Soft Fern by Benjamin Moore paint color
Paint Color HQ
BrandsColorsInspirationBlogTools
Search colors...Sign in

Ref. #C9CBB3 · 2144-40

Soft Fern

58%LRV Value
NeutralUndertone
Order a sample
Save

Soft Fern 2144-40 is a neutral paint color from Benjamin Moore. It has a hex value of #C9CBB3, LRV 58 and a neutral undertone. Its closest cross-brand match is Only Olive from PPG (nearly identical), with 49 more equivalents across other brands.

Home/Benjamin Moore/Soft Fern

Soft Fern Technical Profile

HEX Code#C9CBB3
RGB201, 203, 179
LRV58.4
UndertoneNeutral
Color Familyneutral
BrandBenjamin Moore

Use this color

Generate PaletteCompare

Get this color

Order a peel-and-stick sample of Soft FernBuy at Ace HardwareSamples & supplies on Amazon
View official color on Benjamin Moore →

Some sample and supply links are affiliate links — if you buy through them, Paint Color HQ may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps keep the site free.

Soft Fern in Every Brand

The closest equivalent to Soft Fern in each major paint brand, ranked by how close the match reads. Always verify with a physical sample. How we calculate match accuracy →

Benjamin MooreSoft Fern
Nearly identical
PPGOnly Olive

Only Olive

PPG

Nearly identical

Mint Frost

Valspar

Nearly identical

Plume Grass

Vista Paint

Nearly identical

Acanthus

Sherwin-Williams

Nearly identical

Plume Grass

Hirshfield's

Nearly identical

Sandstorm

Behr

Nearly identical

Glass .02

Colorhouse

Nearly identical

Zion

Kilz

Very similar

Eddy

Farrow & Ball

Very similar

Green Grove

Dutch Boy

Very similar

Spooky

Dunn-Edwards

Very similar

Seeing a close call? Order a peel-and-stick sample of Soft Fern — or sample it next to its top matches — Samplize buy 8 peel-and-stick samples, get 2 free.

Recommended Pairings

Colors That Work With Soft Fern

Timeless pairing with clean white trim and a tonal accent wall

Living room with applied paint colors

Side Walls

Soft Fern

#C9CBB3

Accent Wall

Tonal Shift

A warm shift that adds depth without clashing.

#96AD85

Trim & Molding

Pure White

Crisp white trim for a clean, traditional look.

#FFFFFF

Customize in Room VisualizerExplore full palette →

Color Palettes for Soft Fern

Color harmonies based on color theory — each swatch links to the closest matching paint.

Opposite on the color wheel — creates vibrant contrast

Base

Coastal Fog

Complement

Silverberry

Soft Fern Room Palettes

Color schemes built around this color — each swatch links to the closest matching paint.

Walls

This Color

Trim

Chantilly Lace

Accent

Sterling Forest

Pop

Egyptian Sand

Warm & Inviting

Warm tones with cozy appeal — welcoming and comfortable

Walls

This Color

Trim

Chantilly Lace

Accent

Gothic Green

Pop

Charmed Violet

Cool & Calm

Cool hues with soft contrast — serene and restful

Walls

This Color

Trim

Chantilly Lace

Accent

Indi Gogo

Pop

Mosaic

Bold Contrast

Complementary hues with punch — dynamic and striking

Similar Benjamin Moore Colors

Other Benjamin Moore colors close to Soft Fern.

Gray Mirage

Benjamin Moore · 2142-50

#C9C6B3

Maidenhair Fern

Benjamin Moore · 500

#CDD0AF

Stingray

Benjamin Moore · 1529

#CFCCBB

Alphano Beige

Benjamin Moore · 989

#D0C5B8

Gray Wisp

Benjamin Moore · 1570

#C0C7BC

Jonesboro Cream

Benjamin Moore · 241

#D3C8AA

More neutral colors from other brands

Cross-brand colors in the neutral family — useful when you want a similar look from a different brand.

Nightfall

Dunn-Edwards · DE5804

#43535E

Overcast Sky

Dunn-Edwards · DE5821

#A7B8C4

Royal Proclamation

Vista Paint · 1297

#A89EBA

Winter Grass

Kilz · LF130-02

#958B6A

Meadowgrass

Valspar · 5007-6A

#8CA885

Tranquil Aqua

Sherwin-Williams · 7611

#7C9AA0

Soft Fern — Frequently Asked Questions

What undertone does Soft Fern have?
Soft Fern by Benjamin Moore has a neutral undertone and sits in the neutral color family. The undertone shifts with light — warmer under 2700K bulbs, cleaner and cooler under 4000K daylight — so sample Soft Fern in your own space before committing.
What colors match Soft Fern from other brands?
The closest cross-brand equivalents to Soft Fern are Only Olive by PPG (a near-identical match), Mint Frost by Valspar (a near-identical match), Plume Grass by Vista Paint (a near-identical match) — the best options for getting Soft Fern's look from a brand your local store carries. Confirm with a physical sample, since sheen and lighting shift the final result.
What is the LRV of Soft Fern?
Soft Fern has a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of 58.4, on a scale where 0 is pure black and 100 is pure white — that makes it a mid-light color — bright enough for living areas yet soft enough for bedrooms, and adaptable across most lighting conditions.

Explore More with Soft Fern

See It on a Wall

Preview this color in a real room

How Much Paint?

Calculate gallons for your project

Browse neutral Colors

Explore more shades in this family

Related Reading

How to Match Paint Colors Across Brands

The science behind Delta E and CIEDE2000 — find a Behr equivalent of any Sherwin-Williams shade, or a Benjamin Moore alternative when your store is out of stock.

Understanding Paint Color Undertones

Why Soft Fern's neutral undertone matters more than its surface color — and how to read undertones in any paint chip.

Paint Color HQ

Architectural precision in every hue. Curating 26,000+ colors across 13 brands for modern spaces.

Directory

  • Sherwin-Williams
  • Benjamin Moore
  • Behr
  • PPG
  • Valspar
  • Dunn-Edwards
  • Farrow & Ball
  • All 13 Brands

Tools

  • Color Search
  • Compare Colors
  • Room Visualizer
  • Photo Color Identifier
  • Palette Generator
  • Paint Calculator
  • Embed Widget
  • Developer API

Resources

  • Blog
  • Inspiration Palettes
  • Discontinued Colors
  • Paint Color Statistics
  • FAQ

Company

  • About
  • Methodology
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Color Families

WhiteOff-WhiteGrayBeigeNeutralBrownTanRedOrangeYellowGreenBluePurplePinkBlack

© 2026 Paint Color HQ. Color data is approximate. Always verify with physical samples before purchasing.