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Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull (The Latest in Sage Greens!) 2138-40

    Carolina Gull is an on-trend sage green color that hasn’t been used in a million homes yet!

    It’s subtle, versatile, and probably goes with your existing colors and decor.

    Let’s take a look at everything Carolina Gull, from coordinating colors to dupes in other brands. (And of course, see it in some real homes!)

    Carolina Gull Swatch beside picture of gray gulls in a blue sky

    This post may contain affiliate links. Should you choose to make a purchase through one of my links, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. I only recommend products that I use.

    What Color is Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull (2138-40)

    Like most greens, Carolina Gull looks far more green in real life than it does on the swatch. You could almost be fooled into thinking it is equal parts gray and green, but as you will see in a moment, it is definitely green.

    I would say that Carolina Gull is a pretty accurate sage color, with a bit more life and brightness than other options.

    LRV of Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull

    Carolina Gull is right in the mid-toned color range. It has an LRV of 26.37.

    Paintbrush swipe of Carolina Gull

    What’s an LRV again?

    The LRV of a color indicates on a scale of 0 – 100 how much light a color reflects (or doesn’t reflect). True black has an LRV of 0 and pure white has an LRV of 100.

    In the paint world, we are working in a range of about 3 – 93 because no paint color is purely black or completely white.

    26 might sound pretty dark on a scale from 0 to 100, but in my opinion, truly dark colors have an LRV of about 10 or less. Carolina Gull is right in the medium color range.

    What Are the Undertones of SW Carolina Gull

    Unlike a lot of sage colors that have a hint of yellow, Carolina Gull is truly in the green section of the color wheel. Thanks to that extra dash of gray, it can sometimes give off a blue-ish undertone.

    Paint dot of carolina Gull in front of a Carolina Gull colored bookcase
    Background photo by Maven Custom Carpentry

    Is Carolina Gull Warm or Cool

    I would say that Carolina Gull most often looks cool. Greens are hard, because they are generally pretty neutral.

    If you are looking for a cool gray-green sage color, then Carolina Gull will probably appeal to you!

    If you want a sage color with just a hint of warmth, you might consider Benjamin Moore Vintage Vogue, although it is darker.

    (You can see some pictures in my Dark Green Paint Colors post.)

    Carolina Gull Color Strip – Benjamin Moore 2138’s

    Benjamin Moore’s 2138 strip is chock full of great colors!

    I didn’t use these on my coordinating color palette, but you could totally pick one of these lighter shades for most of your home, and use Carolina Gull as an accent.

    Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull 2138 color strip

    Lighter Version of Carolina Gull

    First up, if you are interested in Carolina Gull but it’s a bit too dark for you, one shade lighter on the same strip is Benjamin Moore Misted Green (2138-50).

    I actually have a few photos of Misted Green in my Green Kitchen Cabinets post.

    Darker Version of Carolina Gull

    One shade down from Carolina Gull is 2138-30 Mohegan Sage. I don’t know about you, but to me it’s a pretty jarring difference between Mohegan Sage and Carolina Gull!

    In real life, Mohegan Sage doesn’t have as much of the olivey tone that the tiny little square seems to. It is quite a lot darker than Carolina Gull with an LRV of 10.5.

    If this one is too dark for you, I have a few similar colors in my comparisons below that might work!

    Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull 2138 color stripBenjamin Moore Carolina Gull 2138 color strip with a gull background

    The rest of the color strip consists of:

    Benjamin Moore Gray Lake (2138-70)

    Benjamin Moore Gray Cashmere (2138-60)

    Benjamin Moore Green Grove (2138-20)

    Benjamin Moore Southern Vine (2138-10)

    Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull Color Palette

    Here is a classic neutral color palette using Carolina Gull:

    Carolina Gull on paint lid over a picture of a bright sitting room with five coordinating colors from the article

    Carolina Gull Coordinating Colors

    Benjamin Moore Simply White (OC-117 or 2143-70)

    Simply White has really been growing on me! It’s a warm white, but still one of the lightest and brightest that Benjamin Moore offers.

    Benjamin Moore Pale Oak (OC-20)

    Pale Oak is quickly becoming one of Benjamin Moore’s most popular neutrals. It is a warm departure from gray, which is the trend, but it’s not super duper warm, and it’s still plenty light.

    Benjamin Moore Hale Navy (HC-154)

    All hail Hale Navy! This color is the OG Benjamin Moore Navy, because it looks good with everything.

    (And Carolina Gull does love a navy!)

    Benjamin Moore Black Forest Green (HC-187)

    Black Forest Green is so rich and dark that it has an LRV lower than many true black paint colors! It has just a hint of moody blue-green undertones, so it’s a nice alternative to a black black.

    Of course if a solid neutral black is more your style, Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black would be a great choice.

    Benjamin Moore Gray Owl (OC-52 or 2137-60)

    Gray Owl is a popular chameleon-esque neutral from Benjamin Moore. Is it gray? Beige? Green? Only your light can tell you!

    Carolina Gull Complementary Colors

    The technical “official” across-the-color-wheel complementary color for a sage green like Carolina Gull, would be a terracotta color.

    A white living room with round decorative wicker pieces hanging on the wall. Circles of paint colors are over top of the picture, carolina gull by benjamin moore, sherwin williams cavern clay, Behr Chimney, and Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace.

    I swiped this palette from another post because it included Sherwin Williams Cavern Clay, which is a great clay terracotta option.

    Chimney by Behr is another sort of navy color that leans to charcoal, and could be a really nice option with Carolina Gull.

    What Trim Colors Go With Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull?

    Because Carolina Gull is a classic Victorian color, it will pair well with not just white trim, but wood trim too.

    White Paint that Goes with Carolina Gull

    Here are a few shades of white that all work well with BM Carolina Gull:

    Carolina Gull Trim Choices. Graphic of color surrounded by different white moldings.

    Carolina Gull and Cloud White

    Cloud White is a super popular Benjamin Moore white. It’s a little yellow for my taste, but its creamy tones work well with either a soft color palette, or a traditional Victorian color scheme.

    Carolina Gull and Simply White

    You might recognize Simply White from my color palette! This white is the best of both, warmer, but still light.

    Carolina Gull and Chantilly Lace

    I have a special place in my heart for Chantilly Lace – in fact, I’ve written a whole post about it! It’s a nice clean white with just a touch of softness. It’s technically a green white, so I love putting it with other greens!

    Carolina Gull and Sherwin Williams High Reflective White

    High Reflective White is the best and the blinding-est when it comes to super crisp whites.

    Carolina Gull on a paint lid over a kitchen photo with Carolina Gull cabinets

    Carolina Gull For Doors and Trim

    It is very of-the-moment to use your wall color for your trim and doors as well. So if you’re feeling bold, you could give that a shot. (I have a pretty good inspo photo for that under color comparisons, which we will cover in just a minute.)

    Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull Home Interior

    The downside to choosing colors that aren’t too popular, is that it’s really hard to get inspo photos! I have a great exterior to show you that will really give you a good idea of how Carolina Gull looks, but I’m pretty limited indoors.

    Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull Living Room Built-Ins

    This set of gorgeous built-ins has been painted in Carolina Gull:

    Carolina Gull on built ins in a study
    Photo credit: Maven Custom Carpentry

    You can really see how good Carolina Gull looks with navy! This one is Benjamin Moore Evening Dove.

    Carolina Gull on built ins in a study with Evening Dove on back wall
    Photo Credit: @mavencustomcarpentryllc

    I talk a little bit about Evening Dove in my Warm Blue Gray Paint Colors post.

    Carolina Gull bookshelf in study
    Photo Credit: @mavencustomcarpentryllc

    Don’t Forget Your Supplies!

    This little brush might look funny, but it’s my absolute ride or die!

    Rollers like these hold the most paint and make the job faster. Get a metal roller cage for easy on and off.

    DryDex is the fastest (and funnest!) way to make chips and dents disappear. (Make sure you get a small spackling tool that actually fits in the container, and a sanding sponge.)

    This tool will save your back and limit time on a ladder.

    Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull Cabinets

    I do have Carolina Gull in a few kitchens. Here it is on cabinets with warm butcher block countertops:

    Carolina Gull in a kitchen on cabinets with butcher block countertops
    Photo credit: @aidliespaint
    Carolina Gull in a kitchen on cabinets with butcher block countertops
    Photo credit: @aidliespaint

    I love the simplicity of this look! :

    Carolina Gull in a kitchen on cabinets with butcher block countertops
    Photo credit: @aidliespaint

    Next up, a couple of kitchens by my besties over at Oak Story Design.

    (Okay yes, it’s a one-sided bestieship.)

    Carolina Gull in a kitchen
    Carolina Gull – Photo credit: @oakstorydesign

    In this kitchen, Carolina Gull looks a little warmer. I’m not sure if it’s the lighting, all of the warm wood, or something else.

    Carolina Gull in a kitchen with gold hardware
    Carolina Gull – Photo credit: @oakstorydesign

    Here is Carolina Gull on a kitchen island with cabinets:

    Shoji White Kitchen cabinets

    The team at Oak Story chose Sherwin Williams Shoji White for this kitchen, which is a warm off-white.

    Shoji White on kitchen cabinets
    Photo credit: @oakstorydesign

    See how cool and gray Carolina Gull looks in that kitchen?

    I find gray green colors are often chameleons like this.

    That’s all I have for Carolina Gull inside. Now that you know how it looks, you could take a look at my Gray Green Paint Colors post, to help you picture it in other rooms.

    Graphic reads "Nail down your neutral color scheme in 60 minutes or less" with an image of the foolproof neutrals ebook. Button below reads "Show me how!"

    Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull Exterior

    Thanks to Word of Mouth Painting, I have a fantastic Carolina Gull exterior to show you, in all different lighting.

    Carolina Gull on a house with a pink door and white porch ceiling
    Photo Credit: Word of Mouth Painting

    Love the pink door!

    At first I thought the trim was navy blue:

    Carolina Gull Exterior with Navy blue or charcoal trim
    Photo Credit: Word of Mouth Painting

    See what I mean? It is actually just the lighting, and it is a deep charcoal called Wrought Iron by Benjamin Moore.

    This picture is a little more true to tone:

    Carolina Gull Exterior with charcoal trim
    Photo Credit: Word of Mouth Painting

    (If you happen to want a dark blue that toes the line between navy and charcoal, check out Sherwin Williams Cyberspace.)

    For the creamy white on the window trim and soffits, they used Benjamin Moore Sea Shell.

    Carolina Gull Exterior with charcoal trim
    Photo Credit: Word of Mouth Painting
    Carolina Gull Exterior with charcoal trim
    Photo Credit: Word of Mouth Painting

    This is the one exterior photo where I feel like Carolina Gull looks warm:

    Carolina Gull Exterior with charcoal trim
    Photo Credit: Word of Mouth Painting

    One more for good measure:

    Carolina Gull on a house with a pink door and white porch ceiling
    Photo Credit: Word of Mouth Painting

    I thought for sure that Carolina Gull would be easy to find on a front door, but it wasn’t!

    I didn’t want to leave you empty handed, so here is a similar color on a front door:

    Acacia Haze on a front door
    Sherwin Williams Acacia Haze – Photo credit: @thecottageatwhitebear

    Sherwin Williams Acacia Haze is a similar gray green color that looks great with cream, navy, or really most exterior colors.

    I think Carolina Gull would be the same. I can’t think of any exterior colors that it would clash with.

    Carolina Gull Compared to Other Benjamin Moore Paint Colors

    Greens are having a moment, so there are a lot of classy sage greens to choose from. Here is how Carolina Gull stacks up against a few other popular Benjamin Moore colors.

    Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull vs Cushing Green (HC-125)

    Cushing Green is a rich mid-toned green from Benjamin Moore that is darker than Carolina Gull. It is also a more saturated green color.

    cushing green vs carolina gull on the wall

    The LRV of Cushing Green is 16.23.

    Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull vs Flora (AF-470)

    Benjamin Moore Flora is another gray green color, but it is significantly lighter than Carolina Gull, and less gray.

    Benjamin Moore Flora vs carolina gull on the wall

    Flora has an LRV of 39.18.

    Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull vs Intrigue (1580)

    Benjamin Moore Intrigue is pretty similar to Carolina Gull. It is a little bit darker with an LRV of 23.38, and it is also cooler and more gray.

    Benjamin Moore Intrigue vs vs carolina gull on the wall

    Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull vs October Mist (1495 or CC-50)

    With an LRV of 46.33, October Mist is quite a lot lighter than Carolina Gull, but it has a similar sage effect.

    Benjamin Moore October Mist vs Carolina Gull

    Here it is in action:

    October Mist mud room cabinets
    Photo Credit: @thenorthernjoinery

    And one in low light:

    Mud room cabinets painted in October Mist
    Photo Credit: @thenorthernjoinery

    Not as far off from Carolina Gull as you might have thought! However, you can definitely tell that October Mist is warmer.

    Carolina Gull Sherwin Williams Version

    For this particular color, I was not able to get as close to an exact match in Sherwin Williams as I normally can.

    I did find a few options that live in the same neighbourhood, and they still come reasonably close.

    Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull vs Sherwin Williams Retreat (SW 6207)

    Sherwin Williams Retreat is probably the best match to Carolina Gull by a slim margin. I have seen both on kitchen cabinets and I think they look very similar to one another.

    Retreat vs Carolina Gull on kitchen cabinets

    At the very least, you will like Retreat if you like Carolina Gull.

    Retreat is darker than Carolina Gull, with an LRV of 21.

    Sherwin Williams Retreat vs Carolina Gull on the wall

    Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull vs Sherwin Williams Privilege Green (SW 6193)

    Sherwin Williams Privilege Green looks less like Carolina Gull on the swatch than in real life. It is a tiny bit darker and cooler, as well as a touch less gray:

    Sherwin Williams Privilege Green vs Carolina Gull on cabinets

    I do think the sheen on the cabinets and the bright lighting is making Privilege Green look a bit paler and mintier than normal, but still, quite a close match for Carolina Gull.

    In general I would say that Privilege is more overtly green than Carolina Gull.

    Sherwin Williams Privilege Green vs Carolina Gull on the wall

    The LRV of Privilege Green is 23.

    Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull vs Sherwin Williams Acacia Haze (SW 9132)

    Sherwin Williams Acacia Haze is lighter than Carolina Gull, with an LRV of 32. It is also a little bit more gray.

    Sherwin Williams Acacia Haze vs Bnejamin Moore Carolina Gull on cabinets

    Acacia Haze could be the perfect choice if you are considering Carolina Gull, but want a lighter option. Being a little more neutral might even earn it some bonus points.

    See more of Acacia Haze in my post: Sherwin Williams Acacia Haze: A Delicious Gray Green (Deep Dive & Dupes!)

    Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull vs Sherwin Williams Willowleaf (SW 9649)

    First of all, the fact that it is called Willowleaf and not Willow Leaf is really throwing me off. So forgive me if I get it wrong at some point!

    Sherwin Williams Willowleaf is maybe not the closest match to Carolina Gull, but it’s not bad, and it’s just soooo pretty that I had to include it!

    It is a little darker, a lot warmer, and a touch more gray than Carolina Gull.

    Sherwin Williams willowleaf vs carolina gull on the wall

    In real life, Willowleaf might be what you were expecting from the Carolina Gull color chip, had you never seen the color in person. I will try to scrounge up some photos, but let me just say that it really isn’t olivey, despite how it looks.

    The LRV of Willowleaf is 24.

    Valspar Equivalent to Carolina Gull – Lattice Green (5003-2A)

    Valspar’s Cottage Lattice Green is a pretty good dupe for Carolina Gull. It is a little bit darker, with an LRV of 22.135, and a little bit warmer.

    Valspar Lattice Green vs Carolina Gull on the wall

    Carolina Gull Behr Equivalent (Home Depot)

    I actually found a couple of solid dupe options from Behr! Let’s take a look:

    Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull vs Behr Eucalyptus Wreath (N390-5)

    The closest Behr color match to Carolina Gull is Eucalyptus Wreath.

    Eucalyptus Wreath has an LRV of 27, so it is just a hair lighter than Carolina Gull. You can also see that it is a little warmer and less gray.

    Behr Eucalyptus Wreath vs Carolina Gull on the wall

    All in all it’s a pretty good match!

    (Speaking of eucalyptus, check out my post: The BEST Eucalyptus Green Colors From Every Brand!)

    Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull vs Behr Village Green (N410-5)

    Village Green is another pretty good dupe for Carolina Gull, but in different ways. This color has an LRV of 23, so it is a bit darker than Carolina Gull. It is also a little cooler and more gray.

    Behr Village Green vs Carolina Gull on the wall

    Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull vs Behr Heritage Park

    I wanted to include Behr Heritage Park in this post, because even though it isn’t a super close match, it’s the first color I thought of when I started looking for dupes.

    Heritage Park on walls, doors, and trim.
    Photo credit: @athomewithxin

    Heritage Park is a fair bit cooler and darker than Carolina Gull, but I feel like the two have a similar feel.

    The LRV of Heritage Park is 19.

    Carolina Gull Final Moody Musings

    Let’s wrap it up and put a bow on it, shall we?

    Benjamin Moore Carolina Gull is a gorgeous gray green that works great with a lot of other colors. It is most often paired with creamy whites and navy blue.

    It is ideal for an exterior if you want to choose a color instead of a typical neutral, while also sticking to tradition.

    Carolina Gull is great if you want to make a bold choice, but are a little too chicken to go really dark or bright.

    Want more? I’ve got it!

    A color chip of SW Thunderous over a picture of a storm.
    Graphic of nine gray green paint colors over a creamy white home decor background
    Evergreen Fog paint drop over a background pic of a bathroom with evergreen fog walls, bronze accents, pashmina colored vanity, and wallpaper
    Photo Credit: @built_frm_scratch