Benjamin Moore Steam: a complete color review

Looking for the perfect white paint color for your home? Let’s talk about Benjamin Moore Steam and if it might be right for your home!

Warm whites are a popular choice for walls because they provide a neutral backdrop without the starkness of a cool white. They are cozy, calm, and sophisticated.

Warm whites go with a variety of decor styles and finishes. They also pair well with many other color palettes, making them easy to decorate with.

Like any paint color, warm whites can have a variety of undertones and levels of color depth, which is why it’s so important to dive into the details before picking a paint color!

Steam, Benjamin Moore, AF-15

Steam is a soft, clean white paint color. It’s a neutral white that works well in most spaces.

Click here to get a peel and stick sample of Steam

Color Family

Steam is in the white family.

Light Reflectance Value

84

Light Reflective Value is the measurement of how much light a color bounces around.

This is on a scale of 0 to 100, with 0 being pure black and 100 being pure white.

Anything higher than an LRV of 82 is considered a true white, so Steam is a true white, although it’s close to the dividing line between whites and off-whites.

RGB Colors

R: 240 G: 238 B: 229

RGB describes the amount of each color – red, green, and blue – present in a color.

This is on a scale of 0 to 255 for each color. This is basically the color mix to make the color!

Hex Code

#F0EEE5

Undertones

Steam has a subtle yellow undertone. It has also been known to show a bit of a green undertone when surrounded by green paint colors or green decor.

Steam will look warmer, possibly even a bit creamy, in south-facing rooms with lots of natural light. Its yellow undertones may be more apparent in these spaces.

Steam will look a bit cooler and whiter in north-facing rooms lacking natural light.

Best uses

Steam is neutral enough to work as a whole house paint color.

• Living rooms
• Bedrooms
• Kitchens
• Bathrooms
• Home exterior
• Interior doors
• Cabinets
• Furniture

Similar Colors

• Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee
• Benjamin Moore White Dove
• Benjamin Moore Cloud White
• Benjamin Moore Icicle
• Behr White Fur
• Sherwin Williams Arcade White
• Sherwin Williams Ibis White

Click here to get a peel and stick sample of Steam

Coordinating Colors

Steam is really neutral enough to work with almost any color palette. I love to pair it with grays, blues, and greens, but it also pairs well with many other colors.

Neutral grays:

• Pashmina
• Baja Dunes
• Stone Hearth
• Northern Cliffs
• Senora Gray

Light greens:

• Harbor Town
• Guilford Green
• Soft Fern
• Maidenhair Fern
• Mesquite

Blue-greens:

• Wythe Blue
• Palladian Blue
• Aegean Teal
• Woodlawn Blue

Trim Colors

For white paint colors, the best option is to use the same color for the walls and for the trim.

Just choose a different finish for tone-on-tone contrast.

So, choose Steam in eggshell finish for the walls and Steam in semi-gloss for the trim. This gives a nice, soft finished look. 

Click here to get a peel and stick sample of Steam

FAQS

Here are some common frequently asked questions about Steam.

What is the difference: BM Steam vs. White Dove?

BM Steam and BM White Dove are very similar paint colors.

Steam has an LRV of 84 versus White Dove’s LRV of 83, making Steam slightly lighter.

Both have yellow undertones, but Steam is slightly warmer than White Dove.

Does BM Steam look green?

BM Steam is a white paint color that has been known to show a slight green undertone when paired next to green paint colors or green decor.

This is something to keep in mind if you’re considering BM Steam for an exterior color and your house is surrounded by lots of green trees or plants.

What color trim goes with BM Steam?

For white paint colors such as Steam, the best option is to use the same paint color for the walls and for the trim.

Use Steam in eggshell finish for the walls and Steam in semi-gloss for the trim to give your space some contrast. This gives a nice, soft finished look. 

Can you use BM Steam for kitchen cabinets?

Yes, BM Steam is a great choice for kitchen cabinets.

Note if your kitchen is south-facing with lots of natural light, BM Steam can look a bit yellow in those spaces. It’s important to swatch colors in your space before committing!

What is the undertone of BM Steam?

BM Steam is a darker white paint color with a subtle yellow undertone. It can sometimes show a slight green undertone if surrounded by green paint colors or decor.

Is BM Steam warm or cool?

BM Steam is a warm white paint color.

Thanks for reading!

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