Amherst Gray vs Balboa Mist
Amherst Gray and Balboa Mist come from the same Benjamin Moore collection. Amherst Gray reads as grey, while Balboa Mist reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 47-point LRV gap — 66 for Balboa Mist vs 19 for Amherst Gray — means Balboa Mist will open up a space more effectively. Where Amherst Gray leans yellow, Balboa Mist reads red — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 36.4 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Amherst Gray vs Balboa Mist in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Amherst Gray and Balboa Mist in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Living Room
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Balboa Mist reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Amherst Gray.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Balboa Mist returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Dining Room
Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The LRV gap is large enough that Balboa Mist will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Amherst Gray would.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Balboa Mist returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Balboa Mist returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Balboa Mist returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Amherst Gray vs Balboa Mist Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Amherst Gray on one side and Balboa Mist on the other.
Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.
More Amherst Gray comparisons
See how Amherst Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 19), opening up a space where Amherst Gray encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 19, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 19 vs 6, Amherst Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 19), opening up a space where Amherst Gray encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 19), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 19, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 19), opening up a space where Amherst Gray encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 19, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (27 vs 19) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 19), opening up a space where Amherst Gray encloses it.
Amherst Gray reflects far more light (LRV 19 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 19, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (19 vs 13) makes Amherst Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 44 vs 19, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 19), opening up a space where Amherst Gray encloses it.
With LRVs of 21 and 19, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 74 vs 19, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 19, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 19), opening up a space where Amherst Gray encloses it.
A 7-point LRV gap (19 vs 12) makes Amherst Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
A 11-point LRV gap (19 vs 8) makes Amherst Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 19, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 19), opening up a space where Amherst Gray encloses it.
A 7-point LRV gap (19 vs 12) makes Amherst Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 19, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 19), opening up a space where Amherst Gray encloses it.
Amherst Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 19 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.