Sour Apple

Technical Profile

What color is Sour Apple? It's a very light cool green with the hex code #E3EDB5. Colors similar to Sour Apple include MPC Pale Citron, PPG Awareness, Vista Paint Chelsea Garden. Comparing swatches side by side is the best way to spot the subtle differences that distinguish these close color relatives. Sour Apple has a cool (green) 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. Sour Apple (#E3EDB5) by Benjamin Moore is a very light green paint color with a rich, saturated presence that draws the eye. It delivers an airy, open feeling that maximizes the sense of space in any room. On the temperature spectrum this shade carries a cool cast, lending calm and collected elegance. In its RGB breakdown, green is the dominant channel, which gives it a subtle earthy, organic quality even under different lighting conditions. With a Light Reflectance Value of 91, it reflects the vast majority of light, helping smaller rooms feel more spacious. A whisper of green like this is calming in bedrooms, spa-inspired bathrooms, and meditation spaces. An eggshell or matte finish works well at this lightness, hiding minor wall imperfections while still being easy to wipe clean. For color coordination, Sour Apple pairs beautifully with blue tones for bold complementary contrast, or with neighboring green and yellow hues for a harmonious, flowing palette. Its cool (green) 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 MPC, PPG, Vista Paint and others. In terms of mood and atmosphere, Sour Apple brings a crisp, spa-like tranquility that opens up a room and calms the mind. 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 organic modern, biophilic, and mid-century aesthetics. As part of the Benjamin Moore palette, Sour Apple benefits from a curated selection of coordinating colors that the brand recommends for trim, accent, and ceiling pairings. High-LRV colors like Sour Apple are forgiving in most lighting conditions, but they can pick up reflected color from adjacent walls, flooring, or large furniture pieces, so evaluate samples in situ. Very light shades can sometimes read as stark white on small swatches — viewing a larger area in your intended space reveals the true character of the color. Pair this shade with natural linen, light oak, rattan, and marble for a fresh, layered look, or contrast it with dark walnut and wrought iron for more definition. You can order Sour Apple (401) 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.