Nantucket Gray by Benjamin Moore: Why We Chose This Paint Color for Our Old New England Home (Real Photos)

Nantucket Gray by Benjamin Moore (HC-111) is a historic-palette paint color renowned for its muted, earthy green-gray undertones that adapt beautifully to changing natural light. Part of Benjamin Moore’s Historical Collection, this timeless shade is a premier choice for adding character to historic millwork, kitchen cabinets, fireplace mantels, and interior trim on older properties. Why we chose Benjamin Moore Nantucket Gray for our old New England home comes down to a family legacy and a deep appreciation for colors that honor a house’s architectural history.

Why We Chose Nantucket Gray for Our Old New England Home

I’m writing today’s post as part of my In My Mother’s Maine Home series because I’m often asked about the trim color in our old New England home. Nearly 30 years ago, my parents built this Early American-style reproduction home, called a Raeside-Dame home, once popular throughout the seacoast region, and they chose Benjamin Moore Nantucket Gray for the trim paired with soft white walls. When we inherited the home decades later, much of it had never been updated, yet we loved the timeless elegance of the Nantucket Gray so much that we chose to repaint the trim in the very same color while brightening the plaster walls with Benjamin Moore Simply White. To me, Nantucket Gray is one of those rare historic paint colors that feels both neutral and rich with character, adding warmth and depth while still allowing antiques, colorful textiles, artwork, and collected vintage decor to truly shine.

More from In My Mother’s Maine Home

This post is part of my In My Mother’s Maine Home series, where I share more of the restoration story behind this old inherited family home. From start to finish, you can see it all here.

What Color Is Benjamin Moore Nantucket Gray (HC-111)?

While it has “gray” right in the name, Benjamin Moore Nantucket Gray is actually a gorgeous, muted green-gray. It is an incredibly rich, earthy shade that carries a distinct historic feel, making it feel soft and established rather than trendy.

It is a universal, almost magical neutral that goes with absolutely everything. Because we used this color strictly for our home’s interior, we’ve seen firsthand how beautifully it works alongside antiques, layered textiles, blue-and-white decor, warm woods, and collected vintage interiors. It feels soft, historic, and incredibly easy to live with over time.

Why Benjamin Moore Nantucket Gray Works So Well in Our Old Home

One of the reasons Benjamin Moore Nantucket Gray works so beautifully in our old New England home is that it adds softness and elegance without overpowering the architectural character of the house itself. Older homes naturally have a great deal of visual texture already, from hardwood floors and plaster walls to fireplaces, exposed beams, latch doors, antiques, and layered vintage furnishings. Many historic paint colors, especially deep reds, dark greens, and navy blues, can make these homes feel even darker and heavier. Nantucket Gray, however, brings in just enough muted green-gray color to highlight the charm of an old home while still keeping the rooms feeling light, welcoming, and timeless.

When we restored the home, we refinished the original hardwood floors in a lighter tone to brighten the interiors and paired the Nantucket Gray trim and cabinetry with Benjamin Moore Simply White on the plaster walls. The combination completely brightened up the house. The crisp white walls helped reflect natural light throughout the rooms, while the Nantucket Gray added warmth, depth, and contrast in a much softer and more elegant way than stark white trim ever could. It is one of those rare historic paint colors that quietly elevates a home without stealing the show from the antiques, artwork, collected furnishings, and architectural details surrounding it.

Where We Used Benjamin Moore Nantucket Gray in Our Home

• Dining room trim and built-ins
• Kitchen cabinets
• Interior trim throughout the home
• Fireplace surround and mantel
• Interior doors and windows
• Sunroom trim and architectural details

Another reason I continue to love Nantucket Gray is how beautifully it flows from room to room. We used the color throughout nearly the entire interior of the house, including the kitchen cabinets, fireplace, doors, windows, sunroom, dining room, and trimwork, creating a cohesive feel that ties the old home together while still allowing each space to have its own personality. Even decades later, it remains one of the most timeless and livable paint colors we have ever chosen for an old home.

How Benjamin Moore Nantucket Gray Looks Throughout the Day

One of the things I personally love most about Benjamin Moore Nantucket Gray is that it remains remarkably consistent throughout the day. Unlike some historic paint colors that can shift dramatically in changing light, Nantucket Gray tends to hold its soft green-gray tone beautifully from morning to evening, which makes it feel calm, timeless, and easy to live with in an old home.

On bright sunny days, especially in rooms filled with natural light, the color can appear slightly brighter and softer, while on darker winter afternoons or rainy coastal days, it still manages to keep the home feeling soft and more open than many of the deeper traditional historic colors often used in older houses. To me, that balance is part of what makes Nantucket Gray such an elegant interior paint color for historic homes. It adds warmth, depth, and character without ever making the rooms feel heavy or overly dark.

Decorating with Benjamin Moore Nantucket Gray in an Old Home

One of the reasons Benjamin Moore Nantucket Gray has remained such a timeless choice in our old New England home is that it creates a beautiful backdrop for layered antiques and historic decor without competing for attention. The soft green-gray tone works especially well with classic Americana style, antique furnishings, wicker accents, ironstone collections, transferware, handmade quilts, braided rugs, hooked rugs, and timeworn vintage textiles that naturally bring warmth and character into an older home.

Nantucket Gray also has a subtle coastal quality to it that feels relaxed and welcoming rather than overly formal, making it easy to decorate around through every season. Whether paired with collected antiques, weathered woods, or traditional New England-inspired interiors, the color adds a quiet richness that allows the history and personality of the home to remain the true focal point.

Would I Still Choose Benjamin Moore Nantucket Gray Today?

Absolutely. Even after all these years, Benjamin Moore Nantucket Gray remains one of the most timeless and elegant paint colors we have ever used in an old home. One of the things I still love most about it is how much it brightened the interiors while still honoring the historic character of the house. The moment the freshly painted trim and cabinetry were finished, the entire home immediately felt softer, lighter, and more refined without losing its warmth.

Nantucket Gray has an understated, classic quality that never feels overpowering or trendy, which is exactly why it has been so easy to decorate around through the years. For our old New England home, it continues to feel just as beautiful and relevant today as it did decades ago.

More Paint Colors We’ve Used in Our Vermont and Maine Homes

Nantucket Gray is just one of the timeless paint colors we’ve used throughout our homes over the years. From soft coastal blues in Vermont to warm, welcoming neutrals in Maine, these are the interior paint colors that have helped shape the character of both homes while still feeling classic, livable, and easy to decorate around.

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