All About Benjamin Moore Light Pewter + Real Homes That Use It…
Light Pewter, by Benjamin Moore #1464, is a crowd-pleasing, unoffensive true gray to greige (under artificial lighting) paint shade that is part of the Benjamin Moore classic colors line.
More than that, I feel Light Pewter is one of the most under-rated gray shades out there, and perhaps after reading this, you may agree with me.
Grossly defined as a light gray to greige, it’s a neutral that can look great in a home, as Ben Moore states, “all the time, every time.”
Also described by BM as “timeless,” Light Pewter is one of those colors that could be the right answer for a homeowner who loves neutral walls and/or is wary of painting too far “outside the box”.
But is it the right shade for your home? Hopefully, this post will help you answer that question!
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Here’s a quick video compilation of this shade as seen in some real homes that we’ll take a closer look at later as well…
Other potential paint options for you (we cover a lot of them on this site!)…
More Colors Covered in our Paint Exploration Series:
Here’s what Ben Moore has to say about Light Pewter (shade #1464):
First, here’s the “numerical” details, or the LRV:
LIGHT PEWTER LRV = 68.39
LRV = Light Reflectance Value: Rated 0-100 with 0 being pure black, and 100 being pure white. Lighter paint shades REFLECT more light from them and therefore have a HIGHER LRV, and vice versa for darker shades). Below see Light Pewter (68.39) side by side with pure white (100):
Let’s take a closer look.
Benjamin Moore Light Pewter Color Comparison:
To understand the Light Pewter undertones and overall color profile a bit more let’s look at Light Pewter next to several other popular Benjamin Moore colors.
On the paint swatches below, you can see Light Pewter along with Revere Pewter, Nimbus, Coventry Gray, Stonington Gray, Wickham Gray and Edgecomb Gray.
Let’s compare Light Pewter to a few of these colors…
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Light Pewter vs. Revere Pewter:
There are few paint colors known as well as Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter. Used here, there, and everywhere as a popular greige color choice,
Revere Pewter gets a LOT of press. In my opinion? Probably a bit TOO much. I can’t tell you how many real estate agents, stagers, and the like spit out “Revere Pewter” when a client asks what color they should paint their home in preparation to sell.
Good advice? Maybe yes. Maybe no.
“Greige” has been a popular word for a while now. It’s a term used to describe the baby that Mommy Gray and Daddy Beige would have if they ever got together.
It’s known as the ultimate people pleaser…meaning, it’s hard to offend anyone by it. Exciting as chartreuse? Hardly. But though I love chartreuse, I certainly wouldn’t slap it on my walls right before I stuck a for-sale sign in the yard.
So while Revere Pewter won’t be offensive, it’s important to know that it has an LRV of 55. That’s pretty dark. In contrast, Light Pewter’s LRV is 68. In low light situations/spaces without a lot of natural light, I wouldn’t use Revere Pewter if you paid me. It just looks too dark.
Light Pewter, on the other hand? Much lighter (and definitely underappreciated, if you ask me).
Now, it is true that Light Pewter has a bit less greige, and a little more true gray to it. But it’s still a very solid neutral, and does have a touch of the spirit of greige (especially in spaces where natural lighting is LESS, and artificial lighting is MORE), albeit on the lighter, brighter side.
Light Pewter vs. Balboa Mist:
Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist is similar to Benjamin Moore Light Pewter in terms of its’ LRV (how dark it is). While Light Pewter is rated a 68, Balboa Mist is just one step darker at a 67.
That said, Balboa Mist definitely reads a bit browner, while Light Pewter tends to read grayer. Sometimes Balboa Mist is mentioned in discussing gray paint options, but it really isn’t a gray. It’s neutral, for sure. But it’s more of a taupe-y, beige-y neutral.
Light Pewter vs. Classic Gray:
Classic Gray is a lighter shade than Light Pewter per its’ LRV of 74. Compared to Light Pewter (LRV 68.39), Classic Gray is similar with its warmer gray tone, also tending toward a greige. It’s almost a lighter version of Balboa Mist, seen above.
Light Pewter vs. Nimbus:
Nimbus is the shade directly below Light Pewter in the fan deck. Given that positioning, you’d think that the two colors had very similar undertones to them, and they ARE, but only in natural light.
In natural light, Light Pewter definitely tends to read true gray. But with some warm lightbulbs or artificial light thrown into the mix, Light Pewter tends toward more of a greige than I feel Nimbus does under similar conditions.
Nimbus is most definitely darker than Light Pewter, with an LRV of 60.23. And Nimbus is a TRUE gray. In fact, it’s probably my personal favorite TRUE GRAY. It’s truer than true. A reliable gray, for sure. I’ve used Nimbus many times over the years.
It’s currently in my foyer, seen below.
Here’s another shot of Nimbus in our entryway. The color in the dining room on the right side of the shot is Pale Smoke. Also by Ben Moore.
Now that we’ve given Light Pewter a detailed look and made some comparisons, let’s see it where the rubber meets the road. Or in this case, where the paintbrush meets the wall.
We’ll check out how Light Pewter looks in some real spaces under lots of different lighting situations and with lots of other “things” in the rooms (furniture, countertops, etc) that the paint can play on.
Remember that photos on a computer screen are in no way a substitute for seeing a real sample on your own wall, but I think it can be really helpful to at least rule colors “in” to buy samples for, or “out” to just scratch completely.
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Real Life Homes Using Benjamin Moore Light Pewter Paint:
1. Cool, Calming Bedroom Color
In this bedroom from Molly Frey Design, shown here without anything but natural light, Light Pewter is used on the walls and reads true gray to my eyes. How about to you?
2. From too Beige to Perfectly Balanced
Check out this incredible transformation (Comfort and Grace Home) thanks to the power of paint! Lots of natural light in this space, and the cool-toned incoming light helps Light Pewter read as a true gray.
3. Great Greige Qualities
Laura Murphy of Laura Murphy Interiors uses Benjamin Moore Light Pewter in several spaces in her own lovely home. Here you can see how beautifully this paint shade plays against the wood tones in this stunning little corner of her kitchen.
4. Warm (but not TOO Warm) and Welcoming Living Room
Here is another one of Laura’s beautiful spaces (Laura Murphy Interiors) in her own home, also painted with Benjamin Moore Light Pewter.
5. Whitten Architects via Houzz
Light Pewter looks beautiful in this bedroom next to white wainscoting in this space from Whitten Architects.
6. @harrydoodle
Light Pewter looking gorgeous in this farmhouse glam dining room next to lots of white trim work.
7. BM Light Pewter: Beautiful on Board & Batten
In this picture from Hume Sweet Home, Light Pewter is the darker color seen on the bottom of the image on the board and batten. SW Alabaster is painted above.
8. @a.jennisoninteriors
Again in the presence of light from bulbs and fixtures, Light Pewter (on the walls) takes on a bit more of a greige look.
9. @rfogartydesign
Rachel uses Light Pewter in lots of pretty spaces, and it’s great to see how the paint changes its look under different lighting conditions. Below, it has definitely a warmer tone to it (photo credit: @marycravenphotography)
10. @rfogartydesign
But in the following two spaces, Light Pewter looks again like more of a true gray. (photo credit: @marycravenphotography)
11. @rfogartydesign
(photo credit: @marycravenphotography)
12. @myctcasa
In these two spaces, photographed in purely natural light, Light Pewter appears light gray without significant blue, purple, yellow or other undertones.
13. @myctcasa
14. @alec.mcleod.3
This picture caught my attention because I think sometimes people look at a little paint swatch, and everything looks white. But when the paint starts going on the wall, you can tell how far from white a color truly is!
Although Light Pewter is a lighter color, it is a stark contrast from plain ol’ white. And here, it is looking a bit more tan/brown than in the other images, right?
15. @goodbyehousehellohome
Leslie Ann is a home stager and offers some great advice on paint color choices. Here is a palette discussing her fave staging colors, and I concur! These are all great options…and Light Pewter is one!
16. @primecoatpainting
Seen below in a playroom, presumably without a ton of natural light in it. Sometimes, people choose Revere Pewter for basements/playrooms etc. and it’s in those situations that I’d say definitely give Light Pewter a try instead.
Where Revere Pewter looks very dark without a lot of natural light, Light Pewter can still look bright and cheerful.
17. @bkhomestagers
A beautiful example of how Light Pewter looks in a space flooded with natural light.
18. @basedindesign
Looking a bit warmer/more greige coupled with warm wood elements like the wall decor and beam, as well as the brass pendant light.
19. @grayoakstudio
A gorgeous, true gray in a very light space with lots of natural light (and a bit of overexposure in the shot from the windows).
20. @embarcstudio
Light Pewter looking like a sophisticated paint color in a posh and stylish space.
And that brings us to the end of this paint color study!
I hope that this has given you a bit more of a glimpse into whether or not Light Pewter is a color that you’d like to use in your own home!
Don’t forget to check out some of the other colors we explore in the paint shade series…
Best of luck on your color journey!
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Brooke says
What’s is your thought on Light Pewter for an exterior whole house/brick paint color? Thanks!
Joan says
I’m going to paint main living space in a craftsman bungalow and NEED to brighten it up due to much medium tone wood trim, doors, railing etc. thinking about light pewter or gray owl. . Do not wish for anything taupy. No photos shows homes without all trim painted white. HELP!!