Imperial Gray vs Ocean Abyss
Both from Behr's palette. Hue-wise, Imperial Gray belongs to the grey family and Ocean Abyss to the blue family. Imperial Gray (LRV 14) reflects noticeably more light than Ocean Abyss (LRV 7), a difference of 7 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean blue, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of 18.0, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Imperial Gray vs Ocean Abyss in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Imperial Gray and Ocean Abyss in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Imperial Gray reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. Imperial Gray has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
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. Imperial Gray reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. Imperial Gray reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Imperial Gray reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Imperial Gray vs Ocean Abyss Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Imperial Gray on one side and Ocean Abyss 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 Imperial Gray comparisons
See how Imperial Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
