This post was most recently updated on January 1st, 2020
Updated 2018: Cue the loud speaker! I think I’ve found the ideal mid tone gray! We have used Benjamin Moore Silver Fox (2108-50) in so many spaces in our home since I first wrote about this mid tone gray paint colour here in 2012. When I first introduced it here, we had just painted our kitchen. Six years later, I still love it just as much. It’s such a classic.
Silver Fox in the Kitchen
Our kitchen has evolved quite a bit since this photo was taken back then! But you can see how Silver Fox is not too light and not to dark. It’s just a gorgeous mid tone gray with a very soothing personality.
It was a great paint color to help pull this space together. The mid tone gray helped pull the warm grays from the counter, the back splash and the stainless steel appliances together cohesively.
Here’s a look at how Benjamin Moore Silver Fox played well with some new kitchen accessories a couple of years later. I love how this gray looks with white cabinetry.
Because it’s not too light, it makes the white feel even crisper than other gray paints would. Others have described the colour as having the look of wet cement (in the best way possible lol). I agree. It’s got a moodiness to it that other gray paints don’t measure up to.
I think it’s because of Silver Fox’s warm undertone. In certain light, it reads as a griege or taupe. So it feels warm and cozy. That said, it’s not so warm that it feels brown. It definitely looks gray no matter what time of day it is.
Silver Fox in the Foyer
Two years ago in 2016, we renovated our kitchen. We ended up raising the kitchen cabinets to the ceiling, and tiling the entire wall with hex tile. But, even though we lost our Benjamin Moore Silver Fox painted walls in the kitchen, we still have it in several areas of our home like the foyer, as well as our stairwell wall.
We used it in our foyer to offset a gallery wall with photos of our sweet kids. And, speaking of kids, that’s another reason Benjamin Silver Fox is a great choice. Unlike a lighter, cooler gray, I find that this mid tone gray helps to hide fingerprints and imperfections a whole lot better :-).
I do have one caution about this gray which you may find in other reviews of this paint colour. Depending on your light source, you may find a VERY slight purplish cast.
You can pick up on it in this photo below. That said, I’ve never noticed this in natural light. And, it’s nothing that can’t be fixed with the right light bulb. So if you are planning to use Silver Fox in a room with mostly artificial light, I’d recommend a sample first.
In fact, I always recommend starting a paint job with a sample. No two rooms are the same, and paint will always look different depending on the light and time of day. Further, its impossible to represent any paint colour accurately on a computer screen. So try it out before committing!
Silver Fox: Why I Love It
To sum up, here are 4 reasons why I love Silver Fox:
- It is a perfect mid tone gray – not too light and not too dark;
- Silver Fox is a warm and cozy gray, without reading as beige or brown;
- It has a nice moodiness to it that other grays dont live up to;
- Silver Fox is a family friendly colour by masking imperfections like scuffs and fingerprints.
Silver Fox: My 1 Caution
- It can cast a little purple in artificial light. Try a different light bulb or use it in rooms with lots of natural light.
.If you’re about to take the plunge with Silver Fox, I hope you’ll love it as much as I do.
Until next time,
Post Script: My kitchen was featured at Whisperwood Cottage,the official talent scout for Cottages & Bungalows Magazine. Insert big happy face here ;-).
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Until next time,
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Hi Kerri,
Love, love, love your kitchen! Where did you get your dining chandelier?
Thanks,
Donna
Hi Donna – Thanks so much! I purchased the kitchen chandeliers when we built our home 6-7 years ago at Bowring here in Canada. They are probably discontinued by now :-(. But here’s the store site: http://www.bowring.com/. Thanks for coming by, Kerri
I love this color! Do you think it would go well with my oak cabinets and white appliances?
Kerri, your kitchen is amazing! I don’t know how I haven’t come across this yet! Stopping by from the Haven link up and saw your kitchen when I checked out your home tour. I especially like the hood, and, oh how I dream of having an island with a sink. I’d love to feature this on my paint color blog. Let me know if you’re interested!
Thanks so much Jena! You are more than welcome to feature our kitchen on your blog! Thanks for coming by. Cheers, Kerri
Did you paint your own cabinets? If so, what color did you use? LOVE the whole kitchen 🙂
I wish I could say I did ;-), but no, they were completed by a professional kitchen contractor when we built our home. I’m not sure of the exact color, but they are definitely a bright white. Thanks for the sweet comment and for coming by! ~Kerri
HI, Kerri, I had to come over and see your kitchen. It is beautiful, so warm and inviting. Hope my kitchen turns out as well as yours did. So excited to get in my house too & start working on the fun stuff. I still have you in line for my Feature Friday (soon, soon!)
Thanks Rhoda! I’m really enjoying following your home reno ‘story’; especially all the photos of your dad helping you with the carpentry and such. Just warms my heart. P.S., No rush on the Feature Friday; I’m super-excited about it, but I also know how consuming and exciting a home reno can be! Keep having fun with it! Hugs, Kerri
Hi! So happy I found your blog! So beautiful! So inspirational!
Do you recall the color of your cabinets? My kitchen/dining area is Revere Pewter and we are going to paint the cabinets, but I am in a tizzy over what color to pair with the walls….white, cream or gray. I am loving yours. 🙂
Kerri…this is just so lovely! a beautiful kitchen…i love the bread basket with the chalkboard 🙂 cuteness!
Thanks so much Jaime! ~Kerri 🙂
What a beautiful kitchen! The paint colour is the perfect complement for your white cabinets. I’m currently thinking of painting my currently-aqua kitchen the same grey/tan that is in the adjoining living room. I’d do it in a heartbeat if my cabinets were white! They’re light-peachy-faux-wood instead and my husband says I’m not allowed to paint them 😉
Thanks so much Jo! Good luck with your own kitchen project! ~Kerri
I have brown sofas too and I am at a lost on what color rug to choose. Doesn’t look like you have a rug in the living room. Are you thinking about getting one?
I actually just added one a few days ago! Its a cream shag rug, and it looks great. Thanks for coming by! ~Kerri
Your kitchen is gorgeous!! I love the chandeliers…and the paint color and…I could go on and on. Beautiful job!
Londen
Thanks so much, Londen. I’m flattered, especially considering that 65th Ave has been one of my faves for the past few years. Thanks for coming by! ~Kerri 🙂
your kitchen is beautiful. Great job!
laura
Thank you so much Laura. I’m so glad you popped back for another visit. ~Kerri 🙂
I think of the 3 new colors, this one is my fave! Looks awesome with the white cabinets and backsplash! I helped pick paint for a friends dining room a couple weeks ago…silver fox. And, Revere Pewter in her kitchen. Looks so great! I walked in her dining room and went WOW! Now, I’m searching for a place for it in my home! Ahh, paint envy 😉 I bet you’re thrilled with the 1st floor changes!
Thanks Lynette! Yes, I’m pretty pleased with the choices! I ended up using Revere Pewter in my 1/2 bath and laundry room, and I LOVE it. I’m sure you’ll find a wall or two that you can paint! Chat soon, Kerri
Your kitchen is really lovely and fresh and peaceful looking! I don’t usually take time to comment on people’s homes (just their projects), but yours is really pretty!
Thanks Carole Anne! That’s the look I was going for! (Peace amongst the chaos, lol) Hope all is well with you, Kerri 🙂