Powell Smokehouse
What Powell Smokehouse Actually Looks Like
Powell Smokehouse reads as a rich, smoky brown-gray, somewhere between a weathered cedar and a well-worn leather. It is not a true neutral. In full daylight it shows depth and warmth. In a north-facing room or under cool LED lighting it can pull noticeably darker and flatter, reading almost like a charcoal-brown. Warm incandescent or soft white bulbs bring it back to life and let the warmth show through.
Powell Smokehouse Undertones
The dominant undertone is a red-orange that stays quiet in even, diffused light but becomes clearly visible in raking side light or when warm trim and wood flooring are nearby. This color picks up on whatever warm surfaces surround it, so a honey-toned oak floor or a creamy trim will push it redder than you might expect from the chip. Cool-toned materials, pale gray trim, or bright white ceilings can suppress the warmth and leave it feeling somewhat muted.
Where Powell Smokehouse Works Best
This is a color that earns its keep in rooms that can handle drama. A study, a dining room, or a library with good light and a defined boundary suits it well. It works as a feature wall where you want one surface to anchor the space. Wrapping an entire open floor plan in it would be a lot, and in any room with little natural light, plan to test it over several days before committing. South- and west-facing rooms give it the best conditions to look its warmest and richest.
Where to put Powell Smokehouse
A dining room is one of the best fits for this color. You spend time there in the evening under warm artificial light, which softens the shade and brings out its warmth. The enclosed walls and deliberate atmosphere suit a deep color like this far better than an open, bright living area.
In a study, the depth works with you. It makes the room feel considered and settled. Pay attention to your light source. If you rely on overhead cool LEDs, switch to warm-toned bulbs or you will lose the color's character and end up with something that just looks dim.
In a bedroom with warm lighting it reads cozy rather than oppressive. Keep the ceiling a shade lighter, a warm white or very pale warm gray, so the room does not close in. It suits a main bedroom better than a small secondary room with one small window.
A powder room is a spot where a deep, dramatic color actually makes sense because the small scale becomes intentional. No one expects a powder room to feel expansive. Lean into it with warm sconces and natural materials and the color does exactly what it should.
What to Pair With Powell Smokehouse
No specific Benjamin Moore coordinating colors are listed for this color in our database. Generally, Powell Smokehouse pairs well with warm off-white trim, aged brass or bronze hardware, and natural wood tones that echo its own red-brown warmth. Avoid stark cool whites as trim, which will fight with the undertone rather than frame it.
Colors that clash with Powell Smokehouse
Cool-toned trim pulls against the red-orange undertone in Powell Smokehouse. The two will feel mismatched rather than contrasted, and the wall color will look less intentional.
In a north-facing room with only natural light, this color soaks up whatever light is available and reads darker and grayer than it does on the chip. The red warmth largely disappears.
Cool LEDs flatten this color significantly. It loses its warmth and can look like a dull, unremarkable brown-gray rather than the rich smoky tone you chose.
Common questions
The precise LRV is 22.98. That puts it well below the midpoint of the light-reflectance scale, which runs from 0 to 100. In plain terms, it absorbs a lot of light. Rooms will feel noticeably darker after you paint them, which is fine if that is the effect you want, but it is worth painting a large sample board and living with it through different times of day before you go all in.
Yes. The CW prefix in the code indicates it is part of the Benjamin Moore Colonial Williamsburg collection, a curated palette of historically inspired colors. It is available in Benjamin Moore's standard finishes.
It works on all four walls in a room that has good natural light or good warm artificial light and a defined boundary, like a dining room or study. In an open-plan space or a room with limited light it is safer as a single feature wall. The key is testing it in your specific room before committing to all four walls.
For walls in a dining room or study, eggshell gives you a slight sheen that helps the color hold some warmth without being reflective enough to show imperfections. Matte can make the color feel heavier in low light. Satin works well in a powder room where you want a bit more durability and a touch more depth.