Revere Pewter, by Benjamin Moore, (AKA HC-172), is one of the most textbook examples of what is commonly called “greige” paint. Wildly popular, it is a shade that is truly revered (pun intended).
Truth be told, Revere Pewter is a shade I personally struggle with a bit. Its’ popularity cannot be argued, but honestly, I think it’s a color that is also highly over-utilized.
That said, there are plenty of spaces that Revere Pewter looks just perfect in. Is your home one of them? Hopefully, our exploration of this specific paint color will get you a step closer to that answer.
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Do you know how you hear a phrase and sometimes wonder how on Earth that came to being? Well, if you’ve ever shopped for gray paint, then you understand completely how “it’s a gray area” or “shades of gray” came to being.
Shopping for grey paint, and greige, for that matter, is a challenge, to say the least! But it’s not an insurmountable or even unenjoyable task. We just have to follow a process.
About greige….have you heard the term, “greige” before? “What exactly is greige?” you may have wondered.
Greige paint is any shade achieved by blending gray + beige.
Often thought of as the supreme neutral paint color, greige tones have become quite popular in recent years. They are warmer than true grays but cooler than the beige tones which were so pervasive in the 80s and 90s and now often thought of as passe.
Before we dive into Revere Pewter headlong, I want to mention that we have explored many other popular paint shades in our paint exploration series, so if you’re comparing and contrasting, you may want to check some of these others out…
Other Colors Covered in our Paint Exploration Series:
- Chantilly Lace (Benjamin Moore)
- Light Pewter (Benjamin Moore)
- Gray Owl (Benjamin Moore)
- Classic Gray (Benjamin Moore)
- Stonington Gray (Benjamin Moore)
- White Dove (Benjamin Moore)
- Sea Salt (Sherwin Williams)
- Agreeable Gray (Sherwin Williams)
- Repose Gray (Sherwin Williams)
- Simply White (Benjamin Moore)
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So let’s get into analyzing whether Revere Pewter is the right paint shade for your home. Step one? Let’s see what Benjamin Moore has to say…
Here’s what Ben Moore has to say about their popular paint shade HC-172:
First, here’s the “numerical” details, or the LRV.
Revere Pewter LRV = 55.51
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 Revere Pewter (55.51) side by side with pure white (100):
The explanation of the color Revere Pewter that Benjamin Moore provides on their website says, “A light gray with warm undertones, this classic shade creates a unifying look that calms and restores. A great transitional color, it’s perfect for an open floor plan.”
My own feeling about Revere Pewter is that it’s a shade too many real estate agents learned the name of. They got turned onto this shade en masse and steered a lot of people the wrong way when they’d recommend it to sellers.
Don’t get me wrong. Painting your home a neutral color if you’re looking to sell is a good idea. But this particular neutral? While it has its’ place, that place is NOT on the walls in MOST homes.
Why? Because it’s dark. Deceptively dark. While it may not appear dark to you on the paint swatches here, when it’s placed in a room without a TON of natural light, it can quickly make a pretty space feel rather cave-like.
I’ve had a lot of real estate clients ask me about this color, and 9 times out of 10 if I’m being totally honest with you (which I always am) I steer them clear of it.
Want more info on this front? Check out this post I wrote for people looking to sell their homes. Home already on the market? You may want to read this brutally honest post about 11 reasons your home may not have already sold.
Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter Color Comparison:
To understand the Revere Pewter undertones and overall color profile a bit more let’s look at Revere Pewter next to several other popular Benjamin Moore colors.
Revere Pewter vs. Classic Gray:
Classic Gray and Revere Pewter definitely live in the greige family together, where gray and beige are happily married. I actually picture Classic Gray as an outdoor pillow. Hang in with me here.
The outdoor pillow started out as Revere Pewter at the beginning of summer and by the end of summer, it was Classic Gray. Meaning, Classic Gray is a lighter more faded, if you will, version of Revere Pewter. Got it?
Revere Pewter vs. Wickham Gray:
Maybe it is just the Jane Austen lover in me but Wickham immediately makes me picture beautiful manors in the English countryside whose walls are painted in Wickham Gray.
Although, when I look at Wickham Gray, it definitely seems like a very modern, crisp, and true gray that could work on almost any wall. Wickham Gray has moved us out of the greige family but both still have their place in the gray family.
Revere Pewter vs. Ashley Gray:
Now we are going to wholeheartedly jump right back into the greige family with both feet as we look at Ashley Gray. Ashley Gray is DARK with a 32.38 LRV, which makes Revere Pewter’s 55.51 LRV look crazy light in comparison.
Ashley Gray definitely reads brown when compared to Revere Pewter. I would be careful when deciding on rooms to paint with Ashley Gray, simply because of that low LRV. Many rooms have trouble “handling” a shade this dark.
Revere Pewter vs. Gray Owl:
We are going to finish this comparison off by looking at another classic gray color like Gray Owl. I mean, whoooooo doesn’t love Gray Owl?! It is a lighter shade of gray with more green/blue undertones than the brown undertones of Revere Pewter.
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Now that we’ve taken a close-up look at the swatches and made some comparisons, let’s take a look at where the rubber meets the road. Or in this case, where the paintbrush meets the wall.
We’ll check out how Revere 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.
Revere Pewter Kitchens and Dining Rooms:
1. @paintedbykaylapayne:
I love the neutral and monotone layered look that Kayla has created in her kitchen! Painting the cabinets Revere Pewter gives the perfect backdrop for those gorgeous countertops to shine (literally!). Really look at the different areas in this picture. Can you see how lighting really can change how this greige looks? The areas near the can lights look more gray while the bottom cabinets farther away from the light look more tan.
2. @vintage_wisconsin:
Here is another great example of how layering similar tones create a rich and balanced look! I love how the darker Revere Pewter cabinets look against the lighter, whiter walls. The contrast really brings out the greige tones and makes the cabinets pop!
3. @jmiller_mpls:
Wow, just wow. More Revere Pewter cabinets. Here, the modern lines, plus Revere Pewter, and the contrast of the black windows and countertops are making me think that a moodier kitchen is where it’s at! This is kitchen perfection. 3/3 would paint my cabinets Revere Pewter!
View this post on Instagram
4. @caseyevesdesign:
For in-between colors, like Revere Pewter in all its greige glory, there a lot of factors to consider before deciding if the color is right for your home. For instance, in this kitchen, look at how dark the cabinets look here compared to the three kitchens before it. There is just one small light fixture compared to the other homes that have multiple.
Plus, this kitchen also has dark countertops and floors. Together, these make Revere Pewter definitely look its 55.51 LRV (meaning – it looks dark!). Dark is still beautiful; it’s just a contrast from the past kitchens (which is what we are looking for!).
5. @clairegueststudio:
Now we are back to our light and airy kitchens (which have definitely been trending for a while but we are slowly starting to see some darker, moodier kitchens coming into the mix).
Here natural light is flooding through the windows and blowing out the color of the cabinets, making them almost look white.
6. @anchorhomestudios:
Revere Pewter cabinets!! Here we have a distressed-looking Revere Pewter kitchen looking bright and cheery (is that an oxymoron?). The cabinetry color is balancing out – and picking up – the dark brown wood tones in the dining room furniture.
7. @kylieminteriors:
In this kitchen and dining room, we see how Revere Pewter can gracefully connect the divide between brown and gray.
The kitchen cabinets are painted Revere Pewter and bring together both the brown wood tones and the dark gray upholstery on the chairs. It’s a match made in kitchen/dining room heaven!
8. @noraburke_realestate:
Ahh, a glorious before and after! There is nothing like that instant gratification you get when you see a before and after side by side. You can see on the top the cabinets were originally a light wood color and on the bottom uppers, they were painted with Revere Pewter.
I love how the uppers are light and the lowers have a punch on color. This combination definitely brightens up a small kitchen!
9. @creativegirlvintage:
Surprise! It’s not the cabinets that are painted Revere Pewter – it’s the walls behind them!
Check out how lovely this color looks as a pretty contrast to the white cabinets. With this combination of low lighting and white cabinets, I am reading much more beige than grey in this room.
10. @homebunch:
I wanted to give you another example of a kitchen with its walls painted Benjamin Moore’s Revere Pewter instead of its cabinets. Either way, Revere Pewter can create a beautiful look.
You may see a pattern here – if Revere Pewter is on the walls, the cabinets are light. Reversely, if the cabinets are Revere Pewter, 9 times out of 10 the walls will be painted a lighter color.
Are you already feeling a little lost? Let me help you get back on track. Grab a free copy of my guide to help you avoid the same paint color picking mistakes most people always make!
Revere Pewter Dining Rooms:
11. @cottagebythecreek:
It’s beginning to look a lot like…Revere Pewter in every room of the house! Oh wait, is that not how the tune goes? Oh well, I like my version because this dining room is looking stately with Revere Pewter coating the walls, picking up the grey tones from the dining room set, and making the whole room twinkle (or is it just the Christmas lights?).
12. @gmdeisgninc:
I think they said it best in the caption! Revere Pewter most certainly complements wood tones as they tend to bring out the “warm-ness” in each other.
13. @fisherseawardhome:
The walls look so crisp and clean in this beautiful dining room with the contrasting white trim around the room. This is another well-executed play with Revere Pewter and wood tones.
Plus, I love the mixing of the dining room chairs!
Here’s the same room with another view (I just couldn’t help myself)!
14. @bridge13:
I had to include this room because doesn’t this room make Revere Pewter look very tan? Wow! This is why you really need to get a sample of paint on the walls to see what it will look like in YOUR room.
The room is still beautiful but definitely has a different hue than a lot of the other rooms we have seen. Perhaps it is all the dark blue, brown, and burgundy tones that are creating more of a tan vibe.
Revere Pewter Living Rooms:
15. @themoderncolonial:
This room just looks dreamy with the light reflecting all around the Revere Pewter on the walls! It is also a good example of layering greys and browns to create a classic look.
16.@seasthemoment:
Ok, ok, THIS ROOM! Maybe it’s all the plants or geometric shapes or the Revere Pewter on the walls, but this room is working for me! Also, I kept the caption in this one just because it made me laugh.
17. @houseofbluehues:
How many dog pictures can I fit into a blog post about color?! As many as possible!
This sunroom is stunning with Revere Pewter on its walls. It’s amazing how light this color can look with so many windows!
18. @spectrumpaintco:
This room is really spectacular. The way the owner plays with color accents against the Revere Pewter walls plus the historical nod the pieces have all just added to the house’s character. In case the owner of this home was wondering, I give you an A+.
19. @allynlayne.co:
Here, Revere Pewter is looking a little blue to me in contrast to the dark brown couch. Color can be so tricky! Good thing we have these comparison posts to help!
20. @rowehousedesign:
Wow! Check out that view…err, I mean paint color! It’s hard to get past the breathtaking windows but when you do, you are in for a treat!
A bigger living room like this with tall ceilings and lots of windows can definitely handle a moodier paint color like Revere Pewter. It’s a stunning combination!
Revere Pewter Bedrooms:
21. @storylineinteriors:
Well, this is a fun change, seeing the stately Revere Pewter in a kid’s room! The color looks stunning against the out-of-this-world tapestry and is a nice mix with the more neutral furniture. Stellar design job if I do say so myself!
22. @kylieminteriors:
Check out her caption to learn about the grey color comparison this designer is doing for us in this space! Thanks, Kylie!
23. @athomewithheidirhome:
Welcome to my new bedroom! Just kidding! I wish though! This room is perfect, with Revere Pewter just adding to the glam and sophistication of the room!
24. @lindseymehandesigns:
Even though this is just a corner of a bedroom, it was too darling not to show. Plus, I really liked seeing Revere Pewter sharing a space with navy blue. The combination is really stunning and adorable all at the same time.
25. @stagedryte:
Ah, now we are having some fun with color! Hello orange and Revere Pewter, you sweet, sweet combination!
The orange takes center stage as the paint color definitely becomes a good neutral backdrop.
Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter Bathrooms & Laundry Rooms:
26. @instudioandcompanyinteriors:
This bathroom is a show-stopper! The fun twist here is the Revere Pewter is on the cabinets and boy, do they look good! This is neutrals done perfectly, with layering different neutral tones and textiles to create a polished and beautiful finished room.
View this post on Instagram
27. @mycozycolonial:
Here is a good example that a small bathroom can handle a darker color. Revere Pewter is nicely balanced out with the white beadboard on the bottom, still creating a fresh and airy feel in a smaller space.
28. @capehomeinstone:
This one is just for fun and for something different! Check out these stenciled floors using Revere Pewter!
29. @bll0305:
Revere Pewter definitely embraces its darker tones here in a smaller, darker bathroom. However, it does not take away the beauty of this paint on a planked wall!
Because we all love a good planked look these days (as long as it isn’t the planking exercise – ouch!).
30. @classiccasualhome:
Here’s another bathroom sporting Revere Pewter on its cabinets. I think this is such a good way to bring in color to a small space without overwhelming it!
Revere Pewter in Hallways:
31. @vintage_wisconsin:
I’ve never wanted to live in a hallway, much less a back hallway, more than this one. Throw a little cushion on the bench and call it my bed! I love how Revere Pewter matches perfectly with the driftwood look of the bench.
Revere Pewter Exteriors:
32. @houseofbluehues:
We are back with House of Blue Hues, who can’t get enough of Revere Pewter!
We saw it in her sunroom earlier and it’s fun to see that it matches her exterior siding as well. This is a gorgeous shade for the exterior of a house, especially paired with navy blue.
Here is another picture of the full house. See how much lighter it looks? That’s what full-on sunlight will do in our homes!
33. @ashleydelapp:
I think I am actually dying over this house. The mid-century home with those colors is one of the best transformations I’ve seen in a while! It’s a Revere Pewter masterpiece!
And that brings us to the end of this color study! I hope that this has helped you decide whether or not Revere Pewter is a color that you’d like to use in your own home!
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Crystal Brown says
Interesting. Both Revere Pewter and Edgecomb Gray leave me Meh… I did like a couple of the rooms you showed, but neither of these colors, worked for me, in fact they both looked “dirty” on my walls. Love the paint series tho!!
Heather says
I’m with you, Crystal! Revere Pewter is a super popular shade, but personally, I don’t love it. It almost always reads too dark for my liking b/c 9 people out of 10 don’t have rooms that can be so drenched with light to make it read that light and beautiful color that it can be.