I’ve used Benjamin Moore’s Gray Cashmere in my home for over six months. Now, I want to share everything I’ve learned about this beautiful color.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- What Gray Cashmere actually looks like in real homes
- Which rooms work best with this color
- Colors that pair perfectly with it
- How to test it properly before buying
I’ve used this paint in east—and west-facing rooms and watched how it changes from morning to evening. I’ve made the mistakes so you don’t have to.
My walls have been Gray Cashmere for more than half a year now. I know how it holds up and how it feels to live with every day. Let’s see if this soft, light blue-green-gray is right for your home.
What Kind of Color Is Gray Cashmere (2138-60)?
Gray Cashmere (BM 2138-60) is a soft, light neutral with subtle blue-green undertones mixed with gray. It’s a gentle color that adds a calm, clean feeling without being too cold or plain. I think of it as the color of morning mist with just a hint of blue-green.
I’ve noticed it shifts throughout the day. In morning light, the blue-green aspects become clearer and more noticeable. By afternoon, it takes on a more neutral quality that feels balanced and soothing.
The color has an LRV (Light Reflectance Value) of 64.53, placing it in the light range. This means it reflects a good amount of light while still adding some depth to spaces. The balanced nature of Gray Cashmere makes it excellent for creating rooms that feel both bright and comfortable.
What makes Gray Cashmere stand out is how it adapts to its surroundings. In some spaces, it appears more gray, while in others, the blue-green aspects become more visible. This flexibility helps it work well in many settings and with various home styles.
What Rooms Work Best with Gray Cashmere?
I’ve found that Gray Cashmere truly shines in spaces where you want a clean, bright look with a subtle touch of color.
It’s not just about which rooms – it’s also about the lighting, the style, and what feeling you want to create. Based on my experience, here are the spaces where Gray Cashmere performs best:
Living Rooms
This color makes living areas feel bright and welcoming without being too stark. It creates a soft background that allows furniture and art to stand out. In my living room, Gray Cashmere walls make the space feel open while highlighting my cream sofa and wooden accent pieces.
The color works especially well in both large and medium living spaces. In larger rooms, it helps create a sense of cohesion and flow. In medium rooms, it adds a clean effect without feeling too bland when paired with the right accessories.
Bedrooms
The soft, neutral tones make bedrooms feel calm and relaxing. This color creates a peaceful background that helps with rest and sleep. In my main bedroom, I paired Gray Cashmere with white bedding and dark wood tones for a retreat that feels both bright and balanced.
The color also tends to make bedrooms feel more spacious and restful. The subtle undertones create a sense of light that many people find helpful for sleep environments. Since painting my bedroom this shade, I’ve found that it feels more organized and peaceful.
Bathrooms
Gray Cashmere shines in bathrooms, where it creates a spa-like, clean feel. The subtle blue-green undertones complement white fixtures perfectly while adding more interest than plain white walls. My guest bathroom in this shade feels much more custom and thoughtful than it did with basic white walls.
In bathrooms with natural light, the color takes on a beautiful glow that changes throughout the day. Even in bathrooms without windows, paired with good lighting helps create a fresh feeling.
Home Offices
The color helps create focus without being distracting. The soft neutral feels professional yet calming during work hours. I painted my home office in this shade and find it makes the perfect background for video calls while keeping me focused.
Gray Cashmere is particularly effective in offices that need to feel bright and organized. The color seems to reduce visual stress and create a sense of calm. I’ve noticed I feel more productive in my Gray Cashmere office compared to my previous stark white workspace.
Kitchens
Gray Cashmere adds subtle depth to kitchens without competing with cabinets or backsplashes. It creates a clean feeling that still feels warm and bright. My friend painted her kitchen this color with white cabinets, creating a balanced look that still has character.
The color works well with both white and wood cabinets, making it very flexible for most kitchen styles. It adds just enough color to feel interesting without taking away from other kitchen elements.
What Colors Go Well with Gray Cashmere?
Gray Cashmere pairs well with many colors. Here are my top matches:
- Soft blues: create a cohesive, calming palette
- Warm whites: Offers a clean companion that feels fresh
- Greens: Complements the subtle undertones beautifully
- Dark wood tones: Add depth and balance to the soft neutral
- Brushed nickel or chrome: Metal finishes that enhance the cool undertones
For my living room, I combined Gray Cashmere walls with white trim and warm wood furniture. The combination feels fresh and grounded.
What Style Works Well With This Color?
Gray Cashmere adapts to many design styles. In modern homes, it brings in a subtle coolness that feels natural. For coastal spaces, it creates a clean canvas that lets beach-inspired decor stand out.
In transitional settings, it offers a fresh update while respecting classic elements. Most impressively, Gray Cashmere works well in traditional homes by adding lightness to formal furniture.
My own home mixes modern items with more traditional ones, and this color creates the perfect subtle background for both. This flexibility makes it a smart choice if you like to change your decor or mix elements from different styles.
Is It a Warm or Cool Color?
Gray Cashmere is a balanced neutral that leans slightly cool. The blue-green undertones give it that cool, calming feeling. I’d describe it as “softly cool” – not the kind that makes a room feel too cold or clinical.
The subtle warm aspects keeps it from feeling too cool. This balance makes it work well year-round in most homes. Despite being slightly cool, it doesn’t feel too blue or gray like some cool neutrals can.
The high light value softens the coolness, making it more livable for everyday spaces. In rooms with lots of natural light, especially south-facing rooms, the coolness helps balance the warmth of the light throughout the day.
If you’re worried about a space feeling too cool, I’ve found that adding warm elements like wood tones, cream textiles, or brass fixtures creates the perfect balance. In my own living room, the Gray Cashmere walls look beautiful with my warm wood coffee table and cream accent pillows.
Color Characteristics Table
| Characteristic | Gray Cashmere | What This Means For Your Space |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | Slightly Cool | Creates a calm, airy atmosphere |
| Undertones | Blue-green and gray | Adds subtle depth without being too cool or stark |
| Light Reflectance Value | 64.53 | Light tone that maximizes brightness while maintaining some depth |
| Seasonal Feel | Year-round | Works well in both winter and summer settings |
| East vs. West Rooms | Adaptable | Appears more blue-green in west-facing rooms, more gray in east-facing rooms |
How to Test This Color in Your Space?
This step is essential! Here’s my testing method:
- Buy a sample: Get a small container of Gray Cashmere
- Paint a board: Use a 2×2 foot piece of white poster board
- Move it around: See how it looks in different locations at different times of day
- Live with it for 3 days: Your first impression might change
When I tested Gray Cashmere, I was surprised by how different it looked from morning to evening. In my east-facing bedroom, it appeared more gray. In my west-facing living room, the blue-green aspects were more noticeable.
What Paint Finish Should You Choose?
The finish affects how Gray Cashmere appears on your walls. Here’s what I suggest:
- Flat: Good for ceilings or very smooth walls
- Matte: My top choice for most walls – the soft color looks clean without glare
- Eggshell: This works in kitchens and bathrooms where you need to clean walls
- Satin: Adds a slight sheen, could make the color look brighter than expected
- Semi-gloss: Too shiny for Gray Cashmere walls, but works for trim and doors
I used matte in my bedroom and eggshell in my bathroom. The eggshell finish makes cleaning easier without adding too much shine that would change how the color looks.
Real Home Ideas Using Gray Cashmere
I’ve gathered these ideas from my own home and friends’ houses:
- Full room: Gray Cashmere on all walls creates a consistent, bright feeling
- Accent wall: Used on one wall with white walls for a hint of color
- Trim: Using it on trim with white walls creates a subtle, custom look
- Furniture: A bookcase or side table painted this shade adds a soft touch
- Cabinets: Works beautifully as a cabinet color with white countertops
My sister painted all her bathroom vanity Gray Cashmere with white countertops, creating a custom look that feels both clean and fresh. It looks amazing and has inspired me to think about using it in more areas of my home.
Mistakes to Avoid
I’ve made some mistakes with this color. Learn from my experience:
- Using yellow-toned lighting with Gray Cashmere – Warm bulbs can make this color look too green. Stick with cool white bulbs (3000-4000K) to showcase its true, balanced beauty.
- Not testing in your actual space – This color changes with lighting conditions. I was surprised how different it looked in my east-facing bedroom versus my west-facing living room. Always test a large sample in your own space.
- Using too many cool accessories – This can make the room feel too cold. Mix in some warm woods, creams, or brass accents for balance.
- Expecting it to look exactly like online photos – Every screen shows colors differently, and professional images are often edited. The only way to know how it will look in your home is to test it yourself.
- Using it in very dark rooms without adding extra lighting – In rooms with minimal natural light, Gray Cashmere can look too flat without proper lighting support.
Why People Like Gray Cashmere?
Gray Cashmere has become popular among many homeowners, and I understand why. Its soft balance creates spaces with character while still feeling very livable. People like it because it’s not a typical gray—it has personality without being hard to use.
The color creates clean spaces that still feel interesting. It works with many decorating styles and doesn’t date quickly like bolder colors might. Whether in natural or artificial light, it maintains its character while shifting subtly throughout the day, keeping spaces interesting.
Is Gray Cashmere Right For Your Home?
Gray Cashmere creates spaces that feel both bright and balanced at the same time. After using this color in multiple rooms over several months, I’m still happy with my choice.
What makes it stand out is how it adds subtle depth while remaining very flexible with different furniture and decor styles.
It’s not a color that demands attention. Instead, it creates a backdrop that enhances your furniture and accessories. This balanced presence explains why it remains popular season after season.
In a world of stark whites and dark grays, Gray Cashmere offers a gentle balance and flexibility. It works with modern, coastal, contemporary, and everything in between.
Is it subtle? Definitely, but it creates beautiful, livable spaces that feel clean and personal—and that’s what truly matters in the end.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Gray Cashmere Work with A White Trim?
Yes, it pairs wonderfully with white. The soft neutral creates a nice subtle contrast with pure white trim without clashing.
Is Gray Cashmere Too Light for Large Rooms?
Not necessarily. When paired with deeper furnishings and textural elements, it can make large spaces feel cohesive rather than empty.
How Does It Compare to Other Light Neutrals?
Gray Cashmere is more interesting with its blue-green undertones, making it less stark than pure grays while being lighter than most blue-gray options.
Will This Color Show Dirt More than Other Neutrals?
It actually hides dirt better than darker shades. The light tone helps mask minor smudges better than very dark colors would, without being as demanding as pure white.
Can I Use Gray Cashmere in An Open Floor Plan?
Absolutely. Its balanced quality makes it perfect for open concepts, creating flow between spaces while still offering more personality than plain white.