If you haven’t noticed by now, I’m a total neutrals girl. I love me a gorgeous greige, creamy white, gray, even a muted green now and then, and Pale Oak by Benjamin Moore is no exception.
Let’s explore this gorgeous warm toned neutral a little further.
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Pale Oak Benjamin Moore
Pale Oak from Benjamin Moore is a warmed toned neutral with soft, warm gray undertones. It has a paleness because of its light color that reminds me of pale oak floors, hence the name.
Test it out in your home for real!
What is Pale Oak by Benjamin Moore’s LRV?
What is LRV? Light Reflectance Value. It uses a scale of 0-100. The closer to 0, the darker the paint color. The closer to 100, the lighter the paint color.
Pale Oak has an LRV of 70, so it is an extremely light paint color. Even though Pale Oak is really light paint, it has a hint of warmth in its undertones that make this color seem different colors.
It’s the kind of color that can be all over the walls of your home and never be overwhelming.
Is Pale Oak Benjamin Moore Warm or Cool?
This paint color is a light neutral that sits on the color scale between gray and beige. In some lights, Pale Oak reads like a creamy off white and reads gray in others.
Pale Oak is a warm toned gray paint color. Depending on the light in the room, sometimes this paint color can be described as taupe.
What Undertones does Pale Oak Have?
Pale Oak by Benjamin Moore has very warm undertones. I would describe this paint color as a light greige which can have some yellowish undertones. Greige colors are between grays and beiges.
A greige paint color, like Pale Oak, can be effected by coordinating colors and lighting throughout a room. It also has some pink, purple, and even green undertones in the right lighting. This is why I call it a true chameleon color.
Coordinating Colors for Pale Oak
Benjamin Moore suggests pairing Pale Oak with bright whites, darker grays, and even deep reds. Specifically
- Chantilly Lace
- Timber Wolf
- Wrought Iron
- Dinner Party
I would also suggest darker greige tones, bold colors, and various green colors.
Pale Oak Color Palette
Here is a color palette for Pale Oak that I put together. There are some colors I think pair nicely with Pale Oak and some of the recommended colors from Benjamin Moore. Hopefully there is a paint color combination that speaks to you.
Similar Colors to Pale Oak Benjamin Moore
Let’s look at some other greige colors by Benjamin Moore that are similar in some way to Pale Oak. Odds are that if you are considering Pale Oak, some of these other colors are some up for consideration as well.
These paint colors are all in the same color family and can help you in making a decision about the best color for your room.
Pale Oak Vs Balboa Mist
Balboa Mist is probably the closest match in the bunch when comparing it to Pale Oak.
It is a gray/taupe color, but it has more purple undertones than pink. Pale Oak is slightly warmer in color and Balboa Mist slightly cooler given their slightly different undertones.
It has an LRV of almost 70 and Balboa Mist is similar with an LRV of 67, but Balboa is just a touch darker than Pale Oak.
Pale Oak vs Classic Gray
Next up, is Classic Gray. This paint color is slightly lighter than Pale Oak. Put them side by side, and Classic Gray looks similar to an off white. This is how light these two neutral taupe colors are with LRVs of 74 (Classic Gray) and 70 (Pale Oak).
Also comparing them side by side, and I also see the purple undertones pop out and some slight pink hue to Classic Gray.
Pale Oak vs Collingwood
Collingwood wasn’t a color I haven’t heard as much about as the other paint colors, but it is also a warm greige paint color. It has similar undertones to Pale Oak and an LRV of 62.
Its a good option if you are looking for a slightly darker color for your home than Pale Oak.
Pale Oak vs Edgecomb Gray
Unlike the last color, I have seen this color a lot. Its a really gorgeous warm greige that is a really popular color from Benjamin Moore. Edgecomb Gray is definitely more beige while Pale Oak is more of a warm gray that can look like different colors in different lights.
Since these two colors are so similar in hue and undertones, they don’t coordinate well together without a good contrasting color. But they could compliment each other in different rooms of the same house.
I’ve done a full break down of Pale Oak vs Edgecomb Gray.
Pale Oak vs Revere Pewter
This was another combination that was asked a lot about in regards to Pale Oak by Benjamin Moore. Revere Pewter vs Pale Oak is another beautiful combination when planning a whole house paint color plan.
Pale Oak is warmer and more gray while Revere Pewter is a bold taupe that is darker and more saturated. I wouldn’t put them in room side by side.
Trim Colors to go with Pale Oak
Here’s the thing with picking trim colors to go along with Pale Oak by Bejnamin Moore, it’s such a light color that in some lights it can resemble a white color.
Any color paired with it needs to be a really crisp, bright white to show a contrast between the colors. Here are some whites I think pair nicely with Pale Oak.
Pale Oak and Chantilly Lace
Chantilly Lace is a great option to pair with Pale Oak for the trim. It is a really crisp and clean white which will contrast against nicely with Pale Oak. It doesn’t have any undertones making it a really white white.
Pale Oak and Pure White
Pure White is another great choice for trim color to pair with Pale Oak by Benjamin Moore. This paint color is White with a drop of black in it. This would be my choice for a trim color.
It has a bit of warmth to it that true Pure White that goes nicely with the warm undertones in Pale Oak.
Pale Oak and White Dove
White Dove and Pale Oak are two popular colors from Benjamin Moore. If you are craving a little softer off white to pair with Pale Oak then this is it. It is a creamy white that transitions well between wall and trim.
These two paint colors have similar undertones and work well together.
Pale Oak and Swiss Coffee
Swiss Coffee is a comparison asked about when researching Pale Oak, so I’m including it here. Pale Oak and Swiss Coffee both have yellowish undertones, but next to each other, Pale Oak looks like a cool gray and Swiss Coffee is a warm white. It’s not two colors I would pair together, but judge for yourself.
What is the Sherwin Williams Equivalent to Pale Oak?
There are no equivalent for Pale Oak in Sherwin Williams paint line up, but there is a color that comes pretty close to it. Let’s look at Egret White. It is a taupe shade that is actually part of the whites and off whites collection for Sherwin Williams.
How to Sample Pale Oak and Other Paint Colors
Whatever paint color you are considering for home, it is best to sample the paint colors you want to try. Most people go to the hardware store and pick up small samples of their preferred paint colors.
Did you know you can only get those paint samples in one sheen? Satin.
I don’t recommend this route. I suggest trying samplize! You get 12×12 peel and stick color paint samples that you can just stick on your wall and watch the color change all throughout the day in the different lighting.
This is the best way to see if this paint color is the right one for your home and no damage is done to your walls.
Pale Oak in Real Spaces
Here are some real spaces with Pale Oak Benjamin Moore on the walls.
Kitchen
Living Room
Exterior
In the natural light of the sun, the Pale Oak by Benjamin Moore looks like a creamy off white color on the exterior of this home. I would consider this for my own house. It’s beautiful!
Final Thoughts
Pale Oak by Benjamin Moore is a tricky color, but if you love it go for it. As a color that can be taupe in some lights and off white in others, you really have to put some thought where you use it.
BUT, use all the information in this post and give it a try! Buy a samplize peel and stick sample and test it out. It’s a really beautiful color that can be great in any house with just a little bit of preparation and planning!
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