Paint Color Review Edgecomb Gray HC-173

Last Updated on November 6, 2024 by Vannessa Rhoades, Three Bears Home Staging

Searching for the “perfect” neutral paint color? Most homeowners gravitate towards either gray or beige, usually favoring one over the other. Yet, as design trends veer back toward warmer hues, it’s worth considering a shade that lives at the crossroads of warmth and coolness – such as Benjamin Moore’s Edgecomb Gray HC-173. Nestled snugly between warm gray and beige, it has a soft, natural appeal, making it an excellent choice for creating a cozy atmosphere that pairs seamlessly with various color schemes.

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What Color Is Edgecomb Gray – Beige or Gray? Does It Have Undertones?

Unlike most Edgecomb Gray reviews that focus on subjective opinions about color and undertone, we like to focus on something a bit more objective: spectral data. Let’s start Edgecomb Gray’s CIE-LCh hue family. It has a hue angle of 90.373°. This means Edgecomb Gray is officially part of the Yellow hue family, as shown on the color wheel below. Does that mean it looks yellow? No – but it does explain the warmth behind the color. Like many neutral paint colors, it has a low chroma value (7.641). This means the yellow is tempered with a pretty heavy dose of gray.

Next, you need to consider the lighting in your space. Under the right lighting conditions, this color appears as a warm, mid-tone greige or taupe. If you’re seeing an “undertone,” it’s probably due to the quality of your lighting. Depending on your environment and exposure, it can even look a bit pink or purple. (In fact, neutrals from this hue family neighborhood are somewhat infamous for turning slightly purple in certain light.) Color perception will be influenced heavily by your lighting and environment so make sure you’re using the right light bulbs to evaluate your paint color.

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What Is the LRV of Edgecomb Gray?

Light Reflectance Value (LRV) is a measure of how much light a paint reflects into a room, with 100% being highly reflective and zero being not reflective at all. Edgecomb Gray has an LRV of 63%, which means it will reflect a decent amount of light. In a south-facing room, it will look warm, soft, and light. In a north-facing room, this color leans more heavily into the gray, and the warmth is more muted. Remember, your quality of light changes throughout the day so view a sample of this color on all walls and in a variety of artificial and natural light.

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Which White Trim Color Goes Well With Edgecomb Gray?

When it comes to Edgecomb Gray, I favor two Benjamin Moore white options – Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace and Benjamin Moore White Dove. Chantilly Lace provides a sharper contrast, whereas White Dove is a bit softer and gentler. Sherwin-Williams Pure White is another sharp option. 

If your existing trim or cabinets are cream (yellowish white), I recommend not using Edgecomb Gray on the walls. The contrast will be too subtle and muted, and it just won’t look right

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Does Edgecomb Gray Look Good on Cabinets?

As a beautiful neutral base, Edgecomb Gray can be a warm and subtle option for your kitchen cabinets or other painted elements around your home. Moreover, if you’re a fan of vibrant, colorful home decor accents, using this paint as your backdrop will allow your decor pieces to really shine and capture attention.

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Does Edgecomb Gray Work as an Exterior Paint Color?

This color has the potential to be a stunning exterior paint choice, provided it complements the existing stone, brick, or roof. That said, expect that it may appear lighter and warmer than anticipated – possibly even exhibiting a subtle creaminess on occasion!

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What Are Some Colors That Go Well With Edgecomb Gray? Complementary Colors and Color Palette

Looking for colors that complement Edgecomb Gray in a palette? Consider these suggestions:

• Greige shades that are deeper than Edgecomb Gray.
• Delicate and understated warm off-white hues.
• Grays with a hint of depth, from the blue, green, or blue-green hue families.

We’ve curated a sample color palette for you below featuring a few of our favorites: Boothbay Gray HC-165, White Heron OC-57, Pashmina AF-100, and Dove Wing OC-18.

What Other Paint Colors Are Similar to Edgecomb Gray?

As a reminder, I don’t recommend color matching between brands. You cannot color match between brands and expect to get identical results. But if you’re looking for something similar to this color in another brand, here are a few solid options:

• Sherwin-Williams: SW 9516 Accolade (Emerald Collection only) or SW 7632 Modern Gray
• Behr: Behr PPU7-09 Aged Beige
• PPG: PPG14-11 Static

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There are also a few popular paint colors consumers frequently compare when considering using Edgecomb Gray. We’ve outlined the similarities and differences to some of the most popular comparisons below.

Edgecomb Gray vs Baby Fawn

If these colors look exactly the same to you…that’s because they are. Edgecomb Gray (HC-173) is also known as Baby Fawn OC-15 (BM Off White Collection) and Alaskan Skies 972 (Benjamin Moore Classics®). Benjamin Moore simply re-branded them for different color collections.

Edgecomb Gray vs Agreeable Gray

With an LRV of 60, Sherwin-Williams Agreeable Gray 7029 is slightly darker than Edgecomb Gray. Agreeable Gray has a lower chroma value (5.5) than Edgecomb Gray (7.6). This means Agreeable Gray is less colorful and tempered with a little more gray. It’s also ever so slightly cooler with a hue angle of 91°. 

Edgecomb Gray vs Revere Pewter

Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter is darker (LRV=55) than Edgecomb Gray (LRV=63), and thus, reflects less light back into a room. With similar chroma values, they’re both equally muted by a healthy dose of gray. Revere Pewter, however, is a cooler color due to its hue angle (92.411°).

Edgecomb Gray vs Pale Oak

Benjamin Moore Pale Oak OC-20 is a little lighter (LRV=69) and a bit grayer than Edgecomb Gray. Pale Oak is also a cooler color by comparison with a hue angle of 92°.

Need Help Choosing a Paint Color?

Need help finding the right paint color? Order a Virtual Color Consultation Report from the color professionals at Three Bears Home Staging to get a custom, curated palette and guidance for your next painting project.