Color spec
| Brand | Benjamin Moore |
| Name | Shale |
| SKU | 861 |
| Hex | #C3BDB1 |
| RGB | 195, 189, 177 |
| HSL | 40°, 13%, 73% |
| LRV | 50 |
| Undertone | warm red-orange tone |
| Family | Neutral |
About Benjamin Moore Shale
At LRV 50, Shale is a light color that bounces daylight around a room without tipping into stark white. Its orange 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. It holds its undertone in most exposures, which is what makes light shades like this so forgiving room to room.
Shale is an easy whole-room color for living spaces and bedrooms, and light enough to carry onto trim or a ceiling if you want a soft, seamless look. Greige-leaning neutrals like this are the safe whole-home choice when you want warmth without committing to a color.
Closest matches by brand
19 brands within ΔE 5The closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Only colors within ΔE 5 (close enough to substitute on a wall) are shown — brands with no real match are left off. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all neutral from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Valspar
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Rodda
C2 Paint
Clare
Portola Paints
Annie Sloan
Backdrop
Kompozit
Similar Benjamin Moore colors
closest in the Benjamin Moore deckThe nearest shades to Shale 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 #C3BDB1 in HSL space. Pair Shale 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.
Benjamin Moore Shale Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Shale from a different paint counter? Below is the single closest color in each major US deck and how close it really is. Remember that any paint store can also custom-tint Benjamin Moore 861 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Shale
The closest Sherwin-Williams equivalent of Shale is Roycroft Mist Gray (SW 2844). At ΔE 0.52 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm red-orange undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 51 vs 50). If Sherwin-Williams is your counter, order Roycroft Mist Gray and you'll get the same color. See the full Roycroft Mist Gray swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Shale
The closest Behr equivalent of Shale is Sierra Madre (ECC-46-1). At ΔE 0.94 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm red-orange undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 50 vs 50). If Behr is your counter, order Sierra Madre and you'll get the same color. See the full Sierra Madre swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Shale
The closest Valspar equivalent of Shale is Ask Me Anything (8006-2D). At ΔE 0.68 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm red-orange undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 50 vs 50). If Valspar is your counter, order Ask Me Anything and you'll get the same color. See the full Ask Me Anything swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Shale
PPG / Glidden has no exact twin of Shale. The nearest is Misty Meadow (PPG1031-2) at ΔE 4.05 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 51 vs 50). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Misty Meadow swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Shale
At Glidden, the closest color to Shale is Dovetail Grey (20YY 49/071) — very close at ΔE 2.29, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 49 vs 50) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Dovetail Grey swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Shale
At Dutch Boy, the closest color to Shale is Bluffwood (405-2DB) — very close at ΔE 2.21, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 53 vs 50) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Bluffwood swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Shale
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams has no exact twin of Shale. The nearest is Woody Rosemary (HGSW 3266) at ΔE 3.68 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 50 vs 50). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Woody Rosemary swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Shale
Dunn-Edwards's nearest match is Stay Calm (DEGR08), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.48). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 50 vs 50) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Shale without repainting risk. See the full Stay Calm swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Shale
At Magnolia Home, the closest color to Shale is Cinnamon Sugar (JG-133) — very close at ΔE 3.38, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 51 vs 50) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Cinnamon Sugar swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Shale
Farrow & Ball's nearest match is Purbeck Stone (NO. 275), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.46). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 50 vs 50) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Shale without repainting risk. See the full Purbeck Stone swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Shale
The closest Diamond Vogel equivalent of Shale is Chintz (0573). At ΔE 0.56 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm red-orange undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 51 vs 50). If Diamond Vogel is your counter, order Chintz and you'll get the same color. See the full Chintz swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Shale
Hirshfield's's nearest match is Phelps Putty (H0109), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.64). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 51 vs 50) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Shale without repainting risk. See the full Phelps Putty swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Shale
Rodda's nearest match is Fossil (CA079), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.19). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 50 vs 50) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Shale without repainting risk. See the full Fossil swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Shale
C2 Paint's nearest match is Paper Clip (C2-928), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.34). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 51 vs 50) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Shale without repainting risk. See the full Paper Clip swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Shale
Clare has no exact twin of Shale. The nearest is Greige (PNT100-LT-13) at ΔE 4.31 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 49 vs 50). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Greige swatch →
Portola Paints Equivalent of Shale
At Portola Paints, the closest color to Shale is Piano Room (PIANO ROOM) — very close at ΔE 2.19, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 47 vs 50) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Piano Room swatch →
Annie Sloan Equivalent of Shale
Annie Sloan has no exact twin of Shale. The nearest is Paris Grey (PARIS GREY) at ΔE 4.16 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 50). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Paris Grey swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Shale
Kompozit's nearest match is Hearthstone (0567), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.59). It runs slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 50) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for Shale without repainting risk. See the full Hearthstone swatch →