White Metal N520-1

A light gray, reflecting a metallic appearance as the name implies. At one glance - crispy, at another - soft.

LRV 63

White Metal (Behr N520-1): what color is, review, and use

Are you ready for a splash of silverish vibrancy? White Metal from Behr at your disposal! The popular paint color is a light gray, reflecting a metallic appearance as the name implies. Why white? N520-1 is pretty light. Add to the mentioned features a slight lavender hint, and you achieve the go-to gray that colorists from Behr successfully managed to come up with. Unlike the usual grays, devoid of undertones, this one brings a refined sense of depth, although being a light paint color, all due to the lavender notes. Still, there is more to this shade than just being part of the gray family. Let’s dive deep into its essence!

White Metal paint color features

Looking at White Metal, one may wonder: is it gray or lavender? Indeed, the lavender notes are extremely noticeable. Still, this hue stays true to its gray nature. At one glance – crispy, at another – soft. The thing is that scents from both extremities meet to create this fascinating color. Besides neutralizing the space, it offers a unique feeling of individuality. At the end of the day, both gray and lavender are exceptional shades. Just imagine their collaboration!

White Metal: is it warm or cold?

White Metal is definitely a cool color. We cannot call it cold, but even the soft notes cannot deny its crispy effect. One can firstly notice this feature on the sample while it stays the same when the paint color is applied to the interior and exterior. Moreover, it is a pleasing kind of cool that refreshes, invigorates, and inspires.

How does lighting affect White Metal?

Let’s view this aspect from all perspectives! White Metal feels rather muted in north-facing spaces, penetrated by intense gray and lavender notes. On the other side, in a room with south-facing windows, it seems a pleasant light gray not devoid of its true companions – lavender particles. When it comes to east and west-facing rooms, it depends on how the sunlight penetrates the space, with an effect peculiar to south-facing rooms in the morning and at sunset, while a balance between those two reveals during the day. Regarding artificial lighting, everything is clear as day – the warmer its undertones, the warmer appears the color and the opposite.

White Metal LRV

For a start, it is worth mentioning that LRV stands for Light Reflectance Value, which determines how light or dark a color is on a scale from 0 to 100, where the latter reflects true white shades. The LRV of White Metal is 63, meaning it is a mid-tone shade, gravitating towards the light side. What does it mean in terms of light reflection? N520-1 can reflect a considerable amount of light. To be precise – lavender light since this undertone simply feels like flying in the air. Furthermore, this paint color can make the room seem surprisingly more spacious, which is impressive for its LRV.

White Metal undertones

Isn’t it clear yet? White Metal is full of lavender notes. This undertone is so visible that you can even feel the lavender scent in a space painted this way. It should be noted that the perceived undertone is relatively soft, which cancels any probability of calling this color cold; nothing but a light gray with a crispy appearance and slightly soft lavender notes.

Similar colors

As usual, this shade, part of the gray family, impresses with its range of similarities both at Behr and other color brands. The exciting part is that they are not devoid of the lavender scent, preserving a balance of softness and coolness, although each comes with something new. Let’s discover some alternatives!

Halation PPU26-15 – impressively identical, even the LRV is the same, being unnoticeably lighter;
Elemental PPG1011-2 by PPG Pittsburgh Paints – slightly lighter gray with a cooler base and less intense lavender notes;
Aluminium 021 by Dulux Australia – slightly darker variation due to more intense gray and lavender scents;
Moon Marvel E3 by Dulux Australia – a bit lighter than the previous shade due to a subtle haze effect;
Pebble Thoughts 004 by Dulux – a variation between the last two shades, which makes it very close to White Metal;
Goose Down 010 by Dulux – noticeably darker gray with more intense lavender undertones, still, close to the inner beauty of N520-1 from Behr;
441 by Pantone – if it were not for a slightly higher LRV, one would not spot any difference between this lavender gray and White Metal.

Coordinating colors

It seems that a gray shade would work with any other color. Still, this one is unique, or, let’s say, its undertones are unusual. The lavender scents change the scenario and make White Metal a perfect companion for other soothing shades of gray and purple without skipping a crispy white, which would perfectly go for the trim. Even a few darker accents can be considered, while the gray shade is no less collaborative when it comes to vibrant variations. The range is still vast. Let’s go through a few examples!

Frothy Surf BL-W08 – crispy white with a relatively grayish base diluted with a few beige notes that bring in a bit of slightly perceived warmth;
Green Balsam PPU11-15 – medium-to-dark shade of grayish-green that would perfectly resonate with the no less cool base of White Metal;
Suede Gray PPU18-17 – a complex gray shade with crispy brown base penetrated by warm purple notes with an exceptional dusty surface;
Centre Stage N550-2 – very light and soft lavender that would exquisitely harmonize with the N520-1 undertones;
Opera N570-1 – a slightly warmer variation of the previous shade for a no less perfect combination with White Metal;
Carbon N520-7 – very dark brown, resembling a black shade diluted with a few earthy notes;
Boreal N420-5 – medium-to-dark gray with exceptionally cool green notes that seem to merge into the true gray base;
Split Rail N250-6 – bright shade of brown, slightly muted, with an earthy appearance;
Fantasia S550-5 – middle tone purple gravitating towards the dark side with a frosty base to perfectly resonate with its lavender cousins at White Metal;
Garden Plum S110-5 – pleasant shade of bright purple, slightly cooled down by a few gray particles, resembling the surface of an unripe plum;
Cool Ashes N520-4 – medium-to-dark shade of gray with intense lavender notes and a dusty surface that would perfectly work as a darker and more intense companion for N520-1.

Use of White Metal in interior

As with any other gray shade, this one works perfectly for almost any style and space, adding a refined lavender scent for a bit of individuality. A refreshing modern living room, a calming farmhouse bedroom, an elegant traditional kitchen? The silverish gray from Behr works for each case, bringing something new, unprecedented, original. Let’s go through a few design solutions implying this new gray variation!

Living room

White Metal goes without any doubt for the walls. You are free to play with texture and colors as regards the rest. With prevailing splashes of white for the trim and furniture, opt for a Neoclassical interior, where the common true gray is replaced with a lavender-scented one. This silverish gray works no less impressively with dark brown furniture for a formal Classical space. Even the brightest ArtDeco splashes of color will sparkle on such a background that is not neutral but rather goes hand in hand with the most unusual accents.

Bedroom

Designers suggest going with a combination of lavender gray and white for a serene bedroom. Consider White Metal for the walls and white for the furniture and bedding. Wood is also welcome, where light wood goes for modern interiors and dark wood for traditional approaches. Don’t hesitate to add a few accents if a few bright splashes feel close to your taste, particularly for the bedding. The lavender scents will offer this space a pleasing-to-the-eye background that fills the room with a calming environment. A good night’s sleep in such an interior will feel like sleeping in a lavender field.

Kitchen and dining room

You can apply White Metal to the walls or cabinets in the kitchen, considering white as its companion for a light interior that reflects cleanliness not devoid of personality. The most modern or traditional kitchen would benefit from such an approach since the lavender gray adapts to any case in part.

The range of possibilities is no less wide in the dining area. Consider White Metal for the walls and pair it with any texture and colors that feel close to your sense of beauty. We suggest going fully contemporary with a black table and upholstered chairs, accompanied by a gorgeous chandelier of bulbs that combines Industrial with Art Deco. On the other hand, the amateurs of Natural can opt for a Rustic approach with wood furniture that will reveal its texture on the gray background to the fullest.

Hallway

For the lovers of neutrals who fancy a bit of originality, even within the hallway, we strongly suggest considering the silverish gray from Behr. Besides serving as a perfect background for any kind of furniture, it is an ideal color to go with even without any companions. The lavender scents will fill the space with a familiar sense of comfort you want to return to as fast as possible.

Bathroom

White Metal for the walls and white for the cabinets as a start. Go on with a marble countertop for an elegant touch, considering silverish steel hardware to resonate with the undertones of the background. At the same time, you can safely opt for a more intense lavender shade for the cabinets and display them exquisitely on the lavender gray backdrop. Functional, stylish, and most important – original.

Use of White Metal for house exterior

One should note that White Metal looks lighter when applied to the exterior. Still, it does not lose the fabulous undertones that make it stand out. N520-1 is a perfect neutral for the house walls that blooms in a whole new way when combined with a brown roof and the beloved companion – white for the trim. This paint color looks no less stylish on the front door, considering a light background so that the silverish sparkles can reveal themselves at their finest.

The White Metal N520-1 paint color from Behr is what we call a contemporary gray variation. It seems neutral, although there is more to it that makes this paint color stand out and enrich any style with a refined sense of elegance. Perfect as a background, suitable for any design approach, and full of individuality. Is there any better description of an ideal gray shade?

Give a new look to your room with our professional online interior design service

Learn More