BENJAMIN MOORE: the DARKER side of taupe & greige…
Regarding the most popular DARK gray, greige, and taupe paint colors, Benjamin Moore is the top dog in the gray end of things and holds its own with greige. HOWEVER, in the taupe world, BOTH Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore are lacking. Why? Let’s have a little chat…
WHAT UNDERTONES DO GREIGE & TAUPE HAVE?
When it comes to greige and taupe, there will always be undertones. Like taxes, death, and empty wine bottles, they’re impossible to avoid (and make me cry).
WHAT IS GREIGE?
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Is greige more beige, brown, or gray? Good question. Greige is snuggled in tight between gray and beige. Some greiges cater to gray, making them look a bit cooler, whereas others lean into the warmth of beige, making them look warmer. Long story short, it depends on WHICH greige you choose. As for undertones, greige favors a green undertone and more rarely flashes into violet.
In this next photo, Benjamin Moore Graystone is a greige that caters MUCH more to gray than beige…
In the light range, it’s a bit easier to find greiges that have a MINIMAL undertone. But once you hit the darker end of things, they tend to grab a bit more GREEN, meaning few greiges make the cut as they often read more ‘green’ than ‘neutral.’
WHAT IS TAUPE?
Is taupe more beige, brown, or gray? It depends on which color you choose. Just like greige, taupe is in between gray and beige and can lean warmer or cool depending on the blend. But unlike greige, which leans into green, taupe prefers a VIOLET undertone (sometimes violet-pink) and more rarely flashes into green.
Even in the light range, taupe doesn’t make a secret of its undertones for those sensitive to violet and pink. However, as taupe darkens, you’ll see it pick up more VIOLET and BROWN.
1. BENJAMIN MOORE KINGSPORT GRAY HC-86
TAUPE – NEGLIGIBLE UNDERTONES
I’ve got MAD love for Kingsport Gray. Why? Well, as far as Benjamin Moore goes, it has the LEAST undertone; you could almost call it a NEUTRAL taupe! However, with its lack of commitment comes the chance that it could flex slightly into green. Could you call Kingsport Gray ‘greige’? Well, it depends on the exposure and the surrounding finishes – it’s a bit of a ninja!
Why?
You ask a lot of questions – I like that about you. The LESS committed a colour is to a particular undertone, the more likely it is to shift into another based on exposure, surroundings, light bulbs, etc…
You might be wondering about the DARKER look of Fairview Taupe. Fairview Taupe is often compared to Kingsport, as it sits right above it in the fan deck. While it might have taupe in its name, Fairview Taupe leans pretty hard into beige, to the point where it loses the whole gray-beige blend, and with its increased depth, looks BROWN. This is what we talked about earlier, how taupes often pick up a LOT more brown and/or violet as they darken.
FULL Paint Colour Review: Benjamin Moore Kingsport Gray
2. BENJAMIN MOORE DRAGON’S BREATH 1547
GREIGE – GREEN UNDERTONE
No, we’re not talking about my morning breath; we’re talking about Dragon’s Breath (same-same, really). Dragon’s Breath is a WICKED dark greige with a gorgeous green undertone. If you’ve been doing your research looking at Sherwin William’s greiges as well, thismight sound AWFULLY familiar – and it should. Dragon’s Breath is the kissin’ cousin to Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze. However, Dragon’s Breath is a bit warmer and a weeee bit greener.
Dragon’s Breath has an LRV of 7, making it a SUPER dark, wicked pretty choice for exteriors, front doors, cabinets, and even feature walls.
But regardless, in my Online Paint Color Consulting, I RARELY refer to Dragon’s Breath unless a client specifies Benjamin Moore paint only.
Why?
Urbane Bronze is that BIT more subtle in its approach while still getting the point across (unlike me, who is NEVER subtle when I have a point to make).
Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze
Urbane Bronze vs. 6 TOP GREIGE Paint Colors
3. BENJAMIN MOORE STARDUST 2108-40
TAUPE – SUBTLE VIOLET UNDERTONE
Stardust is a beautiful taupe with just a WINK of a warm violet undertone. With an LRV of 23, Stardust has a subtle rich warmth without diving into the brown end.
And while Sherwin Williams is usually my go-to for darker taupes, Stardust is more neutral-looking than most of my fave Sherwin William taupe paint colors. This being said, some might call it taupe, and others might call it a BROWN with gray in it.
Do you love purple when it’s MORE than an undertone?
Check out this blog post: The 9 Best Benjamin Moore Purple Paint Colours
4. BENJAMIN MOORE ROCKPORT GRAY HC-105
GREIGE – GREEN UNDERTONE
Rockport Gray is a WICKED popular greige. Not only does its LRV of 35 make it flexible for walls, cabinets, and exteriors, but its green undertone is also subtle enough that some people don’t even know it’s there!
5 Steps to Picking Your Best Exterior Paint Colour
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5. BENJAMIN MOORE TAOS TAUPE 2111-40
TAUPE/WARM-GRAY – VIOLET UNDERTONE
While Taos Taupe is DEFINITELY a taupe due to its violet undertone, with its reduced warmth, it could easily be mistaken for a warm gray. However, compare it to an ACTUAL warm gray like Benjamin Moore Metropolis, and you’ll see the difference.
Taos Taupe is along similar lines to Stardust with an LRV of 24, making it a great depth for a WIDE variety of surfaces without washing out or looking overly heavy.
Because I’m dedicated to showing you REAL HOMES and only refer to my Online Colour Consulting client’s photos, I don’t have any great examples of this beautiful colour (some photos just come through too low-quality to use). Thank you to those who’ve sent their photos in!
6. BENJAMIN MOORE GARGOYLE 1546
GREIGE – GREEN UNDERTONE
Gargoyle is picking up where Dragon’s Breath left off but with a slightly SOFTER approach. With an LRV of 17, Gargoyle still has some SERIOUS meat on its bones without the more striking depth of Dragon’s Breath.
7. BENJAMIN MOORE WAYNESBORO TAUPE 1544 / ASHLEY GRAY HC 87
TAUPE – MINIMAL UNDERTONE
Two names, same colour. In fact, there’s a THIRD name for this colour – Shenandoah Taupe. Thank you, Benjamin Moore, for confusing your customers.
TOP TO BOTTOM: Ashley Gray / Pashmina / River Reflections
But no matter WHAT you call it, this gorgeous paint colour is a taupe with the MOST PASSIVE UNDERTONE…ever. Ashley Gray has an LRV of 32, putting it smack dab in the middle of the medium depth range and making it flexible towards a wide range of surfaces, from exteriors and cabinets to entire rooms.
In the above photo, notice the shift from Ashley Gray’s passive violet undertone to River Reflection’s subtle green undertone (bottom color) – this shows taupe and greige at their best!
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8. BENJAMIN MOORE COPLEY GRAY HC-104
GREIGE – GREEN UNDERTONE
Copley Gray sits above Rockport Gray in the fan deck and comes in with a LOWER LRV of 24. However, whereas Rockport Gray nods politely to green, Copley Gray leans in a bit more and picks up a touch more richness/warmth.
And a bonus color…
BENJAMIN MOORE GRAYSTONE 1475
GREIGE – GREEN UNDERTONE
Graystone is a gorgeous choice for cabinets, walls, exteriors, or trims. While it has a green undertone, it’s subtle. And being a more muted warm color, it can read as a warm gray OR a greige.
Benjamin Moore Graystone Color Review
WHAT’S THE MOST POPULAR DARK GREIGE OR TAUPE PAINT COLOR?
With a focus on Benjamin Moore, Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray is the TOP choice in the lighter range. But once you get into the DARK end of greige and taupe, there’s no CLEAR winner. However, Benjamin Moore Rockport Gray is reasonably popular AND massively flexible regarding exteriors, feature walls, cabinets, and entire rooms.
IS GREIGE STILL POPULAR?
HECK, YES! Greige is one of the top paint colors, surpassing gray in many homes. Greige is a great choice for walls, cabinets, front doors, and exteriors, making it HUGELY versatile.
IS TAUPE STILL POPULAR?
Definitely, taupe is one of the more popular neutral paint color choices. And with trends slowly shifting out of gray and into beige, taupe can be a great happy medium for those not wanting to commit to the more drastic warm-cool end of things.
READ MORE
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Sherwin Williams Peppercorn: Paint Color Review
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Chat soon,
