Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace vs Edgecomb Gray: The Comparison That Actually Helps You Decide
- Beril Yilmaz
- 2 hours ago
- 9 min read
Chantilly Lace and Edgecomb Gray are both Benjamin Moore colours and both appear on designer shortlists regularly - one as the go-to crisp white, one as the go-to sophisticated warm greige. Both are consistently specified by architects and interior designers. Both carry genuine quality. On a mood board they often appear together as natural companions in a well-considered neutral scheme - and rightly so, because unlike many white-vs-neutral pairings, these two can and do work together in the same room.
Chantilly Lace reads as white - the crispest, most brilliant white in the entire Benjamin Moore range. At LRV 92 it reflects light at the maximum end of the residential scale. Edgecomb Gray reads as a colour. At LRV 63 it is a warm greige with genuine depth, a sophisticated earthy character, and grounded presence on four walls. The 29-point LRV gap between them is large and clearly visible - but unlike the warm beige and warm greige neutrals that create undertone conflicts with Chantilly Lace on trim, Edgecomb Gray's balanced beige-greige undertone is compatible with Chantilly Lace in specific applications.
This guide covers exactly how Chantilly Lace and Edgecomb Gray differ in undertone, LRV, light behaviour, and room application - with a clear verdict on which one to choose and when, and a precise answer on the trim question.
At a Glance
| Chantilly Lace OC-65 | Edgecomb Gray HC-173 |
Brand | Benjamin Moore | Benjamin Moore |
LRV | 92 - the brightest white in the BM range | 63 - light-to-mid warm greige, reads as a colour |
Colour category | Crisp near-neutral white - reads as architecturally white | Warm greige - reads as a sophisticated settled neutral |
Undertones | Near-neutral with the faintest cool quality - no warmth, no cream | Warm beige-greige with soft taupe quality - earthy, balanced, sophisticated |
Character | Crisp, brilliant, maximum reflectance - the definition of clean white | Warm, grounded, earthy greige with real presence and sophistication |
North-facing | Excellent - near-neutral holds in any light without reading cold | Very good - taupe-beige quality holds well in cool indirect light |
South-facing | Excellent - brilliant and luminous, never yellows | Excellent - beige quality comes forward, warmth at its most beautiful |
Open-plan | Excellent - reads consistently across all orientations | Excellent - one of BM's most consistent open-plan greiges |
On walls | Crisp white backdrop - maximum brightness and definition | Settled warm greige with body, depth, and presence |
On cabinets | Outstanding - most widely specified contemporary cabinet white | Sophisticated warm greige - suits transitional kitchens |
Use together? | Yes - Chantilly Lace on trim alongside Edgecomb Gray walls works for contemporary schemes | Edgecomb Gray walls with Chantilly Lace trim gives maximum contrast - suits contemporary and transitional |
Preferred trim for Edgecomb Gray | Chantilly Lace OC-65 for maximum contrast; White Dove OC-17 for warmer, softer result; Simply White OC-117 between the two |
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Style fit | Contemporary, minimal, Scandinavian, coastal, transitional | Traditional, transitional, contemporary - broadly versatile |
Architect's pick | When crisp brilliant near-neutral white is the brief | When warm greige with depth and sophistication is the brief |
BM Chantilly Lace OC-65 - What It Really Looks Like
Chantilly Lace has an LRV of 92 - the highest of any commonly specified Benjamin Moore white. The undertone is near-neutral with the faintest cool quality - just enough to prevent it reading as cream or ivory, not enough to read as blue or cold in any normal light condition. That near-neutral character is what makes it so broadly compatible: it works alongside warm wall colours, cool wall colours, and complex mixed palettes without creating undertone conflict in most applications.
Chantilly Lace does not have warmth. It has precision. On walls it creates a brilliant, light-filled backdrop where brightness is the defining feature of the room. On cabinets it is the most widely specified contemporary cabinet white in residential design - the near-neutral quality works alongside virtually every countertop and hardware finish without tension. I specify it most often in contemporary and transitional schemes where the brief calls for a white that reads as genuinely, unambiguously white. For its full coordination picture, the Chantilly Lace coordinating colours guide covers every combination.
BM Edgecomb Gray HC-173 - What It Really Looks Like
Edgecomb Gray has an LRV of 63 - sitting in the light-to-mid value range, deeper than Pale Oak and lighter than Revere Pewter. It is the Benjamin Moore greige that occupies the most useful position in the entire BM neutral palette: warm enough to feel inviting, restrained enough to feel sophisticated, and balanced enough to work across a wide range of rooms and material palettes. It is the neutral that works when Pale Oak feels too pale and Revere Pewter feels too committed.
The undertone is warm beige-greige with a soft taupe quality - it reads as a soft, earthy greige rather than a grey with beige in it. In warm south-facing light the beige quality comes forward and Edgecomb Gray reads as a beautifully warm, settled neutral. In north-facing conditions the taupe-grey quality moderates and the colour holds its sophistication reliably. It is one of the most consistent performers across different light conditions in the entire BM range. For its full standalone picture, the Edgecomb Gray review covers every room type and condition in detail.
The Real Difference Between Chantilly Lace and Edgecomb Gray
edgeChantilly Lace is a crisp near-neutral white. Edgecomb Gray is a warm greige. They are different categories of colour that serve fundamentally different purposes - and at 29 LRV points apart, the gap is clearly visible on a wall.
Chantilly Lace rooms feel crisp, precise, and light-maximising. The walls recede and brightness is the atmosphere. Edgecomb Gray rooms feel warm, settled, and specifically greige - with an earthy sophistication and depth that no white can replicate on four walls. These are not two options for the same brief.
Where this comparison differs from other white-vs-greige pairings is the trim question. Unlike Agreeable Gray or Accessible Beige - where Chantilly Lace on trim creates an undertone conflict with the warm wall colour - Edgecomb Gray's balanced beige-greige undertone is compatible with Chantilly Lace on trim in contemporary and transitional schemes. The cool precision of Chantilly Lace against the warm earthiness of Edgecomb Gray creates a high-contrast, considered result that reads as intentionally architectural. It is a bolder choice than White Dove on trim - White Dove gives a warmer, softer boundary - but for the right brief it works well. For a direct comparison of how Edgecomb Gray sits alongside Alabaster - the SW warm white that is most often confused with Chantilly Lace at first glance - the Alabaster vs Edgecomb Gray guide covers that distinction in full.
Not sure which one works for your room? A colour consultation is included in all our design packages - book directly here. |
When to Choose Chantilly Lace
Choose Chantilly Lace when the brief is crisp, brilliant, near-neutral white. Contemporary and minimal interiors where maximum brightness and precision are the goal. Cabinets in any kitchen style - the near-neutral quality works alongside virtually every countertop and hardware finish. Trim in rooms where Edgecomb Gray is on the walls and the brief calls for maximum contrast and a contemporary, architectural result.
Chantilly Lace on trim alongside Edgecomb Gray walls is a legitimate design choice - particularly in transitional and contemporary schemes where the contrast between crisp white trim and warm greige walls reads as deliberate and sophisticated. If the scheme is more traditional or the brief calls for warmth throughout, White Dove OC-17 on trim gives a softer, more tonal result that most clients find more immediately livable.
When to Choose Edgecomb Gray
Choose Edgecomb Gray when a warm, sophisticated greige with real depth and presence is the brief. Traditional, transitional, and warm contemporary interiors where the walls need to contribute character. Living rooms, primary bedrooms, and open-plan kitchen-diners where a warm, earthy greige atmosphere is the goal. Rooms with warm wood floors, warm stone, and brass or bronze hardware where the beige-greige quality ties naturally into the palette.
Edgecomb Gray is the right answer when Pale Oak feels too pale and insubstantial and the brief needs a wall colour that reads as a definite colour decision with presence and depth. It handles both north and south-facing conditions gracefully - more reliably than warmer, more committed beige neutrals - making it one of the most versatile BM greiges for open-plan spaces.
How the Pairings Differ
For Edgecomb Gray on walls, there are three trim options within the BM system. White Dove OC-17 is the most natural and cohesive - the warm grey-cream undertone relates directly to Edgecomb Gray's beige-greige direction and creates a warm, layered result that most people find immediately comfortable. Simply White OC-117 provides a slightly brighter, crisper boundary. Chantilly Lace OC-65 gives maximum contrast and suits contemporary and transitional schemes where the white trim needs to read as genuinely, sharply white against the warm greige walls. All three keep the pairing within the BM system, which is the strongest approach.
For Chantilly Lace on walls, there is no role for Edgecomb Gray on trim - the depth and warmth of Edgecomb Gray would make Chantilly Lace walls read as cold and thin by contrast. Trim alongside Chantilly Lace walls should be Chantilly Lace itself for no visible trim line, Simply White OC-117 for a slightly warmer boundary, or a deep contrasting colour for maximum architectural definition.
For flooring, Chantilly Lace works most naturally with cool-to-neutral floor materials - white oak, light stone, pale limestone, and contemporary tile. Edgecomb Gray works beautifully with warm wood floors in any tone - light oak, white oak, warm walnut - where the shared warmth of floor and wall creates an instinctively cohesive result. The Edgecomb Gray walls with warm wood floors and Chantilly Lace trim combination is one of the most reliably successful transitional kitchen schemes I use in practice.
For hardware, Chantilly Lace handles the full range of hardware finishes including brushed nickel, chrome, matte black, and aged brass. Edgecomb Gray is strongest with warm metals - aged brass, warm bronze, and matte gold - but also handles brushed nickel in transitional and contemporary schemes where the taupe quality in the undertone bridges warm and cool metal tones.
Architect's Verdict - Chantilly Lace or Edgecomb Gray?
These two colours are not competing for the same brief - and unlike many white-vs-neutral comparisons, they are also genuinely capable of working together in the same scheme.
If the brief is crisp, brilliant, near-neutral white - maximum brightness, contemporary precision, versatile cabinet white - Chantilly Lace is the answer. It is the best white in the BM range for that brief.
If the brief is warm, sophisticated greige with depth and earthy presence - a wall colour that contributes character rather than simply providing a bright backdrop - Edgecomb Gray is the answer, with White Dove OC-17 on trim for a warm, cohesive result or Chantilly Lace on trim for a crisper, more contemporary one.
The test: decide first whether you want the walls to read as white or as a colour. If white - Chantilly Lace. If colour - Edgecomb Gray. Then decide whether the trim needs to be warm and cohesive or crisp and high-contrast. Both White Dove and Chantilly Lace are legitimate trim choices alongside Edgecomb Gray walls - the right one depends on the style brief.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chantilly Lace lighter than Edgecomb Gray?
Yes - by 29 LRV points. Chantilly Lace has an LRV of 92 and Edgecomb Gray has an LRV of 63. The gap is clearly visible on a wall - Chantilly Lace reads as a crisp brilliant white and Edgecomb Gray reads as a light-to-mid warm greige with real presence. They belong to entirely different colour categories.
Does Chantilly Lace work as trim with Edgecomb Gray on walls?
Yes - it is one of three solid trim options for Edgecomb Gray walls. Chantilly Lace gives maximum contrast and suits contemporary and transitional schemes where crisp, high-contrast trim is part of the brief. White Dove OC-17 gives a warmer, softer result that most people find more immediately comfortable. Simply White OC-117 sits between the two. The right choice depends entirely on the style brief - all three work.
Do Chantilly Lace and Edgecomb Gray go together?
Yes - more naturally than most white-and-greige pairings. Unlike Agreeable Gray or Accessible Beige, where Chantilly Lace on trim creates an undertone conflict, Edgecomb Gray's balanced beige-greige undertone is compatible with Chantilly Lace's near-neutral crispness. Edgecomb Gray walls with Chantilly Lace trim is a high-contrast, contemporary-leaning combination that works particularly well in open-plan kitchen-diners and transitional living rooms.
Which is better for a north-facing room?
Both handle north-facing rooms reliably. Chantilly Lace's near-neutral undertone reads consistently in any light condition. Edgecomb Gray's taupe-beige quality holds its sophistication in cool indirect light without shifting cold - it is one of the more reliable warm greiges for north-facing conditions. Either works - the choice is about colour category and brief, not orientation.
What is the LRV of Chantilly Lace vs Edgecomb Gray?
Chantilly Lace OC-65 has an LRV of 92 and Edgecomb Gray HC-173 has an LRV of 63. The 29-point gap places them in different brightness categories. Chantilly Lace reads as a brilliant crisp white. Edgecomb Gray reads as a light-to-mid warm greige with presence and depth on a wall.
Final Thought
Chantilly Lace and Edgecomb Gray are both outstanding colours for the right brief - and one of the more interesting aspects of this comparison is that they are also one of the more naturally compatible white-and-greige combinations in the BM range.
If the brief is maximum brightness and crisp precision - Chantilly Lace on walls or cabinets. If the brief is warm, sophisticated greige depth - Edgecomb Gray on walls with either White Dove or Chantilly Lace on trim depending on the style direction. Buy sample pots of both, paint large patches in your room, and look at them across a full day. The answer will be clear within 24 hours.
Want a complete colour scheme built around Chantilly Lace or Edgecomb Gray? Our design packages cover full palette selection, finish recommendations, and 3D visualisations - see our packages. |
About the Author
Beril Yilmaz is a qualified architect and interior designer based in the UK. She runs BY Design And Viz, a design platform covering paint colour reviews, interior design guidance, and residential design projects. Beril has specified both Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace and Edgecomb Gray across residential projects in the UK and internationally - often with Chantilly Lace on trim alongside Edgecomb Gray walls in transitional kitchen-diner schemes.
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