Read all about Benjamin Moore Smoke, plus see 25 real homes that use it!
Pale gray meets light blue. Doesn’t that sound like the back cover of a romance novel? Well, I don’t know a lot about those, but I do know that this paint shade is an ideal match between two color favorites.
I have a thing for blue, which is why I added it to our bedroom! Show me a lovely light to medium smokey blue, and I’m hooked. That’s what draws me into Benjamin Moore Smoke. Its soft gray base with light blue-green tint keeps me coming back for more.
This color is the color that I think of in coastal homes and calming spa-like bedroom retreats. Its soothing nature is certainly lovely but maybe not for everyone.
The purpose of my paint color series is to provide a wealth of information about some of the most popular paint colors. I know how hard it can be to choose that perfect shade and want to help you painlessly narrow down your color selections. If my posts help you find the color of your dreams, then they’re everything I hoped they would be!
Let’s examine BM Smoke more closely and see if it might be what you’re looking for in your home!
FAQs about Smoke
Is Benjamin Moore Smoke cool or warm?
Although this shade leans cool, it’s just enough to be soothing and relaxing. However, it can sometimes feel downright chilly in the cool light of a north-facing room.
Where can you use Smoke?
This is one color that I can say with absolute certainty that you can use anywhere. It looks stunning in kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and even on the exterior. If there’s a place you want to use this color, chances are you can without any trouble.
Benjamin Moore Smoke Undertones
Smoke is a light to medium gray with blue and green undertones. More often than not, it looks like a smokey blue or a moody blue-gray.
If undertones make your head hurt, you’re not alone! Grab your free copy of 5 Biggest Paint Choice Mistakes Click here or enter your email below. I’ll send the tips right away!⤵️
Great Coordinating Colors For Smoke
Benjamin Moore Smoke looks stunning with a large variety of other colors. I especially love it paired with creams, crisp whites, dark charcoal, or warm wood tones.
Toss in a few gold accent pieces to really make both colors pop and simultaneously add some warmth if you want to balance out the cool tendencies of this shade.
If you’re searching for coordinating colors, check out some ideas from this list:
- Snowbound
- Hale Navy
- Gray Shower
- White Dove
- Burnt Russet
- Pale Oak
- Thousand Oceans
- Cameo Rose
- Stonington Gray
- Snow White
- Cloudy Sky
- Wrought Iron
- Dark Pewter
- Decorators White
- Pure White
- Dorset Gold
- Chelsea Gray
- Naval
- Balboa Mist
- Collingwood
LRV of Benjamin Moore Smoke (2122-40)
Let’s take a quick look at Smoke’s numbers. Visually looking at paint colors will yield very subjective results. That’s why I recommend adding objective information through numbers to get a clear overall picture of a color and its qualities.
Light Reflectance Value (LRV) is a number ranging between 0 and 100. Each color has an assigned LRV number to indicate how much light a color reflects. Zero represents pure black because it doesn’t reflect ANY light, while 100 represents pure white because it reflects ALL the light.
The LRV of BM Smoke = 56.49
This value means that BM Smoke has a light to medium color depth. Given its rich saturation of color, this shade contrasts beautifully with white trim and decor.
LRV…what? Don’t worry, I’ve got you! Grab a FREE copy of my new guide to avoid the paint color picking mistakes people make! Click here or enter your email below. I’ll send the tips right away!⤵️
Smoke Compared to Other Colors
In addition to looking at LRV values, another way to get a solid feel about paint colors is to compare them side-by-side with similar colors. It’s also the best way to see a color’s undertones. 😉
Here’s how Benjamin Moore Smoke stacks up against three different and equally popular paint colors.
Benjamin Moore Smoke vs. Pale Smoke
With such similar names, you might be inclined to think that they are basically the same color, with one being lighter than the other. Well, you’d be close but wrong.
When you put these two similar colors side by side, you can see that Smoke reads as darker and bluer. BM Pale Smoke boasts an LRV of 64.45 and some more prominent green undertones, making it read brighter and more green.
We’re big fans of Pale Smoke in our own home. We’ve painted both our kitchen and our dining room in this paint color.
Benjamin Moore Smoke vs. Woodlawn Blue
Woodlawn Blue by Benjamin Moore has an LRV of 60.74, making it noticeably lighter than Smoke. Both shades have a gray base and blue undertones, but Woodlawn blue also has some moderate green undertones that make it read more of a smokey gray-green.
Benjamin Moore Smoke vs. Yarmouth Blue
Benjamin Moore’s Yarmouth Blue is basically a slightly bluer version of Smoke. With an LRV of 60.74, it reads lighter and less, well, smokey than Smoke does.
More Colors to Consider
Not yet feeling ready to commit to Smoke? I gotcha! Check out these other colors to see if they might seem like a better fit!
- Sea Salt (Sherwin Williams) – a tranquil mid-toned green gray
- Oyster Bay (Sherwin Williams) – a mid-toned grayish-green with a twinge of blue
- Light French Gray (Sherwin Williams) – a mid-toned neutral gray
- Silver Satin (Benjamin Moore) – a soft, grayish off-white
- Simply White (Benjamin Moore) – a creamy white with yellow undertones
- Silver Drop (Behr) – a pale gray with a hint of beige
- Pure White (Benjamin Moore) – warm white that can lean slightly greige
- Snowbound (Benjamin Moore) – a slightly cool, yet very livable white
- Silver Satin (Benjamin Moore) – a gray-tinted off-white
- Aegean Teal (Benjamin Moore) – a dark blue-green with strong gray undertones
- Krypton (Sherwin Williams) – a sophisticated gray-blue
- 13 Perfect Blue-Gray Paint Colors
Feeling lost? I gotcha, boo! Grab a FREE copy of my new guide to avoid the paint color picking mistakes people make! Click here or enter your email below. I’ll send the tips right away!⤵️
25 Real Life Homes Using Benjamin Moore Smoke Paint
Alright, time to dig into the good part: all that eye candy! But first, a warning. Do NOT fall in love with one of these rooms, run out and buy 4 cans and start painting your space! Remember the cardinal rule of painting: sample before you swipe that paintbrush!!!
As far as sampling goes, I highly recommend these mess-free, re-usable, re-positionable peel and stick paint samples ⤵
Living Rooms in BM Smoke
A quick note here: don’t forget to consider picking the right paint finish…it’s not only about getting the color right! We have an in-depth explanation of choosing sheens here.
1. Smoke in a Traditional Living Room
Smoke adds a lovely splash of color to this living room from @sharonottointeriors. This color fits in with traditional-style homes like a champ!
2. Smoke in the Shadows
This room with low natural light shows off Smoke’s moody qualities. It reads as more gray than blue on this wall shared by @justinwilsonpainting.
3. Happy Hue
This beautiful living room from @arias_home has even more bright natural light than the last example we looked at. Thanks to all the light, Smoke reads as a pale blue, which is stunning with the earthy and wood-tone colors in the surrounding decor.
And look how gorgeous Smoke pairs with bright white moldings in this airy living room.
Benjamin Moore Smoke Kitchens
For kitchens, eggshell or satin are popular finish choices for walls. For cabinets consider semi-gloss or high gloss for the most durable finish (and a gorgeous glow).
4. Smoke Shiplap
Depending on your style, Smoke may or may not seem like an obvious choice for kitchens. Here in @plushperch‘s kitchen, the paint reads as a light smoky blue, which looks gorgeous on the walls of this kitchen!
Love shiplap? Check out more super shiplap ideas here.
5. Smoke Island in a Coastal Kitchen
@nestingplaceinteriors sure has a stunning kitchen here, right? Wow! I love how the Smoke-painted island ties into the glass-tiled wall behind the shelves. It’s perfect for coastal-themed decor. (Photo credit: @jessiepreza).
BM Smoke Dining Rooms
6. Green with Envy Dining Room
Even though the green undertones of Benjamin Moore Smoke aren’t highly prominent, they definitely can come through in the right conditions. I love the effect it has on this room from @mrsevh!
7. Smoke Dining Room
Take a look at how the color changes from the light to the shadows in this space from @nestwellinteriors. In the light, it’s a pale muted blue-gray. But in the shadows, the blue undertones become even more prominent.
Bathrooms in Ben Moore’s Smoke
Don’t forget the finish! For bathrooms the perfect sheen is either an eggshell or satin. Why? We’ll tell you in this post about paint sheen.
8. Smoke Bathroom Vanity
BM Smoke isn’t just for walls! Try it on vanities and furniture, too. The bright light in this bathroom from @jenniferbeaudrydesign makes the shade read almost as a pastel color.
It’s just dark enough to add the perfect amount of contrast and give this bathroom a bright, fresh look.
Wall color in this space is BM Chantilly Lace.
9. Gray Blue Powder Room
Create a tranquil powder room by using Smoke, like this one from DIY Showoff. It’s light enough to make a small room with just a little light feel beautiful and larger than it is.
10. BM Smoke Board & Batten Bathroom
Add a touch of elegance by painting accent elements in BM Smoke. I love the gold decor pieces and wood vanity in this example from @ourmindfulabode.
Everything comes together to create a sophisticated and peaceful bathroom.
Fan of board and batten? You’ll love this post!
Bedrooms Using Smoke Paint
While you’ve seen Smoke work well in many types of spaces, it’s in bedrooms where I think this color really has a chance to shine!
In general for bedrooms, and low-traffic areas, flat paint is fine. If you like something with a bit of shine (and more ease of cleaning) opt for eggshell or satin.
11. BM Smoke Bedroom Trim
This shade is dark enough to add lovely contrast as a crown molding and trim color in this beautiful space from Erin Kestenbaum. Try using it like this bedroom does as the steady counterpart to a busy pattern.
12. Smoke in a Sophisticated, Traditional Bedroom
Oh, how pretty! This bedroom from @coastal.home.nj is light, bright, and very chic. The wall color adds sophisticated tranquility, which is exactly the kind of ambiance I want in my bedroom!
13. Bedroom Painted Smoke by Ben Moore
This bedroom from Heather Ryder Design looks like something taken out of a spa! The low lighting lets this color show off its smokey blue side while the white and cream decor contrasts perfectly.
14. Blueish Gray Painted Walls
When you see bedrooms like this one from A Thoughtful Place Blog, it’s really no wonder to me that so many people use Smoke in their bedroom. It’s a lovely gender-neutral color that can appeal to anyone and everyone.
15. Restful Retreat
If you have cool lighting that can make Smoke feel cooler than you would prefer, warm it up with creamy whites and beige decor, as in this example from @isgreenwich.
16. Nursery Accent Wall in Benjamin Moore Smoke
I would highly advocate Smoke as an accent wall color in most rooms. However, a nursery, like this one from The Rosewood Home, is definitely a place where you want to bring a calming and tranquil vibe!
Plus, an accent wall is a great way to add a splash of color without being overwhelmed by said color.
17. The Sky is the Limit with Smoke
Neeta created a nearly heavenly space for her little one using a stencil + Smoke for an absolutely precious effect in this kids’ bedroom.
Smoke is used on the board and batten, and a stencil plus a dark, nearly black paint above for this starry night special.
Smoke Painted Laundry Spaces
18. Cabinets in Benjamin Moore Smoke
The piece de resistance in this laundry room space by @bayley_home_ is certainly the paint! Smoke makes a statement here, and it’s a sophisticated one, for sure.
19. Peaceful Laundry Room
Fun fact: I’m not a fan of doing laundry. But this peaceful laundry room from @designhouselondoninc could be a housekeeping secret weapon. If you create a space where you want to spend time, maybe doing the laundry wouldn’t be so bad!
20. BM Smoke Laundry Room Cabinetry
The lighting in this laundry room from Jillian Harris makes the cabinets read as a lovely pastel blue-gray. How could anyone not want to spend time in a stunning room like this one?
Doors in Benjamin Moore’s Smoke
21. Interior Door in Smoke
Paint your interior front door in Smoke! If you have a predominantly light (white or off-white) decor style, add a touch of whimsy by painting the interior side of your exterior doors with this color (via @laurenminointeriors).
22. Ben Moore Smoke Exterior Door
Smoke works on exterior doors as an eye-catching pop of color, too! (source: Dovetail Design)
Offices in BM Smoke Paint
23. Gray Blue Built-ins and Walls
Do you have a home office? Brianna Venzke makes hers a place where you’d want to spend time by creating a space that allows creativity and productivity to flow.
24. Calming Home Office Retreat
When you use Smoke in areas that get washed in bright natural light, it can appear so light that it ALMOST reads as an off-white, like in this example from @bekah.nikole.
Make sure you check paint swatches to see how any paint color will appear in your home!
25. Office Walls Painted in BM Smoke
The yellow-tinged light and creamy decor cause the blue undertones to take a back seat. As a result, the walls in this room shared by Decor Pad are reading more gray-green than blue-gray.
Is BM Smoke the one for you? Benjamin Moore Smoke is a lovely color that exudes peace and tranquility anywhere you paint it.
And if this is a color you’re seriously considering, remember paint-sampling is better than ending up paint-sorry! I highly recommend these peel and stick samples because they are inexpensive, re-usable and re-positionable…
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!
Ready to show those boring, beige walls who’s the boss at home? Grab my free guide to help you sidestep the mistakes that almost everyone makes when it comes to picking paint! You’ll be on your way to perfect paint promptly…pinky swear.
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