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Behr Irish Mist: The Perfect Off-White You’ve Never Heard Of (Review & Dupes!)

    Irish Mist is an underrated off-white from the same color strip as the more popular Silver Drop and Dolphin Fin. It’s a classic creamy gray that might remind you more of Irish cream than an Irish Mist.

    Irish Mist swatched beside a photo of a castle on a misty sunny morning

    Today we will take a look at all things Irish Mist, see it in real homes, highlight some coordinating colors, and of course, check out some dupes!

    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 Behr Irish Mist (790C-1)

    Irish Mist is a creamy off white with just a hint of gray. It’s a perfect neutral backdrop for any decor style and any number of other colors.

    Paint Swipe of Behr Irish Mist on a color card

    LRV and RBG of Behr Irish Mist

    The LRV of Irish Mist is 78.

    What does that mean?

    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.

    At 78, Irish Mist is classified as an off-white paint color.

    LRV of Irish Mist plotted at 78 on a scale of 0-black to 100- white, over a background of an Irish town

    The RGB of Irish Mist is: Red 231, Green 229, Blue 219

    Using those numbers from Behr, the hex value of Irish Mist is: #E7E5DB

    What Are the Undertones of Irish Mist

    Irish Mist is a really pretty off-white with creamy beige undertones. This color is a little hard to come by, but from what I have seen it doesn’t tend to do anything funky. (Much like it’s dupes, which we will see in a moment.)

    Irish Mist hex chart and paint dot over a picture of the Irish Coast.

    I love this one because it’s creamy without being yellow.

    Is Irish Mist Warm or Cool

    Irish Mist is most definitely a warm color, but you can use it like a neutral.

    Irish Mist Color Strip

    As you get darker on the Irish Mist color strip, these greigey colors start to do strange things and can actually look quite silver. Irish Mist tends to stay more beige rather than cool gray.

    The Behr Irish Mist color strip includes darker colors Silver Drop, Dolphin Fin, Granite Boulder, Squirrel, Dusty Mountain, and Black Bean

    The other colors in this collection are:

    • Silver Drop (790C-2 )
    • Dolphin Fin (790C-3)
    • Granite Boulder (790D-4)
    • Squirrel (790D-5)  
    • Dusty Mountain (790D-6)
    • Black Bean (790D-7)

    Lighter Version of Irish Mist

    There is no lighter alternative to Irish Mist on the same color strip, but a good tone match would be Behr Nano White (HDC-MD-06).

    Paint swipe swatch of Behr Irish Mist over same of Behr Nano White

    Nano White is a true white, with an LRV of 87.

    Darker Version of Irish Mist

    Behr Silver Drop is one shade darker than Irish Mist on the same color strip. It is a nice soft greige, but it can read slightly more silver at times.

    Read my full review here: Behr Silver Drop Will Keep You Guessing! (Complete Review & Dupes)

    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!"

    Behr Irish Mist in a Color Palette

    Let’s take a look at this one with some beautiful coordinating colors:

    Irish Mist on a paint lid with coordinating colors Dolphin Fin, Sage Green, Intellectual, Polar Bear, and Canyon Dusk over a background of dark soil with white orchids arranged around it

    Coordinating Colors for Irish Mist

    Dolphin Fin

    I chose Dolphin Fin for this color palette because it’s two shades darker than Irish Mist on the same color strip. Together these two would be a gorgeous neutral backdrop for the rest of your decor.

    Coordinating Colors Dolphin Fin and Irish Mist swatched beside each other as paint dots

    Sage Green

    I love the nature inspired neutral of Behr Sage Green. It’s the perfect pop of color that isn’t too “out there.” It looks beautiful with the creamy natural tone of Irish Mist.

    Coordinating Colors Irish Mist and Sage Green swatched beside each other as paint dots

    Sage would be a great accent color if you are using Irish Mist.

    Canyon Dusk

    Not everyone will like the terracotta of Canyon Dusk, but it’s super on trend and looks great with Irish Mist.

    Canyon Dusk is Behr’s nod to the Sherwin Williams 2023 Color of the Year Redend Point.

    Coordinating Colors Irish Mist and Canyon Dusk swatched beside each other as paint dots

    Polar Bear

    Technically Irish Mist is light enough that you could fool the eye into thinking it’s white by using it everywhere from trim and ceilings to doors. However if you want a crisper more traditional white, try Behr Polar Bear. It’s a still-soft white that packs a lot more brightness.

    Coordinating Colors Irish Mist and Polar Bear swatched beside each other as paint dots

    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.

    Intellectual

    Behr’s Intellectual is a color where charcoal and taupe meet. It’s a very dark greigey shade with a whiff of mushroom. Intellectual and Irish Mist is like a softer alternative to a black and white pairing.

    Coordinating Colors Irish Mist and Intellectual swatched beside each other as paint dots

    Complementary Color for Irish Mist

    The “official” complementary color for Irish Mist (meaning the shade directly across the color wheel) would be a dusty blue with a hint of purple. Behr’s White Lavender is a close color match.

    Behr White Lavender (M550-1)

    Complementary Color for Irish Mist, white lavender, swatched in a paint dot next to Irish Mist.

    What Trim Colors Go With Behr Irish Mist?

    Irish Mist is a beautiful off-white that you can certainly pair with any color of wood trim, if that’s what you’re working with. Behr in mind (Har har) that it will likely look a bit more gray if you use it with very warm wood, such as honey oak.

    White Paint that Goes with Irish Mist

    As I mentioned earlier, you actually could make Irish Mist look fairly white by using it as your only white (i.e. trim, ceilings, doors, etc). It sounds a bit spooky, but it has been done successfully with many a darker off-white.

    Here we can see Sherwin Williams Shoji White used as the only white, and it looks fairly white:

    Shoji White in a long hallway
    Photo Credit: @piper_stromatt

    Simply use Irish Mist in a different sheen for your trim.

    If you are after a more contrasting white, take a look at these other options:

    Behr Irish Mist with a variety of trim choices including Irish Mist itself, Nano White, Polar Bear, and Ultra Pure White

    Nano White and Polar Bear are both white paints that we discussed earlier. Each are lighter than Irish Mist, but still warm and compliment the tone nicely.

    Behr Ultra Pure White is the OG white white, and is supposedly the whitest white on the market from any paint brand.

    You might also like Benjamin Moore White Dove.

    Behr Irish Mist for Your Home’s Interior

    Irish Mist is a really underused color, so we will just have to do our best here. I have a couple pictures of the real deal, and I will also illustrate with similar colors. (Don’t you worry, I will always tell you when I do that!)

    Irish Mist in the Living Room

    First up we have a beautiful traditional living room featuring Irish Mist. Here you will find that the color looks probably its most creamy:

    Irish Mist on the wall in a cozy living room with all white furniture
    Photo Credit: @rebuildtave

    You can see that Irish Mist does look fairly white still, and might even trick you, if you couldn’t see all that white trim and fireplace!

    Irish Mist on the wall in a cozy living room with all white furniture
    Photo Credit: @rebuildtave

    This next living room provides a slightly cooler aspect to Irish Mist. Here it looks more gray/beige than cream:

    Behr Irish Mist on living room walls with a Christmas tree in the corner.
    Photo Credit: @simple.peaceful.free

    This is how I would expect Irish Mist to look in a north-facing room.

    Irish Mist on walls in a simple living room with dark blue furniture.
    Photo Credit: @simple.peaceful.free

    Behr Irish Mist in the Bathroom

    In Emily’s bathroom (@emily.a.lopez) Irish Mist is the softest neutral. It looks equal parts gray and cream and provides a peaceful backdrop for the other finishes.

    Irish Mist looks both creamy and gray in a small main floor bathroom
    Photo Credit: @emily.a.lopez

    Again if you only look at the close wall where there is no white trim, you can see how Irish Mist can look quite white on its own.

    “…Behr Irish Mist. It’s the perfect light grey neutral. I paint all my rentals this color.” – Emily Lopez

    Behr Irish Mist on Kitchen Cabinets

    If you are interested in using Irish Mist for cabinets here is the similar color Benjamin Moore Dove Wing to give you an idea of how it would look:

    Irish Mist color match Dove Wing on cabinets with black hardware beneath a white farmhouse apron sink
    Photo Credit: @contourcabinets

    You will see in a moment when we talk dupes, that Dove Wing is just a tiny bit less gray than Irish Mist.

    Irish Mist color match dove wing on kitchen cabinets with wood island, black hardware and gray backsplash
    Photo Credit: @contourcabinets

    You can see that without white countertops or tile, Irish Mist would look pretty white. Only around the apron sink do you get a better idea that it’s an off-white.

    Irish Mist color match dove wing cabinets with black hardware and a gray subway tile backsplash
    Photo Credit:@contourcabinets

    What if you want Irish Mist walls with true white cabinets?

    Luckily Emily has done that for us! These kitchen cabinets are a bright but warm white:

    Behr Irish Mist in a kitchen dining room with white cabinets
    Photo Credit: @emily.a.lopez

    You can see that in this scenario Irish Mist looks more gray, but if you used a cooler white for the cabinets it will look warmer.

    Behr Irish Mist on an Exterior

    When we get too exteriors we will once again have to do our best to visualize Irish Mist using a similar color. This time it’s the dupe Sherwin Williams Ethereal White.

    Irish Mist color match Ethereal White by Sherwin Williams on a brick exterior
    Photo Credit: @nelsonspaintingservices

    You will see in a minute when we talk dupes that this is almost exactly how Irish Mist would look. Ethereal White is just a tiny bit cooler, but as this next shot is in warm sunlight, it’s a near perfect example:

    Backyard of a finished brick house freshly painted in Irish Mist color match Ethereal White
    Photo Credit: @nelsonspaintingservices

    Irish Mist Compared to Other Behr Paint Colors

    There are really only two paint colors from Behr that Irish Mist is often compared to: The darker shade Silver Drop, and the ever popular Swiss Coffee.

    Behr Irish Mist vs Silver Drop (790C-2)

    As we discussed earlier, Silver Drop is one shade darker than Irish Mist on the same color strip. It has an LRV of 70, so it is still right on the edge of being an off-white.

    Irish Mist on half of a wall with the darer shade silver drop on the other half, in a dining room with rattan furniture and a canvas with a cactus print

    Behr Irish Mist vs Swiss Coffee (12)

    Swiss Coffee is one of Behr’s ever popular white paint colors. It has an LRV of 84 so it is still a white paint color and not an off-white, although it is still creamy.

    You can see that Swiss Coffee is lighter and less gray than Irish Mist.

    Behr Swiss Coffee vs Irish Mist, each on half of a wall behind a gray sofa

    Irish Mist Dupes from Other Brands

    Looking for the Irish Mist look, but prefer a different brand?

    I’ve got you covered! Here are the best versions of Irish Mist that you can get from Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, and Valspar:

    Irish Mist Dupes include Ethereal White, Dove Wing, Nuance, and Divine Cream, all on paint dots over a background of a misty irish forest

    Benjamin Moore Irish Mist Equivalent

    From Benjamin Moore, the best color match for Irish Mist is the color Dove Wing.

    Benjamin Moore Dove Wing (OC-18)

    Dove Wing the Benjamin Moore Irish Mist equivalent, next to Irish Mist on a living room wall behind modern wood furniture

    Dove Wing is ever so slightly creamier and less gray than Irish Mist.

    Valspar (Lowe’s) Equivalent to Irish Mist

    The best Irish Mist color match that Valspar makes, is the shade Divine Cream.

    Valspar Divine Cream (7006-8)

    Divine Cream is just a touch cooler (more green/yellow) than Irish Mist.

    Divine Cream, the Irish Mist equivalent, next to Irish Mist on a wall behind a chair and a console table

    Irish Mist Sherwin Williams Equivalent 

    There was a tight race between two Sherwin Williams off-whites for the best dupe, but in the end Ethereal White took it home.

    The other color in the running was Nuance.

    Sherwin Williams Ethereal White (SW 6182)

    Ethereal White has about the same LRV as Irish Mist but it is a tiny bit cooler.

    Ethereal White and Irish Mist each on half of a wall behind a light gray sofa with jewel toned cushions

    Ethereal White can tend to have a slightly green undertone, which you can see in the side by side, where Irish Mist does not.

    Read my whole post here: Ethereal White: A Heavenly Shade by Sherwin Williams (Plus Dupes!)

    Sherwin Williams Nuance (SW 7049)

    Nuance is just a little bit darker than Irish Mist. Other than that the color looks exactly the same.

    Sherwin Williams Irish Mist equivalent Nuance, on half of a bedroom wall with Irish Mist on the othe half behind wood paneling and a wood framed bed with gray bedding

    Can we take a moment to enjoy the absurdity that is Sherwin Williams’ description of Nuance? “This cool bright white…”

    What in the what?? Cool and bright who? I’m willing to bet this was a copy and paste error. Maybe by the time you read this it will be fixed.

    Irish Mist background with dupes swatched over top, including Dove Wing, Nuance, Divine Cream, and Ethereal White

    Irish Mist Pros & Cons

    Thank you so much for reading to the end! That actually really helps me out 🙂 Let’s summarize a few pros and cons to Irish Mist!

    Pros

    • Beautiful and soft off-white
    • Warm but still neutral
    • Goes with almost anything
    • Less traditional but safe choice for cabinets or exteriors

    Cons

    • Might not be dark enough to read as a “color” in your space
    • Very tame (not necessarily a con)

    Not the one? Oh baby, oh baby, I’ve got more!

    Behr Silver Drop color strip features Irish Mist, Silver Drop, Dolphin Fin, Granite Boulder, squirrel, dusty mountain, and black bean
    Behr Silver Bullet color strip runs from White Metal to Carbon with Silver Bullet, Flannel Gray, Cool Ashes, Iron Mountain, and Asphalt Gray in between.
    Shoji White on an exterior with a paint dot of same over picture