its not a sunny day but thought i would still share.


  • 5 years ago

    Looks great! That’s how it looks in my house too, vanilla gray during certain parts of the day in sunlight, and almost white at night with LED lighting. It’s a very versatile color.

  • 5 years ago

    I ended up going with the classic gray in my kitchen and the actual color is sooo much lighter than the sample ( good think I didn’t lighten it). It looks more like the photos online. Sometimes very pale gray ( you can see it best against the white cabinets and molding), sometimes more beige, and on a sunny day.. white.

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    This is Classic gray in the house we just finished renovating. It looks fantastic.

  • 5 years ago

    Gorgeous before and after pics

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    Classic grey is so versatile

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    With an LRV of about 75, it’s classified as an off-white by BM and yes,it will look even lighter on the walls for someone looking for more of a gray. It really holds its colour on west and east facing rooms throughout the day and it can read white on south facing rooms. It is fabulous.

  • 5 years ago

    Totally agree with Flo, however mine actually has a slight purple undertone in a certain light at different times of the day. Either way its great.. my led pot lights seem to play a role in that.

  • 5 years ago

    i just purchased classic gray for my basement, has anyone used Hale navy with it as an accent wall

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    Post is 2 years old.

  • 5 years ago

    oh ok lol thanks didnt notice

  • 5 years ago

    Yes I classic gray and hale navy in my bedroom its gorgeous.. I will try and find a pic

  • 5 years ago

    @Stacy Lynn OR @cdisimone what line of BM paint did you use? I love the look of matte but not sure if classic gray is good for flat/ matte & touch ups or better with getting an eggshell for wipeablility! Ive never bought anything but a sample from BM. How is it holding up for you?


  • 5 years ago

    I used eggshell because it was in the bathroom and laundry room. It doesn’t really look at all shiny to me (I liked the look of flat as well) and I’m happy with the way it looks. I did flat or matte (can’t remember) in the master bedroom. They say with the newer paint lines you can still wipe them down but if you have kids or a lot of traffic in the house, egg shell might be easier to wipe down. However, flat is easier to touch up with paint.

  • 5 years ago

    I think we used eggshell throughout. It has held up except where the painters painted too thin a coat. We gave a post at a stair junction that will probably need another coat at some point because everyone grabs it, but that should be relatively seamless to do. I still love love love the classic gray. Here’s an updated photo of or bedroom with walnut furniture and darker taupey-gray linen curtains from Ikea.

  • 5 years ago

    Has anyone used Classic Grey on kitchen cabinets? I think that's what I am going with but would love some feedback before I dive in.

  • 5 years ago

    I’m thinking of doing the same thing, did you paint your cabinets yet? I’m curious to know how it turned out!

  • 5 years ago

    My cabinets are Classic Gray - They will be finished being installed in the next day or so and then I can post a picture for you. I went with Classic Gray and then a Weathered Oak Island and Floating Shelves as well. I am actually planning on painting the walls Classic Gray as well.

  • 5 years ago

    I did classic gray in my kitchen (white cabinets) and the actual color was much much lighter than the sample I painted in multiple spots in my kitchen. When the sun comes in, it looks almost white. the true color is best against the white cabinets and in one darker spot it looks beige/taupe against my white window trim.


  • 5 years ago

    Here are some more pictures of my bathroom painted with classic gray. Just hung these shelves recently so had the photos in my phone! You can see the difference in color with lights on and lights off.. my lights are LED hi hats with a changeable color temp and I have them set to a medium cool temp (can’t remember exactly what Kelvin number but somewhere between warm and daylight). I was disappointed with the paint color initially and almost repainted but so glad I didn’t, as I’ve come to love my bathroom so much!

  • 5 years ago

    Classic Gray definitely has a warm, beige undertone to it. If you're looking for a gray that will harmonize with Carrara marble, you need a gray with blue undertones, like Gray Owl. Or for a really light color, Pure White has a blue undertone. Carrara stone has a blue undertone, so when you put Classic Gray next to it, you really see the beige undertone that Classic Gray has. Carrara marble looks best with cool colors. Always keep in mind that Carrara marble has a blue/cool undertone. The same goes for the white that you choose to go with carrara. A lot of whites have a yellow undertone that will not go with Carrara. You need a clean or cool white. Chantilly Lace is a clean white. White Diamond is a cool white.

  • 5 years ago

    ck thanks for that information, lots of detail.

  • 5 years ago

    @cdisimone what color did you use for your bathroom cabinets?

  • 5 years ago

    @angielajohnson I didn’t paint the cabinets. They’re were new. The finish is from the factory and it just says “white”. This is the brand I got https://www.wolfhomeproducts.com/system/files/WolfClassic_Brochure_May2020update_web.pdf

  • 5 years ago

    Classic Gray has passive purple undertones according to Kylie M Interiors. Sadly, it flashed very cool in my house, as does Gray Owl. North-facing rooms just pick up the purple in CG and blue in GO. It was disappointing given how much love there is for both online, but Sampleize boards moved all around ruled both out for me. I’m all about warm, warm, warm! Focused now on Hushed Hue as Edgecomb Gray is too dark, Ballet White too yellow and Wind’s Breath oh-so-close but li’l too “muddy.” Also, Maritime White was BINGO on my cabinets in kitchen mostly lit by can lights. They look great!

  • 5 years ago

    Jr Owl-

    I'm repainting my living room now which is also North Facing and has fairly low light, and I have samples of Edgecomb Gray and Winds Breath painted on the walls (the walls are primed already so it's against a white backdrop, which I highly recommend vs sticking the samples over existing paint color). I agree, while I love Classic Gray in my East and South facing rooms, it feels too cold in the North Facing room. I think Edgecomb gray looks a tad muddy in here but may feel cozier at night than a lighter color. (I have it upstairs and it seems light and airy up there.) But I'm surprised to hear you say Winds Breath looks muddy! I hadn't ever checked out Hushed Hue. It looks a little greener/greyer than Winds Breath by comparison but looks like a nice color. I'd be curious to know what you choose and how you like it!

  • 4 years ago

    I am sharing a pic of classic gray in my kitchen to show the yellow undertone. I have not yet picked out a color for my living room, but am trying to decide between Edgecomb Gray and Classic Gray. Classic Gray appears "white" at times during the day in my kitchen, so trying to figure out if I need to add more color to my living room. I am also looking at Light Pewter (1464) and Nimbus Gray (1465), but can't find much about either. Any advice?


  • 4 years ago

    I just painted my whole house in Classic Gray and love it. It’s a very contemporary color but not as stark as white or as cold as some grays. In my south facing kitchen it does pick up a beige cast. That works for me because it complements both my light natural oak floors and gray island. I thought it might be too light but I totally love it.

  • 4 years ago

    Here is a little swath of it in my almost complete kitchen. You’ll see that near the floor it has a bit more of a beige cast because it’s reflecting the oak color.

  • 4 years ago

    Kari - both Nimbus Gray and Light Pewter are very nice colors. If I recall, Light Pewter is more of a grey tone than Nimbus, which is still gray but leans warmer by comparison.

  • 4 years ago

    We used Light Pewter in a home we owned awhile back. It was beautiful. My son wanted it in his home and it looked lavendar.

  • 4 years ago

    Lots of Classic Gray lovers in this post so putting my question here to this 'captive audience' or sorts: Using it in my open concept home with light from every angle. Pairing with Pure White trim. Can anyone recommend a complimentary dramatic color with similar undertones for interior doors - perhaps in the charcoal family?

  • 4 years ago

    We did BM Nightfall for our doors. It’s really pretty with the classic gray.

  • 4 years ago

    absolutely beautiful. thank you. I was just looking at "perle noir" when I saw this. So similar. May I ask what color is your door trim?

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    I used classic gray for this flip I finished at the end of last year and used blues as accent. Hale navy works wonderful. Doors here in classic blue

  • 4 years ago

    Wow. That is stunning!!!

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    Thank you. This was a house flip on very tight budget. Complete reno done in 6 weeks for under 55k (did a lot of work ourselves). Bathrooms turned out unbelievably good with classic gray walls and contemporary tile tone on tone. White looks great with classic gray so all cabinetry and trim was white out of the can. I would use this colour again in the future (I love colours and prefer not to use any colour twice but I will make an exception 😊).

  • 4 years ago

    So, as the original poster on this thread, I thought I'd give everyone a good laugh and let you know that initially, while I thought Classic Gray was "too beige" in the first room I used it in years ago upstairs, I have been considering what color to do my whole-house on the 1st floor for the past couple months, and now, it's "too gray!" I mentioned this somewhere above in this thread that I was considering some colors and we haven't gotten around to painting yet so my painted samples are still sitting on the walls 3 months later :/ At some points in the day, I just love Classic Gray, but generally in my open concept home, where the main living room faces north with a cool gray light, against the backdrop of my yellow-toned kitchen, it sadly just doesn't work. I've narrowed down to BM Winds Breath and BM Gray Mist, and my choice changes by the day, sometimes by the hour lol. I find Gray Mist to be similar to Classic Gray in depth but just a touch warmer that gives it the warmth I need in my home with the other warm undertones. Winds Breath has slightly more body to it and is even warmer but occasionally it gives a little bit of a peachy undertone which is what has stopped me from pulling the trigger on it. We're definitely painting this month so I'm down to the wire!

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    Looking at the initial post, I assume that you got enough feedback from everyone in the last years 😂

  • 4 years ago

    Totally! Feels like old time friends at this point 😆

  • 4 years ago

    Any advice on classic gray and how it would do with a light oak grey laminate flooring of a basement?

  • 4 years ago

    Without seeing the floors, it’s very hard to say, but somewhere in this post you can see my wood look tiles in my bathroom which are gray and it looks awesome. I would recommend getting a sample and putting it up in the basement. Since I assume there is very little natural light, the tone will largely depend on your lighting. If your flooring has a warm gray tone to it, it will probably look great. If it has a bluish cool gray tone to it, you’d have to see how it looks side by side. Hope this helps a little! Can’t believe this post is still going strong after so many years 😆

  • 4 years ago

    This is so great! So much good info over the years. I am agonizing over painting my laundry room that was just redone. Gray tile floor (wood look) and white cabinets. East facing with one small window. It sounds like Classic gray would be fine whether it hints gray or beige. it’s such a pain to repaint so I want to get this right the first time!

  • 4 years ago

    @lizstrauss I love classic gray with my wood look tiles and white cabinets! My bathroom and laundry room posted in this thread are both east facing. The bathroom has one window on the east side and my laundry room has a window on the east side and another on the south side. Both rooms have touches of gray and beige or wood tones and the classic gray goes nicely with all of it. Good luck!

  • 4 years ago

    Going back and forth between Classic Gray and Calm. Any suggestions/ comments? help please !,

  • 4 years ago

    cdisimone: I've used Classic Gray in most of the interior of my new build. I haven't used Calm, but Google searches indicate that it's very similar to Classic Gray, which is to say that it has some taupe/lavender undertones. If the other elements in your room also have the taupe/lavender undertone, then it'll look great as a warm gray. Otherwise the purplish undertone may clash/ stand out. Use large samples against a clean white background when making your choice. good luck!

  • 4 years ago

    Oops, today's comment was meant for mlefjer!

  • 3 years ago

    Cdisimone , what color is the trim ?