Balboa vs Ammonite paint color comparison

Balboa vs Ammonite

BalboaBehrvsAmmoniteFarrow & BallΔE 16.8Distinct difference

Balboa is a Behr color while Ammonite comes from Farrow & Ball. Balboa reads as blue, while Ammonite reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 69 vs 58, Ammonite will read as the brighter of the two — a 11-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Balboa's blue character against Ammonite's warm — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 16.8, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Balboa vs Ammonite in Real Spaces

5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Balboa and Ammonite 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

Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. Ammonite returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

BalboaBehr Balboa living room interior

Visualization

AmmoniteFarrow and Ball 274 living room paint review

@bigredhome

Bedroom

Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Ammonite will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Balboa would.

BalboaBehr Balboa bedroom

Visualization

AmmoniteFarrow and Ball Ammonite bedroom color paint

@the.weston.home

Kitchen

Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The LRV gap is large enough that Ammonite will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Balboa would.

BalboaBehr Balboa kitchen painted backsplash

Visualization

AmmoniteFarrow and Ball Ammonite kitchen inspiration

@lehomelehouse

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that Ammonite will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Balboa would.

BalboaBehr Balboa bathroom

Visualization

AmmoniteAmmonite bathroom color review

@oursomersetnest

Kitchen Cabinets

On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The LRV gap is large enough that Ammonite will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Balboa would.

BalboaBehr Balboa kitchen cabinets

Visualization

AmmoniteFarrow and Ball Ammonite kitchen cabinets interior idea

@maisonlesage

Color Details

Balboa
Behr · MQ4-55
Hex#afd3da
LRV58.4
BrandBehr
NumberMQ4-55
UndertoneBlue
TemperatureCool
BrightnessLight
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball · 274
Hex#ddd8cf
LRV68.9
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number274
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessLight

Balboa vs Ammonite Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Balboa on one side and Ammonite on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Balboa comparisons

See how Balboa stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

Balboa
Balboa
White Dove
White Dove
Balboa vs White Dove
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58

At LRV 83 vs 58, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.

Balboa
Balboa
Iron Ore
Iron Ore
Balboa vs Iron Ore
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58

At LRV 58 vs 6, Balboa is decisively the brighter choice.

Balboa
Balboa
Purbeck Stone
Purbeck Stone
Balboa vs Purbeck Stone
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58

Balboa reads slightly lighter (LRV 58 vs 52), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Balboa
Balboa
Evergreen Fog
Evergreen Fog
Balboa vs Evergreen Fog
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58

Balboa reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.

Balboa
Balboa
Mizzle
Mizzle
Balboa vs Mizzle
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

A 7-point LRV gap (58 vs 52) makes Balboa the marginally brighter of the two.

Balboa
Balboa
Agreeable Gray
Agreeable Gray
Balboa vs Agreeable Gray
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58

With LRVs of 60 and 58, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Balboa
Balboa
Accessible Beige
Accessible Beige
Balboa vs Accessible Beige
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 58 vs 58), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Balboa
Balboa
Denim Drift
Denim Drift
Balboa vs Denim Drift
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58

At LRV 58 vs 27, Balboa is decisively the brighter choice.

Balboa
Balboa
French Gray
French Gray
Balboa vs French Gray
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58

Balboa reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.

Balboa
Balboa
Naval
Naval
Balboa vs Naval
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Balboa reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.

Balboa
Balboa
Tranquil Dawn
Tranquil Dawn
Balboa vs Tranquil Dawn
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58

A 3-point LRV gap (58 vs 55) makes Balboa the marginally brighter of the two.

Balboa
Balboa
Bancha
Bancha
Balboa vs Bancha
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

At LRV 58 vs 13, Balboa is decisively the brighter choice.

Balboa
Balboa
Hardwick White
Hardwick White
Balboa vs Hardwick White
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58

At LRV 58 vs 44, Balboa is decisively the brighter choice.

Balboa
Balboa
Pure White
Pure White
Balboa vs Pure White
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58

Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 58), opening up a space where Balboa encloses it.

Balboa
Balboa
Artichoke
Artichoke
Balboa vs Artichoke
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

Balboa reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.

Balboa
Balboa
Balboa Mist
Balboa Mist
Balboa vs Balboa Mist
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58

A 7-point LRV gap (66 vs 58) makes Balboa Mist the marginally brighter of the two.

Balboa
Balboa
Shoji White
Shoji White
Balboa vs Shoji White
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58

At LRV 74 vs 58, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.

Balboa
Balboa
Snowbound
Snowbound
Balboa vs Snowbound
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

At LRV 83 vs 58, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.

Balboa
Balboa
Pewter Green
Pewter Green
Balboa vs Pewter Green
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58

At LRV 58 vs 12, Balboa is decisively the brighter choice.

Balboa
Balboa
Skimming Stone
Skimming Stone
Balboa vs Skimming Stone
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58

A 10-point LRV gap (68 vs 58) makes Skimming Stone the marginally brighter of the two.

Balboa
Balboa
Dix Blue
Dix Blue
Balboa vs Dix Blue
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Balboa reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 41), opening up a space where Dix Blue encloses it.

Balboa
Balboa
Calamine
Calamine
Balboa vs Calamine
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 58), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Balboa
Balboa
Treron
Treron
Balboa vs Treron
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Balboa reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 25), opening up a space where Treron encloses it.

Balboa
Balboa
Vintage Vogue
Vintage Vogue
Balboa vs Vintage Vogue
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58

At LRV 58 vs 12, Balboa is decisively the brighter choice.

Balboa
Balboa
Saybrook Sage
Saybrook Sage
Balboa vs Saybrook Sage
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58

At LRV 58 vs 45, Balboa is decisively the brighter choice.

Balboa
Balboa
Pale Green
Pale Green
Balboa vs Pale Green
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Balboa reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.

Balboa
Balboa
Pine Needle
Pine Needle
Balboa vs Pine Needle
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58

Balboa reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.

Balboa
Balboa
Cement grey
Cement grey
Balboa vs Cement grey
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Balboa reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.

Balboa
Balboa
Guilford Green
Guilford Green
Balboa vs Guilford Green
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58

With LRVs of 58 and 57, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Balboa
Balboa
Just Walnut
Just Walnut
Balboa vs Just Walnut
Behr
Balboa
MQ4-55 · LRV 58

Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 58), opening up a space where Balboa encloses it.