Brewster Gray
HC-162 · #8A9696 · LRV 30 — cool blue-green tone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
- 1Black Fox7
- 2Pewter Green12
- 3Brewster Gray30
- 4Stardew43
- 5Palladian Blue60
What Color Is Brewster Gray, Really?
Brewster Gray reads as a cool blue-green tone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how Benjamin Moore HC-162 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Brewster Gray
Brewster 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.
How Lighting Changes Brewster Gray
Brewster Gray sits in the mid-range at LRV 30, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. Because it carries almost no measurable hue, it stays a true neutral and pairs cleanly with nearly any trim or floor. South-facing rooms will pull it lighter and warmer, while north light cools it down.
Most complaints about Brewster Gray 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 HC-162 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 | Steely GraySW 7664 · Sherwin-Williams | 3.7 | 30 | Color page → |
| Behr | AtmosphericPPU12-15 · Behr | 1.1 | 29 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Skyscraper8004-34E · Valspar | 0.9 | 29 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Steeple GrayPPG1012-5 · PPG / Glidden | 2.8 | 30 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Steeple GrayPPG1012-5 · Glidden | 3.2 | 30 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Grayed Foundry426-6DB · Dutch Boy | 0.9 | 29 | Color page → |
Similar Benjamin Moore Colors
The nearest shades to Brewster 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.
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 #8A9696 in HSL space. Pair Brewster Gray with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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