Fog Mist vs Edgecomb Gray: The Comparison That Actually Helps You Decide
- Beril Yilmaz
- 44 minutes ago
- 11 min read
Fog Mist and Edgecomb Gray are two of Benjamin Moore's most searched neutral comparisons - both sophisticated, both sitting in the greige-adjacent family, and both appearing on shortlists when the brief is a soft, liveable neutral that is not obviously warm and not obviously grey. On a paint chip they look like close relatives. The 7-point LRV gap between them suggests a meaningful depth difference, but on a chip in a store that gap is easy to underestimate. On a wall in a real room they create noticeably different rooms - and the difference is not just about how light or dark the colour reads.
Fog Mist OC-31 is the lighter of the two at LRV 70. It has a cool grey-green undertone that places it firmly outside the warm neutral family - it is not a greige in the traditional sense and it is not a warm beige. It reads as a calm, misty, cool-leaning neutral with architectural restraint. Edgecomb Gray HC-173 sits at LRV 63, seven points deeper, and occupies a genuinely different category: a warm greige-taupe that straddles grey and beige without fully committing to either, shifting gently between its subtle green and faint pink undertones depending on the light. Fog Mist is cool and calm. Edgecomb Gray is warm and grounded.
This guide covers exactly how Fog Mist and Edgecomb Gray differ in undertone, depth, light behaviour, and room application - with a clear verdict on which one to choose and when, and a direct answer on the most important practical question: which one actually belongs in your room.
At a Glance
| Fog Mist OC-31 | Edgecomb Gray HC-173 |
Brand | Benjamin Moore | Benjamin Moore |
LRV | 70 - light, airy, reflects well | 63 - medium-light, more body and depth on the wall |
Colour category | Cool-leaning off-white - grey-green undertone, misty and restrained | Warm greige-taupe - balanced between grey and beige, grounded |
Undertones | Cool grey-green - calm, architectural, clearly not warm beige | Warm greige-taupe - subtle green or faint pink depending on conditions |
Character | Calm, misty, cool neutral - sophisticated restraint, airy | Soft, warm, grounded - earthy, welcoming, classic greige |
North-facing | Can read quite grey-cool - worth sampling carefully | Handles well - green undertone adapts without going cold |
South-facing | Beautiful - cool quality is softened, reads as serene | Warm and welcoming - beige quality activates with warm light |
Open-plan | Good in well-lit spaces; test in north-facing zones | Excellent - consistent across orientations, does not read cold |
On walls | Calm, airy cool backdrop - contemporary and Japandi schemes | Warm, grounded backdrop - transitional, traditional, modern farmhouse |
On cabinets | Cool grey-green cabinet - contemporary and coastal kitchens | Warm greige cabinet - transitional and traditional kitchens |
Trim for each | Chantilly Lace OC-65 or Simply White OC-117 for crispness | White Dove OC-17 or Simply White OC-117 - warm off-whites work best |
Style fit | Contemporary, Japandi, coastal, minimalist, organic modern | Transitional, traditional, modern farmhouse, warm contemporary |
Architect's pick | When a cool, calm, airy neutral is the brief | When a warm, grounded, versatile greige is the brief |
BM Fog Mist OC-31 - What It Really Looks Like
Fog Mist has an LRV of 70 and a cool grey-green undertone that is the single most important fact to understand before committing to it. It is not obviously green - it does not read as a green colour on the wall and it will not give you the clearly botanical result that October Mist OC-26 would. The grey component is strong enough to anchor it firmly as a neutral. What the grey-green gives Fog Mist is a quality of calm, considered restraint - a colour that reads as cool, misty, and architecturally precise rather than warm or inviting in the way that greiges tend to be.
In my practice Fog Mist works best when the brief is specifically a cool, airy neutral - Japandi bedrooms, coastal living rooms, minimalist spaces where warm greige would feel too earthy or too traditional. I have used it in a north-facing study where a warm neutral would have read as flat and sad under the indirect light, and the cool grey-green quality of Fog Mist actually worked with the light direction rather than against it - the room read as calm and deliberate rather than cold and grey. That said, in rooms with no warm materials and no warm artificial lighting, Fog Mist can push toward a clinical grey reading. Warm 2700K bulbs and natural materials - linen, oak, stone - are what keep it on the right side of serene. The full standalone picture of Fog Mist across every application is in the Fog Mist review.
BM Edgecomb Gray HC-173 - What It Really Looks Like
Edgecomb Gray has an LRV of 63 and a warm greige-taupe undertone that sits genuinely between grey and beige without committing fully to either direction. The warmth is real - this is not a cool grey dressed up in beige tones. But the warmth is also restrained enough that Edgecomb Gray reads as balanced and neutral rather than obviously warm in the way that Pale Oak or Accessible Beige do. The subtle green undertone can surface in certain lighting - particularly when there is greenery outside or in south-facing rooms with warm natural light - but most of the time Edgecomb Gray reads simply as a clean, sophisticated warm greige without announcing its undertone clearly.
Edgecomb Gray is the colour I specify when the client brief is "a warm neutral that goes with everything." It is genuinely one of the most broadly versatile neutrals in the BM range. I have used it in open-plan living spaces where the floor material was medium oak, the joinery was white, and the kitchen island was painted a deeper charcoal - and Edgecomb Gray on the walls held the whole scheme together without taking sides. It does not compete with warm floors or cool accents. The 7-point LRV difference from Fog Mist is meaningful in practice - Edgecomb Gray has real body on the wall, creates warmth and enclosure in a way that Fog Mist's airier depth does not. For how Edgecomb Gray compares to its closest BM neighbour in the warm greige family, the Pale Oak vs Edgecomb Gray guide covers that specific comparison in full.
The Real Difference Between Fog Mist and Edgecomb Gray
Fog Mist is cool. Edgecomb Gray is warm. That is the single most important distinction between these two colours and it resolves the comparison for most people before the LRV gap even comes into play.
The undertone difference is the defining one. Fog Mist's cool grey-green places it in a completely different family from Edgecomb Gray's warm greige-taupe. They are not competing versions of the same colour brief - they serve different design intentions in different room types for different aesthetic directions. Fog Mist belongs in rooms where the brief is calm, airy, cool restraint. Edgecomb Gray belongs in rooms where the brief is warm, grounded, welcoming neutrality.
The 7-point LRV gap adds a second layer to the distinction. At LRV 70, Fog Mist is a genuinely light colour that reads as airy and bright on the wall - it contributes to the sense of space in a room rather than adding weight or enclosure. At LRV 63, Edgecomb Gray has enough body to add warmth and depth - it is still a light colour by any absolute measure, but it creates a more grounded, settled quality than Fog Mist. In smaller rooms or rooms without strong natural light, this LRV difference is more significant than it appears on a chip. Fog Mist will hold its brightness. Edgecomb Gray will hold its warmth but can read slightly flat without sufficient light to support it.
Not sure which one works for your room? A colour consultation is included in all our design packages - book directly here. |
When to Choose Fog Mist
Choose Fog Mist when the brief is a cool, calm, airy neutral with architectural restraint. Contemporary, Japandi, and coastal interiors where warm greige would feel too earthy or too traditional. Rooms where the palette is built around cool materials - linen, pale oak, stone, concrete - and the wall colour needs to sit within that cool family rather than pulling toward warmth. Well-lit rooms with good natural light where the LRV 70 airiness can read as intended. Any brief where Edgecomb Gray's warmer, more grounded quality would feel too heavy or too conventional.
Do not use Fog Mist if the brief is warmth, enclosure, or the classic greige that works with everything. Its cool grey-green will read as cold rather than calm in rooms with no warm materials, no warm artificial light, and no natural light to animate the undertone. In those conditions Edgecomb Gray is the significantly more reliable specification.
When to Choose Edgecomb Gray
Choose Edgecomb Gray when the brief is a warm, versatile, broadly compatible greige that works across orientations and material palettes. Transitional, traditional, and modern farmhouse interiors where the palette includes warm wood, warm stone, or warm fabric tones. Open-plan spaces where the wall colour needs to hold consistently across north and south-facing zones. Rooms where the client brief includes words like "warm but not obviously beige" or "neutral that goes with everything" - Edgecomb Gray is the most reliable answer to that brief in the BM range.
Edgecomb Gray on kitchen cabinets is a particularly successful application - the warm greige quality creates a grounded, sophisticated result that works with both light and dark countertop materials. Where Fog Mist on cabinets can read as slightly cool or industrial, Edgecomb Gray on cabinets reads as warm and considered. It is one of the most consistently recommended BM cabinet colours in transitional kitchen specifications for that reason.
How the Pairings Differ
For Fog Mist on walls, Chantilly Lace OC-65 on trim gives the crispest result - the bright near-neutral white provides clean definition against the cool grey-green without introducing warmth conflict. Simply White OC-117 on trim works for a slightly softer, less contrasting result. White Dove OC-17 on trim alongside Fog Mist can read as slightly too warm - the cream quality of White Dove introduces a warmth note that sits awkwardly against Fog Mist's cool undertone. Test White Dove alongside Fog Mist before committing.
For Edgecomb Gray on walls, White Dove OC-17 on trim is the most natural and most consistently recommended pairing - the soft off-white warmth of White Dove complements the warm greige of Edgecomb Gray without creating undertone conflict. Simply White OC-117 gives a slightly crisper result. Chantilly Lace OC-65 on trim alongside Edgecomb Gray walls gives maximum contrast and a fresh, modern look - the bright white against the warm greige is high-contrast and clean, best suited to contemporary and transitional schemes.
For flooring, Fog Mist is most natural above light, cool materials - pale limestone, large-format porcelain tile, blonde oak, or whitened wood floors. Warm darker wood floors alongside Fog Mist can create an uncomfortable tension between the cool grey-green of the walls and the warm red-brown of the floor. Edgecomb Gray handles a much broader range of floor materials - medium oak, warm oak, warm stone, greige tile, and even cool grey tile sit comfortably alongside it because the greige undertone creates no strong directional conflict with any floor material in the neutral family.
For hardware, Fog Mist works beautifully with matte black and brushed nickel - the cool quality of the wall colour and the precision of cool hardware finishes share a directional clarity that feels considered and contemporary. Aged brass alongside Fog Mist can work in the right scheme but needs warm materials elsewhere to prevent the clash between the cool wall and warm hardware from reading as unresolved. Edgecomb Gray works equally well with warm metals and cool metals - aged brass, brushed nickel, matte black, and chrome all sit comfortably alongside the balanced greige without creating undertone tension.
Architect's Verdict - Fog Mist or Edgecomb Gray?
This comparison is genuinely useful to work through because the two colours look superficially similar on a chip and behave fundamentally differently on a wall.
If the brief is cool, calm, airy, architecturally restrained - a neutral that does not read warm, that suits Japandi or coastal or contemporary schemes, and that brings a quality of misty freshness to a well-lit room - Fog Mist is the answer. It is one of the most distinctive and most rewarding cool neutrals in the BM Off-White range when it lands in the right room. The key word is right room: it is not broadly versatile in the way that Edgecomb Gray is.
If the brief is warm, versatile, broadly compatible - a greige that works across orientations and material palettes, that adds warmth without obviously reading as beige, and that holds together an open-plan scheme with mixed lighting - Edgecomb Gray is the answer. It is one of the most reliable neutral specifications in the BM Historic Colour range and earns that reputation in real rooms.
The test that resolves the comparison: do you want the room to feel cool and calm, or warm and grounded? If cool - Fog Mist. If warm - Edgecomb Gray. There is no right answer to that question independent of the room, the light, and the brief. Sample both at large scale in your specific room under natural and artificial lighting before committing. The chip version of this difference is almost invisible. The wall version is obvious.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fog Mist lighter than Edgecomb Gray?
Yes - by 7 LRV points. Fog Mist has an LRV of 70 and Edgecomb Gray has an LRV of 63. That gap is meaningful in practice: Fog Mist reads as a lighter, airier colour on the wall with a cool quality that contributes to the sense of space. Edgecomb Gray has more body and warmth on the wall and creates a more grounded, settled quality.
Is Fog Mist a warm or cool colour?
Cool. Fog Mist has a cool grey-green undertone that places it firmly outside the warm neutral and warm greige families. It is not obviously green and it will not read as a green colour on the wall - the grey is the dominant quality. But it is clearly not warm in the way that Edgecomb Gray or Pale Oak are warm. This is the most important fact to understand before choosing it.
Is Edgecomb Gray a warm or cool colour?
Warm. Despite having "gray" in the name, Edgecomb Gray is a warm greige-taupe that sits between warm beige and neutral grey. It reads as grounded and earthy rather than cool or crisp. The subtle green undertone can surface in certain conditions but the overall character of Edgecomb Gray is warm and welcoming rather than cool and restrained.
Which is better for north-facing rooms?
Edgecomb Gray handles north-facing rooms more reliably than Fog Mist. Its warm greige undertone adapts to cool indirect light without reading as cold or clinical. Fog Mist in a north-facing room with no warm materials and no warm artificial lighting can push toward a noticeably grey-cool reading that loses the calm, misty quality that makes it successful in well-lit rooms. For north-facing rooms within the cool neutral family, Fog Mist still works but needs warm 2700K lighting and warm materials to hold its character.
Can Fog Mist and Edgecomb Gray be used in the same home?
Yes - in separate rooms with clear visual boundaries. They should not appear on adjacent surfaces because the cool-warm undertone clash between them would read as an unresolved coordination mistake rather than a considered tonal relationship. In separate rooms where the different light conditions suit each colour's character, both can coexist comfortably in the same home.
What is the LRV of Fog Mist vs Edgecomb Gray?
Fog Mist OC-31 has an LRV of 70 and Edgecomb Gray HC-173 has an LRV of 63. The 7-point gap is the largest practical difference between the two colours alongside the undertone direction. Fog Mist is a light, airy colour. Edgecomb Gray has real body and warmth on the wall.
Final Thought
Fog Mist and Edgecomb Gray sit in different families and suit different briefs. The 7-point LRV gap matters, but the cool-versus-warm undertone distinction matters more.
Cool, calm, airy neutral in a well-lit room with pale materials and a contemporary or Japandi brief - Fog Mist with Chantilly Lace or Simply White on trim.
Warm, grounded, broadly versatile greige that works across orientations and material palettes in a transitional or traditional scheme - Edgecomb Gray with White Dove or Simply White on trim.
Sample both at large scale in your specific room. The chip will show a subtle difference. The wall will show the real one.
Want a complete colour scheme built around Fog Mist 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 Fog Mist and Edgecomb Gray across residential projects in the UK and internationally - Fog Mist in contemporary, Japandi, and coastal schemes where a cool, airy, architecturally restrained neutral is the brief, Edgecomb Gray in transitional, traditional, and open-plan schemes where a warm, grounded, broadly versatile greige is what the room calls for.
Comments