Balboa vs Hardwick White

BalboaBehrvsHardwick WhiteFarrow & BallΔE 21.5Distinct difference

Balboa is a Behr color while Hardwick White comes from Farrow & Ball. Hue-wise, Balboa belongs to the blue family and Hardwick White to the greige-grey family. At LRV 58 vs 44, Balboa will read as the brighter of the two — a 15-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Balboa's blue character against Hardwick White's warm — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 21.5, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Balboa vs Hardwick White in Real Spaces

6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Balboa and Hardwick White 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. Balboa 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

Hardwick WhiteFarrow and Ball Hardwick White 5 living room

@pinnaclepaintanddecorators

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 Balboa will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Hardwick White would.

BalboaBehr Balboa bedroom

Visualization

Hardwick WhiteFarrow and Ball Hardwick White 5 bedroom

@arthurleeinteriors

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 Balboa will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Hardwick White would.

BalboaBehr Balboa kitchen painted backsplash

Visualization

Hardwick WhiteFarrow and Ball Hardwick White 5 kitchen

@thelittlefixerupper

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 Balboa will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Hardwick White would.

BalboaBehr Balboa bathroom

Visualization

Hardwick WhiteFarrow and Ball Hardwick White 5 bathroom

@zoeallaninteriors

House

At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Balboa will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Hardwick White would.

BalboaBehr Balboa victorian house interior

Visualization

Kitchen Cabinets

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

BalboaBehr Balboa kitchen cabinets

Visualization

Hardwick WhiteFarrow and Ball Hardwick White 5 kitchen cabinets

@rozzimaygreenwood

Color Details

Balboa
Behr · MQ4-55
Hex#afd3da
LRV58.4
BrandBehr
NumberMQ4-55
UndertoneBlue
TemperatureCool
BrightnessLight
Hardwick White
Farrow & Ball · 5
Hex#b5afa0
LRV43.7
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number5
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium

Balboa vs Hardwick White Simulated Comparison

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

White Dove
Balboa
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove reads noticeably lighter

Ammonite
Balboa
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite reads slightly lighter

Iron Ore
Balboa
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Balboa is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
Balboa
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Balboa reads slightly lighter

Evergreen Fog
Balboa
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Balboa is the lighter choice

Mizzle
Balboa
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Balboa reads slightly lighter

Agreeable Gray
Balboa
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Nearly identical in tone

Accessible Beige
Balboa
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

Nearly identical in tone

Denim Drift
Balboa
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Balboa is the lighter choice

French Gray
Balboa
French Gray
Farrow & Ball
French Gray
LRV 43

Balboa reads noticeably lighter

Naval
Balboa
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Balboa is the lighter choice

Tranquil Dawn
Balboa
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Balboa reads slightly lighter

Bancha
Balboa
Bancha
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

Balboa is the lighter choice

Pure White
Balboa
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Pure White
LRV 84

Pure White is the lighter choice

Artichoke
Balboa
Artichoke
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

Balboa is the lighter choice

Balboa Mist
Balboa
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist reads slightly lighter

Shoji White
Balboa
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Shoji White
LRV 74

Shoji White reads noticeably lighter

Snowbound
Balboa
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound reads noticeably lighter

Pewter Green
Balboa
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Pewter Green
LRV 12

Balboa is the lighter choice

Skimming Stone
Balboa
Skimming Stone
Farrow & Ball
Skimming Stone
LRV 68

Skimming Stone reads slightly lighter

Dix Blue
Balboa
Dix Blue
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Balboa reads noticeably lighter

Calamine
Balboa
Calamine
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine reads slightly lighter

Treron
Balboa
Treron
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Balboa is the lighter choice

Vintage Vogue
Balboa
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Balboa is the lighter choice

Saybrook Sage
Balboa
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Saybrook Sage
LRV 45

Balboa reads noticeably lighter

Pale Green
Balboa
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Balboa is the lighter choice

Pine Needle
Balboa
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Balboa is the lighter choice

Cement grey
Balboa
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Balboa is the lighter choice

Guilford Green
Balboa
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Guilford Green
LRV 57

Nearly identical in tone

Just Walnut
Balboa
Just Walnut
Dulux
Just Walnut
LRV 72

Just Walnut reads noticeably lighter