Benjamin Moore Finnie Gray – Why I love it & Photos

Benjamin Moore Finnie Gray Review

Benjamin Moore Finnie Gray was the unexpected hero of our downstairs home renovation last year.

Let me explain.

When I was planning our family room expansion, I’d always thought I’d go for my favorite paint color, Benjamin Moore Simply White. It’s a classic, and much of the rest of our downstairs is painted that color, so it felt like a safe choice.

Except then I got a hankering for something a little moodier, something with a bit more depth.

I’d originally thought a grey-toned sage green would be a good choice, and tried Farrow & Ball French Gray, Benjamin Moore Cheyenne Green, and Benjamin Moore October Mist, among a few others. But they weren’t quite right. So, I started looking into similar shades, and stumbled upon Finnie Gray by Benjamin Moore. As soon as I tried it I was sold, so we used the color on the entire family room area in a satin finish, including our built ins and breakfast nook.

If you’re thinking about using Finnie Gray in your home, here’s my review of the hue, plus photos and video in our home.

What color is Benjamin Moore Finnie Gray?

Finnie Gray is classified as a gray color, but I think it’s more of a mushroom color, since the warm tones are very prominent. It can look like a warm gray in some lights, but it’s definitely not a true gray. It also has some green tones in it, which makes it feel like a khaki/olive color in some lights. Overall, it’s a beautiful neutral with lots of depth.

According to Benjamin Moore, the color has historic origins, and describes the color as “the late 18th century paint color uncovered by paint analysts on the exterior of the Finnie House, this go-anywhere gray has a rich, traditional feeling,

Finnie Gray LRV and Undertones

I was looking for a mid-tone paint color, so something that was not too dark or too light, which made Finnie Gray a perfect choice. Finnie Gray has an LRV of 41.96, which makes it a solidly mid-tone paint color.

If you’re not familiar with LRV, it stands for Light Reflectance Value, and is a measure of how light a paint color is. It’s measured on a scale of 0-100, with 100 being a true, bright white. There are no paint colors with a 100 LRV. The closest they generally get is 93ish. By comparison, Benjamin Moore Hale Navy, another popular paint color, has an LRV of 6.3, while Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee has an LRV of 83.93.

Overall, Finnie Gray is a warm-toned paint color. It reads warmer during the early morning and evening hours, more like a beige, and can look more gray-green during mid-day or on a cloudy day.

Here’s a closer look at Finnie Gray in a video I took of our living area:

Is Finnie Gray a Popular Paint Color?

Finnie Gray is not one of Benjamin Moore’s most popular paint colors … yet. Right now, about 200-300 people search for Finnie Gray on Google each months. That’s compared to about 20,000 searches a month for more popular hues like Agreeable Gray or White Dove.

BUT! With the growing mushroom paint color trend I think Finnie Gray will quickly become more popular over the next few years.

Trim Colors For Finnie Gray and Complimentary Colors

In our home, I’ve paired Finnie Gray with BM Simply White trim, and I love the combo together. The softness of Simply White pairs well with the warm tones of Finnie Gray. Benjamin Moore also suggests White Dove as a “Matching color” and that also seems like a great recommendation for trim. I’d steer clear of stark whites (i.e. trim white straight from the can) and cool-whites.

Other matching colors Benjamin Moore suggests include:

• Capitol White, a cream color
• Waller Green, a deep forest green
• Pale Oak, a light shade of beige

Paint Colors Similar to Finnie Gray

There are plenty of shades that are similar to Finnie Gray, if you want to test out more than one in your home. (Always a good idea if you ask me. I love using Samplize peel-and-stick paint samples.)

Here are a few that have a similar look:

Finnie Gray Vs. BM Tyler Gray

Finnie Gray and Tyler Gray are similar shades of taupe-y gray, but Tyler Gray is a bit lighter, with an LRV of 51, compared to Finnie Gray’s 41. If you’re worried Finnie Gray will be too dark in your space, try Tyler Gray.

Finnie Gray vs BM Repose Gray

The big difference between Finnie Gray and Repose Gray is that Finnie Gray is more of a mushroom color, while Repose Gray is more of a greige. Repose Gray also has more obvious gray tones, which make it a more popular choice than Finnie Gray.

Finnie Gray Vs. Farrow & Ball French Gray

I tried French Gray first in my home because I loves the understated green look. But! The color looked very green in my home. I know, however, that in certain lighting, it reads more like a green-toned beige color, so it’s a worth a try if that’s a look you’re going for. It’s a beautiful color and one of my all-time favorite pale olive greens.

Behr Bonsai Pot

If you’re working with Home Depot paint colors, try Behr Bonsai Pot. In my opinion, it’s the closest shade to Finnie Gray you can get, since I tried out both in my home and had a hard time choosing between the two!