Ashland Slate
1608 · #696D72 · LRV 16 — neutral with no strong undertone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Urbane Bronze8
- 2Ashland Slate16
- 3Retreat21
- 4Stardew43
What Color Is Ashland Slate, Really?
Ashland Slate reads as a neutral with no strong undertone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Benjamin Moore 1608 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Ashland Slate
Ashland Slate works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
How Lighting Changes Ashland Slate
With an LRV of 16, Ashland Slate is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. Because it carries almost no measurable hue, it stays a true neutral and pairs cleanly with nearly any trim or floor. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.
Most complaints about Ashland Slate are a light mismatch. Upload a photo of your actual room and see it on your walls — then ask for the same wall in north light or evening lamps before you buy a single sample.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Benjamin Moore 1608 directly. If you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches, measured as ΔE2000. Under 2 is a difference you will not see on the wall.
| Brand | Closest color | ΔE | LRV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwin-Williams | Wall StreetSW 7665 · Sherwin-Williams | 1.9 | 15 | Color page → |
| Behr | Platinum GrayPPF-49 · Behr | 1.7 | 15 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Bottlenose Dolphin8006-7E · Valspar | 1.7 | 14 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | In The ShadowsPPG1039-6 · PPG / Glidden | 2.8 | 15 | Color page → |
| Glidden | In The ShadowsPPG1039-6 · Glidden | 2.8 | 15 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Whale's Tail430-6DB · Dutch Boy | 4.1 | 16 | Color page → |
Similar Benjamin Moore Colors
The nearest shades to Ashland Slate within Benjamin Moore's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
WCAG 2.1: AA is 4.5 : 1 for normal text, 3 : 1 for large text, AAA is 7 : 1.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #696D72 in HSL space. Pair Ashland Slate with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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