Home › Benjamin Moore › Beige › Smoky Ash
Smoky Ash 986
On-screen approximation from the published RGB value. Order a physical sample before you decide.
Undertone: Noticeable yellow undertone
In CIELAB, Smoky Ash sits at L* 58.5, a* 1.6, b* 13.7. Its hue angle is 83° and its chroma is 13.8, so it leans yellow clearly enough to notice on a full wall. It classifies as warm. Among Benjamin Moore colors with a similar LRV (±5), it is warmer (more yellow) than 52%.
LRV 26.8: dark
Light Reflectance Value runs from 0 (absolute black) to 100 (perfect white). At 26.8, Smoky Ash is lighter than 30% of Benjamin Moore colors. Absorbs most light. Good for accent walls, cabinets, doors and exteriors; needs good lighting indoors.
Closest Sherwin-Williams match to Smoky Ash
Ranked by CIEDE2000 color difference (ΔE) computed from published RGB values. Below 2 is hard to tell apart on the wall; above 4 is a different color.
| Color | Code | ΔE2000 | How close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sawdust | SW 6158 | 1.35 | Very close | |
| Curio Gray | SW 0024 | 2.05 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| River Reed | SW 9534 | 2.13 | Close — difference visible side by side |
Closest Behr match to Smoky Ash
Ranked by CIEDE2000 color difference (ΔE) computed from published RGB values. Below 2 is hard to tell apart on the wall; above 4 is a different color. Behr does not publish LRV, so Behr values here are estimates.
| Color | Code | ΔE2000 | How close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weathered Fossil | N310-5 | 0.89 | Practically identical | |
| Twig Basket | 740D-5 | 1.02 | Very close | |
| Lost Canyon | MQ6-29 | 1.68 | Very close |
Similar Benjamin Moore colors
| Color | Code | ΔE2000 | How close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worn Leather Shoes | CSP-135 | 2.07 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Raccoon Hollow | 978 | 2.20 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Kingsport Gray | HC-86 | 2.37 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Alexandria Beige | HC-77 | 2.96 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Cabot Trail | 998 | 3.05 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Beige Gray | ES-51 | 3.07 | Close — difference visible side by side |
Lighter and darker versions
Colors from Benjamin Moore with nearly the same hue and saturation, one step lighter or darker.
- Thayer Green CSP-825 · lighter, LRV 29.3
- Raccoon Hollow 978 · lighter, LRV 28.8
- Weimaraner AF-155 · lighter, LRV 31.0
- Jojoba AF-460 · darker, LRV 24.8
- Driftwood 2107-40 · darker, LRV 25.3
- Elk Horn AF-105 · darker, LRV 24.7
Colors that go with Smoky Ash
Color-theory pairings — the nearest Benjamin Moore color to each rotated hue, keeping the same lightness and saturation:
- Oxford Gray 2128-40 · complementary (180°)
- Cougar Brown 2106-40 · analogous (−30°)
- Jojoba AF-460 · analogous (+30°)
- Avalon CC-756 · triadic (120°)
- Carolina Plum 1384 · triadic (240°)
Smoky Ash vs popular colors
- Beige Gray (Benjamin Moore ES-51, ΔE 3.1) is lighter (LRV 40.6 vs 26.8).
- Evergreen Fog (Sherwin-Williams SW 9130, ΔE 8.7) is lighter (LRV 30.4 vs 26.8), more blue/cool, more green, more muted.
- Functional Gray (Sherwin-Williams SW 7024, ΔE 9.4) is lighter (LRV 37.0 vs 26.8), more blue/cool, more muted.