Benjamin Moore Wind’s Breath (#OC-24): ULTIMATE Review + Pictures

Read all about Benjamin Moore Wind’s Breath, plus see 15 real homes that use it!

Benjamin Moore Wind’s Breath (OC-24) is a warm paint that gives you the best of all neutral possibilities.

The universe of neutrals includes a huge selection of “worlds,” including white, off-white, beige, gray, and greige. And within those broad categories (or worlds), you can break it down even further into color groups such as cream and taupe. BM Wind’s Breath is a stunning color that basically gives you the best of all of these!

If you are working with challenging finishes or just can’t commit to one world of neutrals, this flexible shade may be a perfect choice!

Welcome to the latest post in a paint series featuring popular paint colors. I hope that the posts in this paint exploration series give you the information you need to help you pick a paint shade that you’ll love looking at every day. 

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What color is Wind’s Breath?

Ah, that’s the million-dollar question! Exactly what color IS Wind’s Breath? It’s a question without an easy answer which is (in my opinion) part of the appeal of Wind’s Breath.

Wind’s Breath is a warm shade that strikes an unusual and lovely balance between beige, taupe, and cream. It’s a little creamier and less beige than Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige.

Benjamin Moore designates paint shades in their “off-white collection” with an “OC”. Wind’s Breath is a part of this group of white colors, and is designated as OC-24.

FAQs about BM Wind’s Breath

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Benjamin Moore Wind’s Breath Undertones

Paint colors are complex, and a shifting color like this one is even more so. There are a couple of terms to know when looking at paint shades: “mass tone,” which is the main color you see when looking at paint (blue, white, brown, etc.), and “undertone,” which are those subtle differences that peek through to give variation between hues.

What are Benjamin Moore Wind’s Breath’s undertones?

Wind’s Breath is usually described as a versatile and flexible warm off-white. Well, versatile and flexible are two words that certainly apply because this shade will shift in different lighting situations thanks to some very subtle undertones. 

It has beige undertones, which are yellow-based and give it its creamy nature. However, there are also some very gentle pink-purple (taupe) undertones that lend flexibility to this color.

NOTE: Thanks to constantly shifting natural lighting exposure and the influence of surrounding colors, NO paint colors will look the same at varying times of the day or in two different locations.

Using paint samples is your best bet to show EXACTLY how your lighting and decor will impact the appearance of your paint (and it will help avoid the expense of wasting gallon(s) of paint you end up not loving).

How Different Types of Lighting Affect BM Wind’s Breath

As the sun moves across the sky throughout the day, the light wavelengths shift as well, giving the appearance of different lighting colors. Sound a bit too science-fiction as it relates to picking paint colors? Let me break it down in a different way.

Here’s a general idea of how you can expect Wind’s Breath to appear based on different types of natural lighting! 

• North-facing light – northern light is cool and blue-tinted, so Wind’s Breath will lean a little more taupe and project a passive warmth.
• South-facing light – warm southern light will let Wind’s Breath lean into its warm side, and it may (at times) look more creamy in south facing rooms. 
• East-facing light – here you’ll find warm yellow light in the morning and shadowy, passive light in the afternoon. Wind’s Breath will look warmer and creamier in the morning and shift a little through the day to look more muted and possibly even a little gray. 
• West-facing light – expect passive light in the morning and very warm light in the evening. Wind’s Breath will again shift slightly throughout the day, looking muted in the morning and warmer and richer in the afternoon/evening.

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Great Coordinating Colors for Wind’s Breath

Since BM Wind’s Breath is a bit of a shapeshifter, it can be a little particular about the colors it chooses to play well with. Generally, it likes darker grays with blue or green undertones, clean whites, and beautiful blue-green blends.

LRV of Benjamin Moore Wind’s Breath (OC-24)

Did you just read that and think, what the heck is an LRV? Don’t worry – I’ll explain it! LRV stands for “light reflectance value.” It’s simply a way of measuring how much light is reflected (instead of absorbed) by a particular shade. LRV ranges from 0 – 100.

Something with an LRV of 0 is straight-up pure black. On the opposite end of the spectrum, an LRV of 100 is the brightest white you can imagine.

The LRV of BM Wind’s Breath = 70.69

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An LRV in this range makes Benjamin Moore Wind’s Breath a light paint shade. It’s light enough that it can wash out in bright natural light, giving it the appearance of a creamy off-white. 

On the other hand, if you have a room with low levels of natural light, you’ll likely see more of the beige side or taupe (pink/violet) undertones.

Wind’s Breath Compared to Other Colors

I’m going to show you how this shade compares with some other popular paint colors so you can see the differences between the two. Ready? Let’s go!

Benjamin Moore Wind’s Breath vs. Ballet White

First, let’s compare Wind’s Breath to a popular white paint from the same brand, Benjamin Moore Ballet White (OC-9). 

Ballet White’s LRV of 73.94 makes it just a smidge lighter than Wind’s Breath. It’s a rich and creamy off-white that leans slightly warm thanks to some beige undertones. Ballet White is going to be the creamier off-white complement to Wind’s Breath’s beige.

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Benjamin Moore Wind’s Breath vs. Feather Down

Feather Down (953, and also OC-6) is another beautiful off-white from Benjamin Moore. As you can see from the image below, Feather Down, with an LRV of 74.43, reads lighter and creamier than Wind’s Breath. Feather Down will “act” more white than Wind’s Breath will.

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Benjamin Moore Wind’s Breath vs. Edgecomb Gray

Edgecomb Gray (HC-173) has an LRV of 63.88, which means it reads darker than Wind’s Breath does. Beyond that, though, these colors are very close to each other with a similar undertone profile as they both lean taupe and warm. Edgecomb Gray’s undertones may be slightly stronger.

If you’re working with a bright room, I would lean more towards Edgecomb Gray because it won’t wash out as much.

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Real Life Homes Using Benjamin Moore Wind’s Breath

All of the above information is definitely important to consider as you decide whether Wind’s Breath is the right exterior or interior paint color for you. But for many people, that’s not enough – they need to visually see how it looks.

With that in mind, I found real-life homes, rooms, and other spaces that are using BM Wind’s Breath for you!

Living Rooms in BM Wind’s Breath

Sheen note: Picking the right color is only winning the battle, not the war. Remember to pick the right paint finish, or sheen, also! Read up on what you need to know about picking the perfect paint sheen.

1. Warm Compliment to Wood Beams

The warm tones of wood naturally pair better with warm paint shades. Wind’s Breath’s inherent warmth is just enough to look terrific with the wood beams and wood flooring. It also works well with the fireplace’s stone hearth.

What’s more, it’s balanced enough that it can bridge the divide between the warm wood tones and the cool blue tones of the decor from Papermoon Painting.

2. A Traditional Off-White

This living room from Elements of Style Blog is chic and inviting, for sure.

Benjamin Moore hit the nail on the head when describing Wind’s Breath as “inherently sophisticated and endlessly versatile.”

As you can see Wind’s Breath as a wall color in this entire room is just enough tint to stand out from the white trim color, as well as the brighter white ceiling color.

3 Classically Chic

Love! Wind’s Breath keeps this living room renovation from Elements of Style Blog feeling open and airy despite the lack of natural light exposure.

Plus, the color takes a lovely neutral approach and goes well with all the different decor items.

Benjamin Moore Wind’s Breath 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. Creamy Kitchen Cabinets

The yellow artificial lighting in Funcycled‘s kitchen draws out those yellow undertones in the beige base. Notice the difference in the way the cabinets read from the left side of the image to the right side.

Bedrooms Painted Wind’s Breath by Benjamin Moore

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.

5. Light and Bright

Design Indulgence‘s bedroom is small, but this shade makes it feel airy and spacious. The bright light washes out the color so that it appears soft and off-white.

6. Playful Beige for Kids’ Space

Here’s a fun example of this paint shade shared on Houzz! The low light, window coverings, and surrounding decor draw out the beige undertones.

Do you see that wink of pink peeking through near the banner? That’s about as “pink” as you’ll see this color look.

BM Wind’s Breath in Other Homes

7. Soft Off-White Interior

Take a moment to look at the various areas of light exposure on the walls (there are quite a few!) in this picture from Hendel Homes.

Wind’s Breath shifts from reading white in the bright light to appearing as soft off-white.

8. Farmhouse Feels

Yes, yes, and more yes! I am LOVING the creamy nature of Wind’s Breath in this farmhouse-style laundry room from New River Building Co.

The beige undertones are soft enough that the shade reads as creamy off-white rather than beige.

9. Clean Look for Home Exterior

Wind’s Breath’s versatility makes it a great exterior paint color option, as we can see in this example from Elevation Building Co.

Doesn’t it brilliantly tie together all the different colors and design elements of this home?

That’s all, folks! Do you now have visions of this lovely warm off-white dancing through your head? I hope so because it’s one of those colors that could help make your home feel more like the warm, inviting place you want it to be!

Remember to grab a paint sample and use it on your walls before you commit to anything, though.

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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