Balboa Mist by Benjamin Moore (OC-27)
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If you’ve read any of my recent paint posts, you know that I’m a sucker for crisp white walls. However, sometimes I want to warm things up a bit and add in just a touch of color to my coastal home. Enter Balboa Mist OC-27 by Benjamin Moore. This is the perfect neutral greige that isn’t too warm or too cool. It goes well with any décor style and looks great in all lighting.
We have Balboa Mist 50% in both our breakfast nook and living room and it’s a color I’ll never tire of. In this post we’ll define paint undertones, compare warm versus cool colors, and explore some other paint colors that go well with Balboa Mist, as well as go through a few greige paint comparisons. If you need even more inspiration for your own walls, be sure to check out a few of my other favorite neutrals – Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore and Extra White by Sherwin-Williams (SW 7006).
What do I mean by “Balboa Mist 50%” in our home? When you love a color but want to take it down a notch, you can request the color at a lower percentage. This simply means they will use 50% pigment vs. 100% pigment. It doesn’t necessarily lighten a color and it’s not always a guarantee you will love the paint with less pigment. At times, it can alter the whites, blacks, and hues of a color.
Balboa Mist Undertone
Colors are made up of two components-the mass tone and the undertone. The mass tone is the color that is first perceived. The undertone is the second color that is perceived and is the result of blending colors together. For example, when you initially look at Balboa Mist you can clearly see that it is gray paint. But take a closer look and you’ll notice some yellow undertones and a very slight hint of purple. These undertones are super important when choosing complimentary colors throughout your own home.
The best way to figure out the undertone of a specific color is to hold it up against a pure form of that color. This is best achieved by using a color wheel. The undertones will quickly make themselves apparent once you’ve compared the swatch to it’s truest form. Another great tip for finding the undertone of lighter neutrals is to check the darker swatches on the same paint chip – this makes it easier to identify that second color. For neutral paint colors, I find it helpful to compare to a pure white.
Cool vs. Warm Colors
Now that we’ve got a good grasp on undertone and mass tone, let’s chat about cool vs. warm paint colors. Warm colors typically have undertones of red, orange, or yellow while cool colors typically have undertones of blue, green, or purple. While warm colors can make a room feel cozy and inviting, cool colors feel crisp and clean.
If undertones seem overwhelming to you, I recommend focusing on the temperature instead when trying to compile the perfect color scheme for your home. Ensuring your paint colors have similar “temperatures” can be very helpful when trying to create a cohesive space.
The great thing about Balboa Mist is that it really can lean warm or cool depending on the lighting of the room, surrounding paint colors, and décor. In my opinion it’s the perfect neutral greige – a balanced and versatile combination of gray and beige – that can make a room feel warm and fresh all at the same time.
Colors that Pair Nicely with Balboa Mist OC-27
If you’re looking to pair Balboa Mist with other colors in your home, I always love Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore and Extra White by Sherwin-Williams (SW 7006). Other great white options are BM White Dove and BM White Heron. These are all perfect options for adjacent rooms or for trim up against Balboa Mist paint on your walls.
Balboa Mist OC-27 also looks nice up against a variety of blues. For the perfect coastal combination, I recommend SW Sea Salt, BM Eternity, and BM Seattle Gray. If you want to add a punch of drama, I like Hale Navy, Oxford Gray, or Rock Gray by Benjamin Moore.
Balboa Mist vs. Repose Gray
Repose Gray by Sherwin Williams is a nice neutral greige, but it has more blue and green undertones than Balboa Mist. Because of these undertones, it comes off cooler than Balboa Mist but is also a touch darker.
Balboa Mist vs. Agreeable Gray
Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray is one of their most popular neutral paint colors. It’s another great greige option, but reads slightly warmer than Balboa Mist and has more brown and pink undertones. Agreeable Gray can come off a little peachy in certain light as well and is slightly darker than Balboa Mist.
Balboa Mist vs. Pale Oak
While these two colors are extremely similar, Benjamin Moore’s Pale Oak has a bit more of a brown undertone while Balboa Mist leans more gray. Pale Oak is also a touch warmer with less blue undertones than Balboa Mist.
Balboa Mist Paint by Benjamin Moore (OC-27)
What are your thoughts on this pretty greige paint? Too gray? Too beige? Or just right? I love the use of Balboa Mist in my breakfast nook and living room, but it would look amazing in any room and brings the perfect amount of warmth and freshness to a living space. Tell me – where do you plan on using Balboa Mist in your home?
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