Essex Green

Technical Profile

What color is Essex Green? It's a deep cool neutral with the hex code #28372F. Essex Green is a distinctive shade in the Benjamin Moore lineup, and while close cross-brand equivalents exist, its specific blend of cool tone and deep depth gives it a character worth comparing in person. Essex Green has a neutral undertone, which affects how it pairs with trim, flooring, and adjacent wall colors. Understanding a color's undertone is key to avoiding combinations that clash — it often matters more than the surface color itself. Essex Green (#28372F) by Benjamin Moore is a deep neutral paint color with a gentle, subdued character. It delivers a grounded richness that adds drama and sophistication. On the temperature spectrum this shade carries a cool cast, lending calm and collected elegance. Its RGB channels are closely balanced, contributing to its neutral, even-keeled visual character. At an LRV of 20 it absorbs more light than it reflects, creating a moody, enveloping atmosphere. Deep neutrals like this create contrast and gravitas on accent walls, exterior facades, and kitchen cabinetry, pairing well with lighter trim. Satin or semi-gloss finishes help deep colors reflect just enough light to show their full depth, especially on accent walls and trim. For color coordination, Essex Green pairs beautifully with magenta tones for bold complementary contrast, or with neighboring teal and green hues for a harmonious, flowing palette. Its neutral undertone means trim and ceiling whites should lean neutral to avoid a jarring clash. If Benjamin Moore is unavailable in your area, close cross-brand alternatives exist from Sherwin-Williams, Behr and others. In terms of mood and atmosphere, Essex Green projects a confident, tailored sophistication associated with classic nautical and Art Deco aesthetics. Designers often reach for shades like this when the goal is to shape how a room feels, not just how it looks. This shade is a natural fit for a wide range of interior design styles. As part of the Benjamin Moore palette, Essex Green benefits from a curated selection of coordinating colors that the brand recommends for trim, accent, and ceiling pairings. As with any paint color, Essex Green can shift noticeably between natural daylight, warm incandescent, and cool LED lighting — testing a sample swatch on your wall under different conditions is always recommended. Deep shades generally benefit from a quality primer and may require an extra coat for even, streak-free coverage. Deep tones pair beautifully with velvet upholstery, burnished metal fixtures, dark-stained wood, and textured wallcoverings on adjacent surfaces. You can order Essex Green (HC-188) directly from Benjamin Moore or through major paint retailers, and we recommend purchasing a peel-and-stick sample to preview it on your wall before buying gallons.