PROFESSIONAL-GRADE PAINT
ONE COAT COVERAGE
MADE FOR REAL RESULTS
CompositePaint
BENJAMIN MOORE · 2138-40

Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull#858D81 · LRV 27

Carolina Gull reads as a green / cool — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover the spec, what Benjamin Moore 2138-40 actually looks like under different light, and the closest matches at competing US brands.

SEE IN A ROOM → CALCULATE PAINT NEEDED →
BENJAMIN MOORE CAROLINA GULL
RGB 133, 141, 129 LRV 27

Color spec

Brand Benjamin Moore
Name Carolina Gull
SKU 2138-40
Hex #858D81
RGB 133, 141, 129
HSL 100°, 5%, 53%
LRV 27
Undertone green / cool
Family Gray

About Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull

Carolina Gull sits in the mid-range at LRV 27, 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.

Carolina Gull 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.

KOMPOZIT
Dowager
SKU 0442 · #838C82 · LRV 25
ΔE 1.03 (near-perfect)
SHOP KOMPOZIT ON AMAZON →

Closest matches at every US brand

9 brands · top 5 each

5 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.

Valspar

2,858 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.63
All gray at Valspar →
T696
#898F85
Pond Leaves
ΔE 1.63 · LRV 26.5
5002-2A
#7F8984
Beguile
ΔE 3.61 · LRV 24
V099-5
#819288
Zinc Blue
ΔE 3.83 · LRV 27
M343
#82908B
Ballroom Slippers
ΔE 4 · LRV 26.5
8006-2F
#8E8A81
Big Apple
ΔE 6.47 · LRV 25

Farrow & Ball

132 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.67
All gray at Farrow & Ball →
NO. 79
#899081
Card Room Green
ΔE 1.67 · LRV 27
NO. 292
#8B8A77
Treron
ΔE 4.87 · LRV 25
NO. 272
#8D8D8B
Plummett
ΔE 6.93 · LRV 27
NO. 276
#8B857F
Mole's Breath
ΔE 8.65 · LRV 24
NO. 40
#998976
Mouse's Back
ΔE 11.97 · LRV 26

Magnolia Home

160 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.19
All gray at Magnolia Home →
JG-07
#869088
Silverado Sage
ΔE 2.19 · LRV 27
JG-60
#86897D
Eden
ΔE 2.54 · LRV 24
JG-53
#8F8D79
Garden Party
ΔE 5.42 · LRV 26
JG-138
#8D8E8B
Cozy Up
ΔE 6.11 · LRV 27
JG-124
#8E897F
Reclaimed Wood
ΔE 6.86 · LRV 25

Behr

4,699 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.34
All gray at Behr →
QE-45
#879283
Thistle
ΔE 2.34 · LRV 27
N200-5
#84887D
Woodcraft
ΔE 2.42 · LRV 24
N220-5
#888877
Ottertail
ΔE 4.3 · LRV 24
HDC-NT-23
#898780
Wet Cement
ΔE 6 · LRV 24
MQ6-25
#8C887D
Pavement Gray
ΔE 6.17 · LRV 25

PPG / Glidden

2,088 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.56
All gray at PPG / Glidden →
1033-5
#89928A
Gray Heron
ΔE 2.56 · LRV 28
1010-5
#898A86
Downpour
ΔE 5.57 · LRV 25
1029-5
#8F8C79
Meander
ΔE 5.66 · LRV 26
14-06
#948E82
Winter Feather
ΔE 7.23 · LRV 27
1008-5
#8C8578
Roller Coaster
ΔE 7.79 · LRV 24

Dunn-Edwards

1,696 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.71
All gray at Dunn-Edwards →
DE6292
#7D867C
Stone Craft
ΔE 2.71 · LRV 23
DE6278
#8F9183
Stone Creek
ΔE 3.32 · LRV 28
DE6376
#888786
Looking Glass
ΔE 7.91 · LRV 24
DE6236
#8F886C
Wilderness
ΔE 8.81 · LRV 25
DE6389
#8E8583
Fallen Rock
ΔE 11.79 · LRV 24

Backdrop

30 colors in deck · best ΔE 3.27
All gray at Backdrop →
BD-HF
#7C8478
Hartford
ΔE 3.27 · LRV 22
BD-OS
#7E7C5C
Old Soul
ΔE 10.4 · LRV 18
BD-PW
#7C8E97
Polly Wants
ΔE 10.93 · LRV 27
BD-CT
#A89E8A
Carry the Two
ΔE 11.06 · LRV 33
BD-AN
#A89886
Anita
ΔE 12.97 · LRV 33

Sherwin-Williams

1,526 colors in deck · best ΔE 4.44
All gray at Sherwin-Williams →
SW 6214
#7C8E87
Underseas
ΔE 4.44 · LRV 25
SW 7743
#868578
Mountain Road
ΔE 4.84 · LRV 23
SW 77
#888782
Classic French Gray
ΔE 6.17 · LRV 24
SW 9172
#958D7F
Studio Clay
ΔE 8.1 · LRV 27
SW 7018
#908A83
Dovetail
ΔE 8.16 · LRV 26

Clare

78 colors in deck · best ΔE 5.31
All gray at Clare →
PNT100-MD-14
#91928C
Shade
ΔE 5.31 · LRV 28
PNT100-DP-52
#8C8479
Dirty Chai
ΔE 8.67 · LRV 23
PNT100-MD-16
#7B8082
Irony
ΔE 8.8 · LRV 21
PNT100-MD-75
#599896
Keep It Teal
ΔE 14.73 · LRV 27
PNT100-MD-39
#7BA0AE
Blue Ivy
ΔE 15.05 · LRV 32

Similar Benjamin Moore colors

closest in the Benjamin Moore deck

The nearest shades to Carolina Gull within Benjamin Moore's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.

1483
Cos Cob Stonewall
LRV 26
699
Garden Oasis
LRV null
2137-40
Desert Twilight
LRV 27
1560
Antique Pewter
LRV 25
AF-710
Secret
LRV 26
1580
Intrigue
LRV null

Coordinated palette

Generated by hue-rotating #858D81 in HSL space. Pair Carolina Gull with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#858D81 + #89818D
TRIADIC
#858D81 · #81858D · #8D8185
ANALOGOUS
#8B8D81 · #858D81 · #818D83

Accessibility (WCAG contrast)

Sample text on white
3.43:1 AA Large
Sample text on black
6.12:1 AA

WCAG 2.1: AA = 4.5:1 normal text · AA Large = 3:1 large text · AAA = 7:1 normal text.

EXPLORE MORE