Yarmouth Blue HC-150 from Benjamin Moore is one of those colors that photographs differently in every room you see it in. Blue? Green? Teal? The answer is yes—and it depends. Here is what I learned after using it on my kitchen cabinets and a bedroom wall.
What Is Yarmouth Blue HC-150?
Yarmouth Blue is a medium-depth blue-green from Benjamin Moore's Historical Collection. Its Light Reflectance Value (LRV) is around 30, putting it in solid mid-tone territory—dark enough to make a statement, but light enough to keep a room from feeling heavy.
On the wall, it reads as a muted teal with real depth. Not bright, not dull—there's a complexity you don't get from simpler blues or greens. It has the layered quality that the Historical Collection does so well. I used it on lower kitchen cabinets, and it grounded the whole room without overwhelming it. On a full bedroom wall, it felt like a cocoon—moody in the best way possible.
What Undertones Does Yarmouth Blue HC-150 Have?
Green is the undertone that defines this color. Yarmouth Blue reads as blue first, but there is a persistent green running underneath that pulls it toward teal. It's not sea foam or mint; it is more like deep ocean water where you can't tell exactly where the blue ends and the green begins.
I pulled it up on Coloraw next to a true blue and a true teal and slid between them. Yarmouth Blue sat squarely in the middle—distinctly different from either one. In warm light, the green comes forward, and it looks more teal. In cool light, the blue wins and the green recedes.
There is also a subtle gray quality that mutes the whole thing and keeps it from looking too saturated or tropical.
How Does It Look in North-Facing vs. South-Facing Rooms?
South-facing rooms bring out the green. Warm daylight amplifies the teal quality, making Yarmouth Blue look its warmest and most inviting. This was my favorite version—the blue and green felt perfectly balanced, with neither side dominating.
North-facing rooms push the color cooler and bluer. The green fades, leaving you with something closer to a muted slate-blue. It is still attractive, but it creates a different mood entirely. In my north-facing bedroom, it read more like a moody blue than a teal.
Under warm incandescent light at night, it leans distinctly toward teal. Under cool LEDs, it stays bluer and a touch grayer. Your bulb choice ultimately decides which Yarmouth Blue you live with after dark. Both versions work beautifully—just know what you are getting.
How Does It Compare to Wythe Blue?
Wythe Blue HC-143 is the comparison that comes up every single time, and for good reason. Both are Historical Collection blue-greens at a similar depth with that same layered, complex quality. However, they split in one key way.
Wythe Blue leans greener. It has more sage in it—a softness that reads as green-blue rather than blue-green. Yarmouth Blue holds more blue and more gray. It is cooler, a bit moodier, and slightly more buttoned-up.
If you want a blue-green that feels warm and subtly coastal, Wythe Blue is the friendlier pick. If you want one that feels deeper and more intentional—more blue-forward and less easygoing—Yarmouth Blue is the right call. I have seen them used in the same house: Wythe Blue in open living areas, and Yarmouth Blue in a study or bedroom. They are cousins, not twins.
Is Yarmouth Blue HC-150 Good for Exteriors?
Yes, and it is actually one of the better blue-greens for outdoor use. At an LRV of 30, it has enough depth to hold its color in direct sun without washing out, while the gray undertone prevents it from looking too bright or cartoonish on siding.
It makes a classic front-door color—rich and welcoming without being loud. On shutters or exterior trim, it reads as a refined accent. As a full siding color, it works wonderfully on cottages, Capes, and smaller homes where a colorful exterior feels appropriate.
Direct sun will lighten the paint and pull out more of the blue, so the exterior read is typically less teal than what you see indoors. Always test on your actual surface material; wood, vinyl, and fiber cement all reflect color differently.
What Trim Colors Work Best?
White trim is the safest and best-looking partner. Benjamin Moore's Simply White OC-117 gives you a warm frame that complements the green undertone without fighting it. White Dove OC-17 works beautifully, too. For a sharper, cleaner look, Chantilly Lace brings a crisp contrast that makes the blue-green pop.
I checked the options for Yarmouth Blue HC-150 on Paintuma, and warm whites consistently outperformed cool whites. A cool, blue-white trim next to Yarmouth Blue pushed toward a nautical look that felt a bit too literal for my taste.
For a bolder pairing, dark charcoal or black trim creates high contrast that lets Yarmouth Blue be the clear star of the room. Brass hardware and warm wood tones round out the palette naturally.
What Are the Closest Matches From Other Brands?
Sherwin-Williams Riverway is the nearest SW match I have found. It has a similar depth and blue-green balance, though it reads slightly warmer and less gray than Yarmouth Blue. In a bright room, they would look very close. In a dim room, the difference in gray becomes more apparent.
Behr has several blue-greens in this range, but most lean either more saturated or flatter than Yarmouth Blue's specific mix. The Historical Collection's layered pigment quality gives these mid-tone colors a depth that is genuinely hard to replicate at a lower price point. It is worth sampling a few Behr teals side by side to see what comes close in your specific lighting.
Muted blue-greens are notoriously tough to match across brands because tiny shifts in the blue-green-gray ratio change the entire character of the paint.
Should You Sample Yarmouth Blue HC-150 First?
Every single time. Blue-greens are among the most light-sensitive color families out there. The version you see at the paint store under fluorescent tubes will not be the version on your wall at home. And the south-facing kitchen version will not match the north-facing hallway version.
Brush out a large swatch—at least a foot square—or use a peel-and-stick sample. Check it in morning light, afternoon light, and under your evening lamps. Hold it next to your countertops, flooring, and hardware. If you want a fast digital preview before ordering, try paintcolorvisualizer.com—it's free; you upload a photo of your room, and you can see the color on your own walls. This works great for exterior checks, too.
Bottom Line...
Yarmouth Blue HC-150 is a refined blue-green with real complexity. It shifts between blue and teal depending on your lighting, pairs best with warm white trim, and absolutely requires testing a sample in every room you are considering.
