Benjamin Moore Sea Salt Review & Inspiration

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What We Love About Benjamin Moore Sea Salt CSP-95

Benjamin Moore’s Sea Salt is a light gray with warm undertones reminiscent of a salty, sandy beach. It’s a neutral shade that works beautifully as an all-over paint color for today’s open-plan homes. Darker than an off-white, Sea Salt is a light color that amplifies the light in large, open spaces for a light and airy effect.

Walls in Benjamin Moore Sea Salt

Walls in Benjamin Moore Sea Salt

This modern gray is what’s known as a “greige”; a balanced neutral that fluctuates between gray and beige depending on the light. Sea Salt is part of Benjamin Moore’s unique Color Stories Collection, described as “a series of striking hues crafted to take on different appearances as the light changes”. Complex, clean, and a little bit earthy, this pale greige is a stylish backdrop for coastal blues and rustic wood floors. Be sure to sample Sea Salt for your next DIY interior design project!

Undertones in Benjamin Moore Sea Salt

Sea Salt is part of the gray color palette, but it’s warmer than the typical, classic gray wall color. Undertones of brown and beige add richness and complexity, making Sea Salt appear to change color with the weather and the time of day. Depending on the type of lighting in a room the warm undertones will be either more or less visible. In south-facing rooms or brightly lit areas, Sea Salt paint will appear warmer and more beige. If you have north-facing windows or overcast weather, you can expect to see more gray-blue undertones and wall paint may appear darker.

With a light reflectance value or LRV of 62.93, Sea Salt is darker than an off-white but it’s still a light, neutral paint color. Its warm undertones will provide a reliably greige tint most of the time. It’s a great neutral color for the living room, kitchen cabinets, laundry room, or master bedroom even in spaces with low natural light. Unlike many light gray paint colors, Sea Salt has enough color that it won’t wash out completely in brightly lit rooms. This versatile greige paint works beautifully in open-plan homes and adds character throughout the day. It also suits many different design styles, from farmhouses to modern and coastal interiors.

Pairing it with a neutral white like Chantilly Lace or the slightly warmer White Dove lets its complex undertones shine.

Where to Use Sea Salt

Benjamin Moore Sea Salt is a neutral paint color that you can use throughout your home. It is a popular choice for bedrooms, particularly when matched with blue and green color schemes. Families love that it’s gender-neutral and suitable for children of any age.

Benjamin Moore Sea Salt CSP-95 gives a child’s bedroom a warm color they can grow with.

Benjamin Moore Sea Salt CSP-95 gives a child’s bedroom a warm color they can grow with.

Sea Salt is also an elegant choice for living rooms with lighter furniture and floor decor. It can beautifully frame the sparkle of a wood or tiled floor.

Benjamin Moore Sea Salt CSP-95 provides continuity and warmth as the backdrop for a living room and dining room.

Benjamin Moore Sea Salt CSP-95 provides continuity and warmth as the backdrop for a living room and dining room.

The warm undertones of Sea Salt are the perfect companion to the bleached pine and straw matting of this coastal dining room.

Sea Salt wall color; image courtesy of Ballard Designs

Sea Salt wall color; image courtesy of Ballard Designs

What Colors Go Best with Sea Salt?

Sea Salt is one of the perfect shades of gray for a cozy backdrop for furniture and art. Its sandy tones are the ideal companion to cool blue-gray shades, ranging from dark blues like Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy to the blue-green of Wythe Blue and even the palest Palladian Blue.

Medium, nature-inspired shades like terracotta, gold, and forest green bring out Sea Salt’s earthy side, while the black and white farmhouse interior design highlights its warmth and complexity. Combine soft black Wrought Iron window frames, and warm Linen White moldings and trim with Sea Salt walls for a cozy farmhouse look.

Other Similar Colors

Sea Salt is a timeless and versatile color, but it may not work for you if the tint or the undertones aren’t quite right. If Sea Salt has too much tint for your space, you may prefer a lighter warm gray like Benjamin Moore‘s Pale Oak, or an off-white like Moonshine. If you like the warm greige tones of Sea Salt but want a slightly darker paint color, be sure to sample Revere Pewter.

Buy A Sea Salt Benjamin Moore Paint Sample

Light, neutral paint colors are susceptible to shifts in an undertone that could make them appear cooler or warmer depending on the lighting conditions and time of day. We recommend testing a sample of Sea Salt and any other options you’re considering before deciding on your final choice.

One of our designers’ favorite tips for an easy way to test paint swatches on multiple walls in your house, is to paint a large poster board using a Benjamin Moore Paint Color Sample and move it around the room to observe the color on different walls and in different lighting conditions.

Once you’ve settled on your color choice and are ready to order your paint, come back here to check our Interior Paint Guide to help you find the right sheen and product for your home!