Gray Owl (BM 2137-60) vs Classic Gray (BM OC-23)
Illustrative room. Screen colors vary; test a sample before you paint.
Quick decision
- Lighter
- Classic Gray, LRV 73.7 vs 64.5.
- Warmer
- Classic Gray (Lab b* 4.8 vs 3.8). Gray Owl reads green-gray; Classic Gray reads warm white.
- North rooms
- Classic Gray keeps more brightness (L* 85.2 vs 80.7 in north light); Gray Owl drifts less gray (chroma drop 1.0 vs 2.9).
- Trim that works
- Steam BM AF-15, #F0EFE6, LRV 84.2: the Benjamin Moore white closest in hue to both.
- Closeness
- deltaE 3.5, noticeably different. At 3.5, test both: on a full wall the difference will show.
See each color
Classic Gray
More comparisons with Classic Gray
Gray Owl (BM 2137-60) is darker than Classic Gray (BM OC-23) and about as warm: LRV 64.5 vs 73.7, deltaE 3.5 (noticeably different).
Side by side
| Measure | Gray Owl | Classic Gray | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Benjamin Moore | Benjamin Moore | |
| Color code | 2137-60 | OC-23 | |
| Hex | #D3D4CC | #E3E0D7 | |
| RGB | 211, 212, 204 | 227, 224, 215 | |
| HSL | 68°, 9%, 82% | 45°, 18%, 87% | |
| LRV (light reflectance value) | 64.5 | 73.7 | −9.2 |
| Lab L* | 84.6 | 89.2 | −4.5 |
| Lab a* | -1.8 | -0.5 | −1.2 |
| Lab b* | 3.8 | 4.8 | −0.9 |
| Undertone | Neutral | Neutral | |
| Temperature | neutral | neutral | |
| Color family | Gray | Off-white |
Same paint, two kinds of light
Gray Owl (BM 2137-60), published as #D3D4CC
#C1CACA
#E5DECC
Classic Gray (BM OC-23), published as #E3E0D7
#D1D6D5
#F5EAD7
These swatches and the rooms above are a simulation, not a measurement. How the visualizer works
Which should you pick
Rules of thumb computed from the LRV and Lab values in the table above; no room test was done.
- Pick Classic Gray (BM OC-23) for a small room or a north-facing room, because it is 9.2 LRV points lighter (73.7 vs 64.5), so it bounces back more of the limited light
Closest matches to Gray Owl in other brands
Closest matches to Classic Gray in other brands
Common questions
- Is Gray Owl the same color as Classic Gray?
- They are noticeably different: a CIEDE2000 difference of 3.5. Most people can see the difference between Gray Owl and Classic Gray side by side.
- Which is lighter, Gray Owl or Classic Gray?
- Classic Gray, with an LRV of 73.7 against 64.5.
Full pages
Related comparisons
Sources: LRV and hex from Benjamin Moore technical data (verified 2026-10-02). Color differences are CIEDE2000 values computed by this site from the hex values (data snapshot 2026-10-01). Color names and codes belong to their manufacturers.