What's the difference between Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore paint?

Both are full-service, contractor-grade lines with strong color programs. The differences show up more in specific formulas, sheen names and how a given color is mixed than in overall quality. We work with both and pick based on the specific color, substrate and job rather than a brand preference.

What does LRV mean and why should I care?

Light Reflectance Value is a 0–100 measure of how much light a color bounces back. It's the single most useful number on this page for predicting how a color will actually look in a specific room, especially one that doesn't get much natural light.

Should my trim be a different sheen than my walls?

Almost always, yes. Trim and doors typically go in semi-gloss or satin for durability and a crisp line against the wall color, while walls usually go flat, matte or eggshell depending on the room.

Can I use an exterior color that isn't on an HOA's approved list?

Not without approval in most communities with an active architectural review process. Check with your HOA or municipality before you buy paint — we can help interpret an approved palette as part of a consultation.

How many paint samples should I actually test?

Two or three finalists on the actual wall, not eight on a poster board. More than that usually just adds decision fatigue without adding useful information.

Do you offer color consultations?

Yes — we bring physical samples to your property as part of a free estimate so you can see real paint under your own lighting before committing to gallons.

What does "Color of the Year" actually mean?

It's a marketing designation each manufacturer assigns annually to a color they're promoting that year. Worth knowing for context, but not a signal that it's the right color for your specific house.

Will the paint color look the same on my house as it does here?

No — screen and lighting differences mean it will read differently in person. Use this page to narrow your list, then confirm with a physical sample in the room or on the elevation where it's actually going.

Can you match a color from another brand?

In most cases, yes — most professional-grade paint can be custom-tinted to match a formula from another manufacturer. Ask during your estimate.

Sherwin-Williams & Benjamin Moore Paint Colors for St. Louis County Homes

We pulled together the Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore colors we're asked about most on jobs across St. Louis County — from Ballwin brick ranches to Chesterfield two-stories to shaded Wildwood exteriors. Every swatch below is a screen approximation of the manufacturer's published color data, not the physical paint chip, so treat it as a starting point for narrowing options before we bring real samples to your house.

Showing 84 of 84 colors.

White (15)

Greige/Neutral (14)

Gray (10)

Beige/Tan (8)

Warm/Earth (2)

Blue (10)

Green (9)

Black/Charcoal (8)

Accent (8)

How to Pick a Paint Color in St. Louis County

Eighty-some colors is still a lot to choose from. These are the things we actually tell homeowners and property managers before they order a gallon, whether the job is a single accent wall or a full exterior repaint.

What LRV Actually Tells You

Light Reflectance Value (LRV) is a 0–100 scale for how much light a color bounces back into a room — 0 reflects almost nothing, 100 reflects nearly all of it. It matters more than the name on the chip. Two "white" trim colors can behave completely differently on a wall depending on whether they sit at LRV 82 or LRV 90, especially in a room that doesn't get much direct sun. As a rough guide, most interior walls read comfortably between LRV 50 and LRV 85; go much lower on a north-facing room without much artificial light and it can start to feel closed in.

North Light vs. South Light in a St. Louis County Home

Homes across Ballwin, Kirkwood and the rest of west St. Louis County get enough seasonal swing in light that the direction a room faces can change how a color reads by several shades. North-facing rooms get flat, cool, indirect light all day, which tends to push a warm greige toward gray. South-facing rooms get strong, direct light that can wash out a color at midday and hide its undertone. If you're deciding between two close colors, look at a sample in the actual room in the morning and again in the late afternoon before you commit — not just once, under one light.

Match the Sheen to the Room, Not Just the Color

The finish matters as much as the hex code. Flat and matte hide drywall imperfections but scrub less well; eggshell and satin hold up to cleaning in kitchens, hallways and bathrooms; semi-gloss is standard for trim, doors and cabinets because it wipes clean and holds a hard edge. On cabinet refinishing jobs specifically, sheen does as much work as color choice — a satin lacquer finish on the "wrong" color still reads more expensive than a flat finish on the "right" one.

Why Paint Chips and Online Swatches Lie

Every swatch on this page — and every chip on a store rack — is a screen or ink approximation, not the actual pigment. Screens render color differently depending on the display and its color profile, and a paint chip under fluorescent store lighting can look nothing like the same color under your living room's incandescent bulbs or your kitchen's LED strip. Treat everything here as a shortlist tool for narrowing this list down to three or four finalists, not a final decision made from a screen.

HOA and Historic District Rules

Several of the communities we work in — parts of Chesterfield with active HOAs, and older pockets of Kirkwood — have approved exterior color lists or a board review process before you repaint. Don't buy paint before checking; some associations require sign-off on anything beyond a pre-approved palette, and getting it wrong can mean repainting the same wall twice. If you're not sure whether your street has a color restriction, ask before you buy — it's a five-minute phone call that saves a repaint.

Testing on the Actual Wall Beats Testing on a Board

Paint a sample directly on the wall in at least two spots — one near a window, one in a corner that gets less light — rather than moving a scrap of poster board around the room. The wall's texture, the trim color next to it, and the room's real light all change how a color reads. Let it dry fully, since colors shift as they cure, and look at it morning, midday and evening before ordering gallons. A two-foot square is enough — you don't need to paint half a wall to get a useful answer.

When to Bring in a Second Set of Eyes

If you're stuck between two or three finalists, or you're trying to coordinate a whole-house palette across interior painting and exterior painting at the same time, that's usually the point to stop guessing from a screen. We bring physical samples to the house as part of a free consultation, so you see the color in your own light before a gallon gets opened.

Paint Color Questions

They're on-screen approximations built from each manufacturer's published hex or LRV-matched values — accurate enough to shortlist colors, but not a substitute for a physical paint chip or a sample brushed onto your own wall under your own light.

Swatches on this page are on-screen approximations built from manufacturer-published hex or LRV data and will not match physical paint under real lighting conditions.

Color names, numbers, and Color of the Year designations are trademarks of their respective manufacturers. ValuePro Painting is an independent contractor and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, or any other paint manufacturer.

Explore more colors directly at sherwin-williams.com and benjaminmoore.com.

We're happy to bring physical sample cards to your property — screens and store lighting can only get you so far.

Get a Free In-Home Color Consultation

We'll bring real physical samples from Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore to your property so you can see the color in your own light before a gallon gets opened. Call (314) 807-3883 or send the form.