Gray Owl (OC-52)
A light, cool gray with a subtle green undertone. Reads as a clean, modern gray that avoids pink or purple. Slightly cooler than Edgecomb Gray.
About Benjamin Moore Gray Owl
Gray Owl (OC-52) is a gray from Benjamin Moore's collection with an LRV of 65.77 and cool green-gray undertones. A light, cool gray with a subtle green undertone. Reads as a clean, modern gray that avoids pink or purple. Slightly cooler than Edgecomb Gray.
With a light-to-medium LRV of 65.77, Gray Owl sits in a versatile sweet spot. It has enough depth to read as more than a white or off-white, adding real color and character to a room, while still reflecting enough light to keep spaces feeling open and airy. This is the range where most popular whole-house colors live, because they offer warmth and personality without making rooms feel smaller.
Light Reflectance Value (LRV)
Gray Owl has an LRV of 65.77, placing it in the light range on the 0-to-100 scale. LRV measures the percentage of visible light a color reflects. A pure black has an LRV of 0 and a pure white has an LRV of 100. Understanding a color's LRV helps you predict how it will feel in your space: higher LRV means brighter and more spacious, lower LRV means cozier and more intimate.
Undertone Analysis
Gray Owl has cool green-gray undertones. Undertones are the subtle background colors that become visible in different lighting conditions. Even colors that look "neutral" in the store will reveal their undertones once they are on your walls and interacting with natural light, artificial light, and the colors around them.
A light, cool gray with a subtle green undertone. Reads as a clean, modern gray that avoids pink or purple. Slightly cooler than Edgecomb Gray. Cool undertones like these pair naturally with other cool elements: gray-toned wood, chrome and silver hardware, white marble, and cool-toned textiles. They can feel disconnected from strongly warm elements like honey oak or brass, so consider your existing finishes before committing.
Lighting Behavior
The green shows in north-facing or cool-lit rooms. In warm light, it reads as a clean neutral gray. A go-to for people who want gray without warmth.
Every paint color looks different depending on the light source in your room. South-facing rooms get warm, direct sunlight that brings out yellow and warm undertones. North-facing rooms get cool, indirect light that emphasizes blue and gray undertones. East-facing rooms are bright and warm in the morning, cooler in the afternoon. West-facing rooms are the opposite: cool morning, warm afternoon. Incandescent and warm LED bulbs push colors warmer, while cool-white LEDs and fluorescent tubes push colors cooler. To avoid surprises, always test Gray Owl with a physical sample on your actual wall, and observe it at different times of day before committing.
Best Rooms for Gray Owl
Benjamin Moore recommends Gray Owl for: living room, bedroom, bathroom, hallway, office.
Closest Matches in Other Brands
Find the closest equivalent to Benjamin Moore Gray Owl from other paint brands. Matches are calculated using Delta E (CIE2000), the industry standard for measuring perceptual color difference.
Sherwin Williams Matches
Repose Gray is warmer and more purple. Gray Owl is cooler and greener. Both are popular light grays but with different undertone characters.
View all Sherwin Williams matches →Behr Matches
Silver Drop is warmer. Gray Owl reads cooler and slightly greener.
View all Behr matches →Coordinating Colors
These colors pair beautifully with Gray Owl for a cohesive palette. Use them for trim, accents, adjacent rooms, or furniture to create a well-designed space.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Sherwin Williams match for Benjamin Moore Gray Owl is Repose Gray (SW 7015) with a Delta E of 4.4, which rates as a "good match" match. Repose Gray is warmer and more purple. Gray Owl is cooler and greener. Both are popular light grays but with different undertone characters. A Delta E under 2 means most people cannot tell the colors apart, while 2 to 4 means the difference is subtle.
Gray Owl has cool green-gray undertones. A light, cool gray with a subtle green undertone. Reads as a clean, modern gray that avoids pink or purple. Slightly cooler than Edgecomb Gray. Undertones become most visible when the color is on a large surface like a wall, and they shift depending on the light source in your room. Always test with a physical sample in your specific space to see how the undertones interact with your lighting, flooring, and furnishings.
Gray Owl (OC-52) has a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of 65.77, which puts it in the light range. LRV measures the percentage of light a color reflects on a scale from 0 (pure black) to 100 (pure white). At 65.77, this is a medium-depth color that adds warmth and character while still reflecting a reasonable amount of light.
Gray Owl leans cool. The cool green-gray undertones give it a crisp, fresh quality. It pairs well with chrome, silver, cool-toned wood, and white marble. In south-facing rooms with warm light, the cool undertones help keep the color from feeling too warm.
Color data sourced from manufacturer specifications. Match calculations use Delta E (CIE2000) computed from Lab color space conversion. Last reviewed: March 22, 2026.