Benjamin Moore Smoky Ash#998B75 · LRV 27
Smoky Ash reads as a red-orange / warm — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover the spec, what Benjamin Moore 986 actually looks like under different light, and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Color spec
| Brand | Benjamin Moore |
| Name | Smoky Ash |
| SKU | 986 |
| Hex | #998B75 |
| RGB | 153, 139, 117 |
| HSL | 37°, 15%, 53% |
| LRV | 27 |
| Undertone | red-orange / warm |
| Family | Neutral |
About Benjamin Moore Smoky Ash
Smoky Ash 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. 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. South-facing rooms will pull it lighter and warmer, while north light cools it down.
Smoky Ash is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Greige-leaning neutrals like this are the safe whole-home choice when you want warmth without committing to a color.
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 neutral from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Valspar
Behr
Farrow & Ball
Dunn-Edwards
PPG / Glidden
Backdrop
Clare
Similar Benjamin Moore colors
closest in the Benjamin Moore deckThe nearest shades to Smoky Ash 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 #998B75 in HSL space. Pair Smoky Ash 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.