Read all about Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan, plus see 28 real homes that use it!
Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan (shade #HC-81) is a classic neutral that appeases lovers of both warm and neutral light tan shades. The way Ben Moore describes it is actually quite appealing: “Suggesting the striking sandstone façade and sculptural detail of historic Manchester Town Hall, this neutral on the khaki side is classic and elegant.” Historical, stately, and incredibly timeless, Manchester Tan could be the right shade for your traditional or classic home.
How can you know for sure? Let’s dive deep into the world of all things Manchester Tan and then see it in 28 real homes. Ready? Let’s go!
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FAQs About Manchester Tan Paint
Manchester Tan is a warm neutral that could be described as tan, khaki, or beige. As such, it has yellow or golden undertones traditionally found in these types of colors, which give it warmth. However, compared to most typical beige shades, Manchester Tan paint has a touch of gray, making it quite a bit more muted.
While BM Manchester Tan does have yellow and green undertones, you won’t be cringing once it’s on the walls. The undertones are very subtle, and in fact, they give the paint shade its characteristic color. Compare this to beige colors containing a pinkish or red undertone, and you’ll find that Manchester Tan is a muted, neutral shade with subtle, understated undertones.
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LRV of Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan
What are “numerical” details, you might ask? I got you! Here is the LRV of Manchester Tan:
MANCHESTER TAN LRV = 64.41
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 Manchester Tan (64.41) side by side with pure white (100):
Manchester Tan has an LRV of 64.41, so it lives in the family of light tans/beiges. However, it’s not at all washed out – there’s definitely some color substance to it.
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Manchester Tan Compared to Other Colors
To understand Manchester Tan’s undertones and the overall color profile, let’s compare it to a few other similar Benjamin Moore colors in the beige, tan, and greige paint families.
Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan vs Muslin
Benjamin Moore Muslin is a bit lighter than Manchester Tan, with an LRV of 67.85. It has a wink less gray, making it appear brighter and more decidedly beige. Instead of the slight green undertones of Manchester Tan, Muslin has a soft, subtle pink undertone, which makes it appear creamier.
BM Manchester Tan vs Natural Linen
While BM Natural Linen (LRV 60.94) is a few shades darker than Manchester Tan, the difference really comes across in the undertones. When stacked side by side, Natural Linen just looks more like a true tan or beige than Manchester Tan does. Perhaps this is due to more of a golden warmth with a hint of orange undertones and a little bit of brown in its color makeup. There may still be the slightest touch of green in Natural Linen, but it’s more muted, so the overall effect is considerably warmer than Manchester Tan.
Manchester Tan vs Edgecomb Gray
Edgecomb Gray is pretty close in brightness to Manchester Tan, with its LRV of 63.88. As the name suggests, it’s cooler, has a bit more gray, and as such, will likely appear more modern in most settings. You still get those understated green undertones with Edgecomb Gray, but none of that golden yellow that puts Manchester Tan into the beige category. Edgecomb Gray is really a warm gray or greige.
More Colors to Consider
- Chelsea Gray (Benjamin Moore) – a warm, dark gray
- Anew Gray (Sherwin Williams) – a light greige
- Dorian Gray (Sherwin Williams) – mid-toned warm gray
- Sea Salt (Benjamin Moore) – creamy khaki tones
- Mindful Gray (Sherwin Williams) – a warm gray that leans taupe
28 Real Life Homes Using Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan
Have you had enough color comparing? Ready to see Manchester Tan in action? Let’s see it being used in 28 beautiful real-life homes!
Manchester Tan Entryways
1. @jillykay
This thoughtfully styled space really leans into the rustic botanical vibe. Manchester Tan was the perfect choice as a wall color and backdrop to these art pieces, as it allows the greens to pop while complementing the subtle yellow touches in the flowers.
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2. @adventuresindecorating1
This dining room used Manchester Tan as a grounded background color and played up the white china look as a decor statement to nail that traditional country-chic look. They tie in well with the white wainscoting and furniture. The wall color lends some depth and keeps the all-white look from going overboard.
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3. @ourbouldlife
Manchester Tan is a great pick in homes with classic decor pieces and original fine art. It’s a historical paint color, and in homes like this, it really bridges the gap between traditional and modern.
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4. @wallauerdesign
Tall, vaulted spaces are tricky to get right, but Manchester Tan allows for bright airiness with a creamy look that isn’t overly yellow. Builder’s grade beige would not cut it in this space.
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5. Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan Entry | Kylie M. Interiors
If you have a lot of fabulous vintage decor pieces to show off, don’t ruin the look with stark white. Manchester Tan is a great neutral but also adds a level of warmth that lets your decor shine.
6. @elizabethburnsdesign
Wondering how to create a warm, sunny vibe in your room? Go high with a white board and batten, but add a golden beige to the upper walls, as with this space.
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Kitchen in Manchester Tan
7. @interiorsbyalexisaustin
If you can only choose one update to make in your kitchen, changing the color of your cabinets will make a huge impact. This kitchen features cabinets painted in Manchester Tan reduced by 25%. This move helped to tone down the busy backsplash.
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Manchester Tan Living Rooms
8. @renaeharmainteriors
To spruce up a traditional space that’s suffocating with dark brown paint, try Manchester Tan. This living room got a bright and airy treatment with new wall paint, fabrics, artwork, and more. The paint shade keeps the temperature neutral and is quite a bit lighter yet still has some substance.
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9. @fieldstonecottage
A wall of dark wood built-in bookcases certainly has a classic and sophisticated look, but you can brighten and update with a coat of Manchester Tan – without losing an ounce of sophistication. What a difference!
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10. @calypsointhecountry
This open-concept kitchen and living space use the principle of separation by paint, and it works! Notice that the kitchen is white and bright, and Manchester Tan in the living area adds another level of coziness.
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11. @finehomebuilding
Wow! The shape of the walls and ceiling in this vaulted living space must have been tricky to tackle, but this designer nailed it. The white ceiling and stained wood beams keep everything feeling airy and bright, while the Manchester Tan walls keep the space from feeling too big.
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12. @caldwellpainting.memphis
This light-filled space certainly makes the Manchester Tan walls look pale, but there’s enough creamy pigmentation there to keep it from getting washed out.
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13. @colorstogo
The off-white and beige furniture in this space needed a slightly darker neutral as a soft backdrop: enter Manchester Tan. The paint color complements the wood and metal finishes perfectly, creating a cozy and welcoming feel in this living room.
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14. Living Room in BM Manchester Tan | Postcards from the Ridge
It’s nice to see a warmer paint color work so well with coastal-inspired decor and rooms with a lot of blue and turquoise accents. Manchester Tan really pulls together the brightly colored look of this room.
15. Manchester Tan Wall Color | Adventures in Decorating
Manchester Tan is a perfect paint color for cozy rooms with white/neutral decor palettes and blue accents.
16. Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan Sitting Room | Home Glow Design
Manchester Tan gets a glow up in this sophisticated sitting room, dressed up with the dark colors of the fireplace and bright fuchsia chair.
17. Staging a Home With Manchester Tan | Lisa Finks
According to Lisa Finks, Manchester Tan is one of the best paint colors for home staging or selling. That’s great news! She says: “Manchester Tan works well in almost every room as long as there is a reasonable amount of light coming in. It is primarily a beige colour that is pretty darned neutral except for a tiny bit of warm in it, compared to more cool, greige toned beige paint colours.” I’ll take her advice!
18. Cape Cod Cottage in Manchester Tan | Home Bunch
How fun is this patriotic-colonial-inspired living space? This home, filled with bright red, white, and blue decor accents, needed a warm, golden color to pull the look together. I think Manchester Tan was a great choice!
19. Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan Paint | The Home Coloriste
This traditional sitting room benefits from subtle light diffusing through the windows. Manchester Tan takes on a soft, creamy feeling, complementing the white trim and fireplace and creating a neutral backdrop for the bold turquoise accent tables.
Manchester Tan Bedrooms
20. @cindyhattersley
This dreamy bedroom calls for cozy softness. Manchester Tan is a great wall color choice for neutral color palettes.
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21. @bkhomestagers
There’s no more denying it – wallpaper is back and hotter than ever. This gorgeous bedroom, filled with blue and neutral tones, looks amazing with the intricate accent wall and adjoining walls in Manchester Tan.
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22. @nieceyleighhome
Here’s another example of how well Manchester Tan plays with neutral palettes and blue accents. Decorating really just can’t get any easier than this.
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23. Ben Moore’s Manchester Tan Bedroom | Made by Mood
Classic, sunny and cozy! Subtle seaside touches and a uniquely shaped off-white headboard call for a creamy, traditional color – and Manchester Tan is as good as it gets.
24. Manchester Tan Painted Bedroom | Color Concierge
Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan helps with those dated Tuscan finishes found in many homes that haven’t been updated since the early 2000s. In this bedroom, the color even complements the gray carpet and tricky Zen motif.
25. Neutral Bedroom in Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan | Chrissis & Company Interiors
As you continue your research on BM Manchester Tan, you will find that home stagers consistently use it to help sell a house. It’s just a warm and crowd-pleasing neutral. I love how creamy it looks in this softly decorated bedroom.
Dining Rooms in Manchester Tan
26. BM Manchester Tan for a Kitchen | Nolan Painting
This traditional style kitchen and dining room benefit from using Manchester Tan as wall paint because it’s classic but still has a modern twist.
27. Traditional Dining Room in BM Manchester Tan | Decorpad
Manchester Tan is a happy middle ground paint color to complement browns and neutrals in a decor palette, as well as reddish dark wood finishes. Notice that the yellow undertones come out in the warm sitting room lighting but not in the dining room, where the lighting is cooler and more white.
Manchester Tan Exteriors
28. Manchester Tan Exterior House Paint | Paint Shop
Manchester Tan paint complements the gorgeous stonework on the exterior of this lovely home and has a look that is “one with nature.”
So what’s the verdict? Is Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan the neutral paint color you’ve been searching for? I hope you enjoyed this round-up of 28 wonderful homes using Manchester Tan paint!
Pin this paint color for later! And if you use this paint shade, leave a comment on the pin! That helps others decide if they want to try this color, too!
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