Smoke by Benjamin Moore: The Utmost Color Guide

Choosing paint colors used to make me nervous. With so many options available, finding “the one” felt impossible. Then I found Benjamin Moore Smoke 2122-40, and I’m here to share why it might be perfect for your home, too.

Smoke is truly a show-stopper – a beautiful muted blue-gray that creates a sense of calm while adding real character to any room.

I’ve noticed Smoke has a soft hint of green hiding beneath its blue-gray surface. This subtle complexity is what gives the color its quiet urban appearance.

It’s never flat or boring, yet never overwhelming.

What I love most about Smoke is how it changes throughout the day. In morning light, it leans more blue, while evening brings out its gray qualities.

If you’re considering Benjamin Moore Smoke for your home,

I’ve put together this guide to help you decide if it’s the right choice for your next project.

Smoke by Benjamin Moore: A Warm or Cool Hue?

Smoke is firmly in the cool color family, with its blue-green makeup taking center stage. This coolness creates different moods based on your lighting conditions.

In rooms with limited light, Smoke takes on a more quiet, thoughtful look.

When bathed in sunshine, it brightens up and shows its fresher side.

This shift in personality makes Smoke more useful than you might expect from a single paint color, giving you different looks as the day progresses.

The Role of Gray in Smoke

The gray component in Smoke plays a crucial role by keeping the color grounded and subtle. Without this gray influence, the blue-green would look too bright or bold for many spaces.

The gray acts like a filter that softens the overall effect, making Smoke more livable for everyday use.

This balance helps the color feel mature and refined rather than showy or loud.

Gray gives Smoke the grown-up quality that helps it work in formal living rooms just as well as in casual spaces.

How to Use Smoke in Different Spaces?

1. Living Rooms

Smoke brings a peaceful feel to living rooms while still adding enough depth to keep the space interesting. The color creates a soft backdrop that helps people relax without making the room feel flat or boring.

It pairs beautifully with white trim, which creates clean lines and makes the color stand out more clearly.

Adding warm wood tones through furniture, floors, or accent pieces helps balance Smoke’s coolness.

This contrast adds warmth and makes the space feel more complete and cozy rather than too cool or clinical.

2. Bedrooms

Smoke creates a quiet, restful space in bedrooms – just what you need for good sleep. Its blue-gray tones help lower stress and promote calm without feeling cold or stark.

The color works really well with soft whites for bedding, which keeps the room feeling clean and fresh.

You can add small touches of light pastels for a soft, dreamy look or bring in natural wood furniture to add warmth.

These pairings help Smoke feel cozy rather than chilly, making for a bedroom that feels both stylish and sleep-friendly.

3. Kitchens

While not common, Smoke offers a fresh option for kitchen design. Instead of using it on all cabinets, focus on lower cabinets or just the island.

This creates a nice focal point without making the room feel too dark or cold.

Warm wood tones and white countertops help balance the coolness of Smoke.

4. Bathrooms

When used properly, smoke creates a spa-like feeling in bathrooms. The blue-gray tone feels clean and fresh in this setting. The contrast makes the space feel open and light when paired with bright white tiles.

Chrome hardware adds a shine that complements the cool undertones in Smoke.

The overall effect gives your bathroom a calm, high-end look without being too dark or heavy.

Using this color on walls while keeping fixtures white creates a balanced space that feels both modern and timeless.

5. Exteriors

Smoke makes an excellent exterior paint choice for many homes. When used with white trim, the contrast helps house details stand out clearly. Adding dark shutters creates a three-color palette that looks put-together without trying too hard.

This color fits perfectly with coastal homes, where it mimics the gray-blue of ocean waters.

It also suits traditional house styles, offering a softer alternative to standard grays.

The color holds up well in changing light conditions, maintaining its appeal throughout the day.

Before painting your entire house, test Smoke in a small area to ensure it works with your existing roof color and other fixed elements.

This careful approach helps you avoid costly mistakes.

White Trim Colors That Complement Smoke

Finding the right white trim to pair with Benjamin Moore Smoke can make a big difference in your space. Here are the best options:

Bright & Crisp: Chantilly Lace (OC-65): Chantilly Lace creates a sharp contrast with Smoke. This clean, bright white brings out the blue-gray tones in Smoke and adds a fresh, modern look to any room.
Soft & Warm: White Dove (OC-17): White Dove offers a subtle balance with Smoke. This warm white has just enough softness to complement Smoke’s cool tones without competing with them.
Neutral White: Simply White (OC-117): Simply White maintains versatility with Smoke. This balanced white works in various lighting conditions and helps Smoke show its true color while creating a timeless look.

For best results, test these whites in your actual space to see how they interact with your lighting and other elements.

Similar Colors to Smoke (Comparison Guide)

When choosing paint colors, it helps to compare similar options to find the perfect match for your space. Here’s a detailed look at how Benjamin Moore Smoke compares to other popular blue-gray-green options.

Smoke vs. Beach Glass

Benjamin Moore Smoke and Beach Glass share a blue-green-gray foundation but with notable differences:

Color Balance: Beach Glass contains more green in its makeup than Smoke. While Smoke leans more toward the blue side of the spectrum, Beach Glass has a stronger green presence that gives it a slightly different character.

Depth and Brightness: Beach Glass is a bit darker than Smoke, with respective Light Reflectance Values (LRVs) of 49.7 and 56.39. This means Beach Glass absorbs more light and can appear deeper on your walls.

Visual Effect: Beach Glass’s higher green content can make it feel more like a soft sea glass color, while Smoke maintains a more balanced blue-gray appearance.

Room Suitability: Beach Glass might work better in rooms where you want a slightly stronger color statement, while Smoke offers more versatility across different spaces.

Smoke vs. Pale Smoke

Despite their similar names, Smoke and Pale Smoke have distinct differences:

Color Composition: Both colors favor blue over green or gray, creating a family resemblance. However, Pale Smoke incorporates more green and gray undertones than Smoke.

Brightness Level: Pale Smoke is significantly lighter than Smoke with an LRV of 63.6 compared to Smoke’s 56.39. This makes Pale Smoke appear brighter and more reflective on walls.

Visual Impact: Pale smoke’s higher LRV creates a softer, more subtle appearance on walls, while Smoke provides more depth and definition.

Best Applications: Pale Smoke works well in smaller spaces or rooms with limited natural light, while Smoke can add more character to larger rooms or areas with good lighting.

Smoke vs. Woodlawn Blue

Both colors have a blue foundation but differ in important ways:

Undertone Differences: Woodlawn Blue picks up more green than Smoke, giving it a cheerier, more vibrant appearance. Smoke maintains a moodier, more sophisticated look with its balanced blue-gray profile.

Light Reflectance: Woodlawn Blue is lighter than Smoke with a higher LRV of 60.65 compared to Smoke’s 56.39. This means Woodlawn Blue reflects more light and appears brighter on walls.

Mood and Feeling: Woodlawn Blue’s increased green creates a fresher, more energetic feel, while Smoke’s blue-gray balance offers a calmer, more contemplative atmosphere.

Design Versatility: Woodlawn Blue tends to work well in casual, coastal, or traditional spaces, while Smoke’s slightly moodier character makes it suitable for both traditional and contemporary settings.

By understanding these subtle differences, you can choose the color that best suits your space and design goals. Remember to test samples in your actual room with its specific lighting conditions before making a final decision.

How to Sample Smoke Before Painting?

Testing paint colors before committing is a smart approach. Peel and stick paint samples offer a simple way to try Smoke in your space without the mess of paint cans and brushes.

Samplize provides ready-made paint samples that arrive at your home quickly. These samples show the true color on a white backing that you can move around your room to see how Smoke looks in different lighting and against various walls.

This method costs less than buying sample pots, rollers, and boards. It also helps the environment by reducing waste from unused paint.

Simply place the sample on your wall, observe it during different times of day, and make your decision with more confidence.

Conclusion

Smoke by Benjamin Moore offers a unique blend of blue, green, and gray that works in many homes. This balanced color sits perfectly between too light and too dark, making it useful in various lighting conditions.

When picking paint colors, remember that Smoke changes with your lighting – cooler in north-facing rooms and softer in southern light.

Compare it with alternatives like Beach Glass, Pale Smoke, or Woodlawn Blue to find your perfect match.

Whether you use it in living spaces, bedrooms, or even kitchen cabinets, Smoke brings a sense of calm without feeling flat.

Its blue-gray tones create a timeless look that won’t quickly go out of style, making it a worthy consideration for your next paint project.