Benjamin Moore colour guide
191 colours inspired by 18th and 19th century North American architecture, and 50 years old in 2026. Home of Revere Pewter, Hale Navy and the 2027 Colour of the Year. Here's how to choose, from the team that mixes them every day.
How to choose
Historical Colours are muted on purpose, which makes them easy to live with. A few things still make a big difference.
Greiges can lean warm (beige) or cool (grey), and greys can pick up green or violet. Compare swatches next to your floors, counters and fabrics, not on a white sheet of paper.
North-facing rooms make colours read cooler and darker. South-facing light warms them up. Mid-tones like Revere Pewter shift more than you'd expect between rooms.
Light reflectance runs from 0 (black) to 100. Around 55 to 65 suits main walls; under 25 is a deep colour best for accents, doors and cabinets, or a cozy room.
Almost every Historical colour needs a trim white. Benjamin Moore's own pairings below are a great shortcut.
Start here
Pick the group that suits your room. Tap any colour to get its free swatch.
Soft, balanced neutrals for whole-house walls. The collection's best-known shades live here.
Cooler, quieter greys. Clean and calm next to crisp white trim.
Muted, heritage blues and greens, from soft sage to classic navy.
Rich, dark shades for doors, cabinets, accent walls and exteriors.
The top 8
The collection's best sellers and Benjamin Moore's 2027 Colour of the Year, with Benjamin Moore's own coordinating colour picks. Order a free swatch, or go straight to a tester if you're already down to one or two.
LRV 55.05
The neutral people ask us for by name. Benjamin Moore calls it a bridge between warm and cool, and that's exactly why it works: grey enough to feel current, warm enough to never feel cold. Walls, kitchens, whole houses.
Benjamin Moore pairs it with
LRV 8.36
The navy Benjamin Moore is best known for. Deep and steady with a slight grey softness, so it reads rich rather than bright. Front doors, kitchen islands, cabinetry, accent walls and exteriors.
Benjamin Moore pairs it with
LRV 14.61
A dependable charcoal grey with a soft, earthy edge. Dark enough for drama on doors, trim, cabinets and siding, without the harshness of black.
Benjamin Moore pairs it with
LRV 5.64
A deep green so dark it reads nearly black until the light hits it. Beautiful on doors, shutters, built-ins and moody dining rooms.
Benjamin Moore pairs it with
LRV 20.2
Benjamin Moore's 2027 Colour of the Year. A calm, grounded green that sits somewhere between sage and forest. Lovely on walls, cabinets and exteriors. See the 2027 palette.
Benjamin Moore pairs it with
LRV 63.09
A lighter, softer cousin of Revere Pewter. A warm grey-beige that keeps rooms bright, so it's a great pick for open-concept spaces and darker rooms.
Benjamin Moore pairs it with
LRV 23.33
A rich, warm mid-to-deep grey. Grounded enough for cabinets and exteriors, soft enough for a cozy den or library.
Benjamin Moore pairs it with
LRV 63.24
A light, warm beige that's been a quiet favourite for decades. Calm and welcoming, especially with cream trim and wood tones.
Benjamin Moore pairs it with
LRV and coordinating colours are from Benjamin Moore. Colours on screen are a guide only.
The question we hear most
When a swatch isn't enough
Mid-tones and deep colours change more across a wall than they do on a chip. A tester pot lets you paint a real patch and live with it for a day.
Shortlist with free swatchesOrder up to 10 and compare them against your floors, counters and trim.
Test your top one or twoPaint a patch about 2 ft square on two walls, two coats.
Check it all dayLook in morning, afternoon and evening light before you buy the gallons.
Paint tester
A 240 ml (8 oz) pot of real Benjamin Moore paint, tinted to any Historical colour. Enough for a good-sized test patch. Custom tinted, so it can't be returned.
Questions
It's a palette of 191 colours, numbered HC-1 to HC-191, inspired by 18th and 19th century North American architecture. Benjamin Moore launched it in 1976 for the American Bicentennial, and 2026 marks its 50th anniversary. It's known for muted, sophisticated neutrals, mid-tones and deep, rich shades.
Benjamin Moore names Revere Pewter (HC-172), Hale Navy (HC-154), Kendall Charcoal (HC-166) and Essex Green (HC-188) as the collection's best sellers. Edgecomb Gray (HC-173), Chelsea Gray (HC-168) and Manchester Tan (HC-81) are also long-time favourites, and Webster Green (HC-130) is the 2027 Colour of the Year.
Not at all. The colours came from historic buildings, but they're muted and balanced enough to look right in modern, transitional and traditional spaces. Revere Pewter and Hale Navy look just as at home in a new build as in a century home.
Historical Colours can be tinted in Benjamin Moore's premium paints, including Regal Select, Aura, Advance, Eco Spec and Aura Bath & Spa, plus exterior lines. Ask us if you're unsure about a specific product, sheen or exterior use.
Both are warm greiges. Revere Pewter (HC-172, LRV 55.05) is a step deeper, with more grey and more presence on the wall. Edgecomb Gray (HC-173, LRV 63.09) is lighter and softer, so it keeps rooms brighter and reads closer to a warm off-white in strong light.
Benjamin Moore usually pairs them with a white from the Off-White Collection. White Dove (OC-17) is a frequent partner for Revere Pewter and Hale Navy; Simply White (OC-117) pairs with Kendall Charcoal. Our Off-White guide can help you pick the right one.
Deep colours usually cover best over a grey-tinted primer and can need an extra coat for full, even colour. Tell us your colour and surface and we'll recommend the right primer.
Yes. Benjamin Moore colour swatches are free, up to 10 per order. You only pay shipping, which is calculated at checkout.
Browse all 191 Historical Colours and order up to 10 free swatches. You only pay shipping.
