Shale
Benjamin Moore · 861
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The Analysis
Shale is a balanced mid-tone greige that creates a grounded, stable atmosphere without feeling dark. With an LRV of 51.17, it reflects about half of the light that hits it, meaning it won't make a room feel cramped, but it also won't act as a 'brightener' in dim spaces.
This is a quintessential main wall color meant to unify an open-concept layout. It works best as a subtle, sophisticated anchor that allows your furniture and art to take center stage rather than competing for attention.
LRV 51History & Origin
Shale fits firmly into a modern aesthetic. It moves away from the stark, cold grays of the last decade and embraces the warmer, more organic palette currently defining contemporary interior design.
How to Use It
This shade excels in living rooms and bedrooms paired with light white oak or walnut wood tones. Use matte black hardware for a sharp, modern contrast, or aged brass if you want to pull out the subtle warmth in the paint.
The Mood
Living with Shale is restful and predictable because it lacks aggressive yellow or blue undertones. It provides a clean, neutral backdrop that reduces visual clutter, making it an excellent choice for high-traffic areas where you want to minimize stress.
Colour harmonies
Complementary
Opposite on the colour wheel — bold, high-contrast pairings. Use for a feature wall or furniture you want to command attention.
Analogous
Neighbouring hues — cohesive and calm, great for layered schemes that feel collected rather than matched.
Split complementary
Near-opposites for strong contrast with a little less tension than a pure complement. A favourite of interior designers.
Triadic
Three evenly spaced hues — balanced, vibrant, and versatile. Keep one dominant and use the others sparingly.
Tetradic (square)
Four hues in a square on the wheel — rich, dynamic palettes. Best when one colour leads and the others accent.
Monochromatic
Dark, mid, and light steps on the same hue — a failsafe gradient for trim, walls, and accents without shifting colour family.
Add harmony palette to a room
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Brand Matches
Perceptually similar colours from across all brands in our database.
Lighting
See how this colour shifts across natural and artificial light conditions.
- Natural
- Morning
- Afternoon
- Evening
- Overcast
- 2700K
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