Beacon Gray vs Zen
Where Beacon Gray belongs to Benjamin Moore's range, Zen is a PPG color. Hue-wise, Beacon Gray belongs to the blue-grey family and Zen to the blue family. Zen (LRV 69) reflects noticeably more light than Beacon Gray (LRV 66), a difference of 3 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. At ΔE 1.3, these are close — the kind of difference that matters when choosing between them, but doesn't read strongly in a finished room. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Beacon Gray vs Zen in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Beacon Gray and Zen are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
Living Room
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The brightness difference is modest but present — Zen gives the walls a little more lift.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Zen reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. Zen reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Beacon Gray vs Zen Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Beacon Gray on one side and Zen 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 Beacon Gray comparisons
See how Beacon Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
With LRVs of 69 and 66, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 83 vs 66, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 66 vs 6, Beacon Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Beacon Gray reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
Beacon Gray reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 52, Beacon Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Beacon Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 66 vs 60), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 8-point LRV gap (66 vs 58) makes Beacon Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 66 vs 27, Beacon Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Beacon Gray reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
Beacon Gray reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
A 11-point LRV gap (66 vs 55) makes Beacon Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 66 vs 13, Beacon Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 66 vs 44, Beacon Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 66), opening up a space where Beacon Gray encloses it.
Beacon Gray reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 66 vs 66), so neither reads brighter in a room.
A 8-point LRV gap (74 vs 66) makes Shoji White the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 83 vs 66, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Beacon Gray reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 51), opening up a space where Pigeon encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 12, Beacon Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 66 vs 8, Beacon Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 68 vs 66), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Beacon Gray reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 41), opening up a space where Dix Blue encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 12, Beacon Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 66 vs 45, Beacon Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Beacon Gray reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.