Benjamin Moore Boothbay Gray#9CA9AF · LRV 36
Why this color. Coastal blue-gray with a name homeowners search by; bedroom and exterior staple.
Boothbay Gray reads as a blue-green / cool — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover the spec, what Benjamin Moore HC-165 actually looks like under different light, and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Color spec
| Brand | Benjamin Moore |
| Name | Boothbay Gray |
| SKU | HC-165 |
| Hex | #9CA9AF |
| RGB | 156, 169, 175 |
| HSL | 199°, 11%, 65% |
| LRV | 36 |
| Undertone | blue-green / cool |
| Family | Gray |
About Benjamin Moore Boothbay Gray
Boothbay Gray sits in the mid-range at LRV 36, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. Its teal undertone is the part to watch: it gets picked up by whatever sits next to it, so test it against your trim, floor and the room's main light before committing. South-facing rooms will pull it lighter and warmer, while north light cools it down.
Boothbay Gray is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
Kompozit alternative
The closest hex in the Kompozit deck, ranked by ΔE2000 (perceptual color difference). ΔE under 2 is indistinguishable to most eyes; under 5 is a very close visual match.
Closest matches at every US brand
9 brands · top 5 each5 closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all gray from that brand.
Dunn-Edwards
Valspar
Behr
Sherwin-Williams
Clare
Backdrop
PPG / Glidden
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Similar Benjamin Moore colors
closest in the Benjamin Moore deckThe nearest shades to Boothbay Gray within Benjamin Moore's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #9CA9AF in HSL space. Pair Boothbay Gray with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
Accessibility (WCAG contrast)
WCAG 2.1: AA = 4.5:1 normal text · AA Large = 3:1 large text · AAA = 7:1 normal text.