August Moon
What August Moon Actually Looks Like
August Moon is a warm, honeyed tan that sits right in the sweet spot between gold and buff. It reads clearly as a color on the wall, not a neutral, yet it stays soft enough to feel approachable. In bright daylight it can look almost like a butterscotch cream, while in dimmer rooms it settles into a richer, toastier amber-tan. With an LRV of 60.4, it reflects a healthy amount of light without washing out, making it versatile enough for main walls in most spaces.
August Moon Undertones
The dominant undertone here is golden yellow, and that warmth is what gives August Moon its inviting glow. Some designers also pick up a slight apricot or peachy cast, especially in south-facing rooms where afternoon sun amplifies the warmth. Others see it as purely golden-tan with no orange at all. The truth depends a lot on your lighting. Cool LED bulbs will push it more toward a clean honey gold, while warm incandescent light can coax out that faint peach note. Either way, there is zero gray or green hiding in this color. It is unapologetically warm from every angle.
Where August Moon Works Best
August Moon works beautifully as a main wall color in living rooms, dining rooms, and bedrooms where you want warmth without heaviness. It is a strong choice for an accent wall when your other walls are a creamy white. It also holds up well in entryways and hallways, where its moderate reflectivity keeps the space from feeling dark. On exteriors, think about it for a body color on traditional or craftsman-style homes paired with crisp white trim. One caution: in a room with no natural light, it can lean darker and more amber than you might expect from the swatch.
Where to put August Moon
August Moon turns a living room into a genuinely comfortable gathering space. Use it on all four walls with Dover White on trim and built-ins. Layer in textiles with earthy tones, warm wood furniture, and maybe a blue-gray accent rug to break the warmth. The LRV of 60.4 keeps the room bright and open, even with heavier furniture.
This color creates a cocoon-like warmth in a bedroom without making the space feel small. It reads especially well in north-facing bedrooms where cooler light can make true neutrals feel flat. Pair it with white bedding and soft green or dusty blue accents for a balanced, restful mood.
In a dining room, August Moon brings a candlelit quality even before you light any candles. The golden undertone flatters skin tones and warms up evening gatherings. Keep your ceiling a clean warm white and consider a deeper coordinate like Honed Soapstone on a wainscot or chair rail accent below.
If painting a full room in August Moon feels like a commitment, try it on a single accent wall behind a sofa or headboard. It gives your eye a warm focal point and pairs easily with lighter neutral walls. The color has enough saturation to read as intentional without overpowering the room.
What to Pair With August Moon
August Moon pairs naturally with Dover White (SW 6385) for trim and ceilings, giving you a warm-on-warm combination that feels cohesive without any jarring contrast. For a grounding accent, Honed Soapstone (SW 9126) adds a cool, smoky depth that keeps the palette from feeling one-note.
August Moon vs similar colors
All comparisons are matched against August Moon at LRV 60.4.
Colors that clash with August Moon
Pairing August Moon with a blue-gray or cool gray trim creates a jarring temperature clash. The golden undertone fights the cool base and both colors end up looking muddy or off.
A stark, high-LRV cool white on the ceiling can make August Moon look more orange than gold by contrast. The temperature mismatch draws attention to the ceiling line.
If every surface, fabric, and fixture leans warm gold, the space can feel monotone and heavy. August Moon is already rich, so surrounding it with more warmth can tip the room into one-note territory.
Common questions
August Moon has an LRV of 60.4, which puts it in the light-medium range. It reflects enough light to keep rooms feeling open while still reading as a distinct warm gold on the wall.
August Moon leans primarily golden yellow. Some people pick up a faint peachy warmth in certain lighting, especially in south-facing rooms with warm bulbs, but it is not an orange color. If you are worried about it looking too orange, test a sample under your actual room lighting before committing.
A warm creamy white works best. Dover White (SW 6385) is its designated coordinating trim and pairs seamlessly. Avoid cool or blue-based whites, which will clash with August Moon's golden undertone.
Yes, and many designers actually recommend it specifically for north-facing rooms. The golden warmth compensates for the cooler, bluer natural light, making the room feel inviting rather than cold. It may read a shade deeper in these rooms due to less direct sunlight.
Benjamin Moore Harvest Moon 2167-40 is widely considered the closest match. It shares August Moon's warm golden-tan personality and similar light reflectance. Always compare large swatches side by side, as slight differences in yellow or peach undertones can show up on the wall.