Carolina Gull vs Pewter Green

Carolina Gull (Benjamin Moore) and Pewter Green (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Both sit in the green-grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. The 16-point LRV gap — 27 for Carolina Gull vs 12 for Pewter Green — means Carolina Gull will open up a space more effectively. Where Carolina Gull leans green, Pewter Green reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 16.9 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Carolina Gull vs Pewter Green in Real Spaces

6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Carolina Gull and Pewter Green in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.

Living Room

A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Carolina Gull reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Pewter Green.

Carolina Gull2138-40 Hallway

@homemadefoodjunkie

Pewter GreenPewter Green SW 6208 living room

@mybudgetrecipes

Bedroom

Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Carolina Gull returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Carolina GullCarolina Gull Bedroom

@paintcoloursuk

Pewter GreenBedroom painted in Sherwin-Williams Pewter Green

@mybudgetrecipes

Dining Room

Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The LRV gap is large enough that Carolina Gull will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Pewter Green would.

Carolina GullBm Carolina Gull Dining Room

@thdesignandremodeling

Pewter GreenPewter Green Dining Room - Modern Organic Earthiness

@simplywalldecor

Bathroom

Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Carolina Gull returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Carolina GullCarolina Gull Bathroom Vanity

@blue.sliver.design

Pewter GreenGreen bathroom in Pewter Green by Sherwin Williams

@mybudgetrecipes

Home Office

Home office walls matter more than most — you're looking at them all day, and a color that reads fine at first can become tiring over time. Carolina Gull returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Carolina GullBenjamin Moore Carolina Gull Home Office

@mandymilks_creative

Pewter GreenSW 6208 home office inspiration

@mybudgetrecipes

Kitchen Cabinets

Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Carolina Gull returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Carolina GullCarolina Gull Kitchen Island

@colorfulcupboardpainting

Pewter GreenSW Pewter Green kitchen cabinets review

@thebirdielane

Color Details

Carolina Gull
Benjamin Moore · 2138-40
Hex#858D81
LRV27.4
BrandBenjamin Moore
Number2138-40
UndertoneGreen
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams · 6208
Hex#5E6259
LRV11.8
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6208
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark

Carolina Gull vs Pewter Green Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Carolina Gull on one side and Pewter Green on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.

More Carolina Gull comparisons

See how Carolina Gull stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Carolina Gull
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Carolina Gull
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Carolina Gull
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Carolina Gull reads noticeably lighter

Purbeck Stone
Carolina Gull
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone reads noticeably lighter

Evergreen Fog
Carolina Gull
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Nearly identical in tone

Mizzle
Carolina Gull
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reads noticeably lighter

Agreeable Gray
Carolina Gull
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Accessible Beige
Carolina Gull
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

Accessible Beige is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Carolina Gull
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Nearly identical in tone

French Gray
Carolina Gull
French Gray
Farrow & Ball
French Gray
LRV 43

French Gray reads noticeably lighter

Naval
Carolina Gull
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Carolina Gull reads noticeably lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Carolina Gull
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Bancha
Carolina Gull
Bancha
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

Carolina Gull reads noticeably lighter

Hardwick White
Carolina Gull
Hardwick White
Farrow & Ball
Hardwick White
LRV 44

Hardwick White reads noticeably lighter

Pure White
Carolina Gull
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Pure White
LRV 84

Pure White is the lighter choice

Artichoke
Carolina Gull
Artichoke
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

Carolina Gull reads slightly lighter

Balboa Mist
Carolina Gull
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Shoji White
Carolina Gull
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Shoji White
LRV 74

Shoji White is the lighter choice

Snowbound
Carolina Gull
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound is the lighter choice

Skimming Stone
Carolina Gull
Skimming Stone
Farrow & Ball
Skimming Stone
LRV 68

Skimming Stone is the lighter choice

Dix Blue
Carolina Gull
Dix Blue
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Dix Blue reads noticeably lighter

Calamine
Carolina Gull
Calamine
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine is the lighter choice

Treron
Carolina Gull
Treron
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Nearly identical in tone

Vintage Vogue
Carolina Gull
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Carolina Gull reads noticeably lighter

Saybrook Sage
Carolina Gull
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Saybrook Sage
LRV 45

Saybrook Sage reads noticeably lighter

Pale Green
Carolina Gull
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads slightly lighter

Pine Needle
Carolina Gull
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Carolina Gull reads noticeably lighter

Cement grey
Carolina Gull
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Carolina Gull reads slightly lighter

Guilford Green
Carolina Gull
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Guilford Green
LRV 57

Guilford Green is the lighter choice

Just Walnut
Carolina Gull
Just Walnut
Dulux
Just Walnut
LRV 72

Just Walnut is the lighter choice