Imperial Gray vs Skimming Stone
Imperial Gray is a Behr color while Skimming Stone comes from Farrow & Ball. Imperial Gray reads as grey, while Skimming Stone reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 68 vs 14, Skimming Stone will read as the brighter of the two — a 54-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Imperial Gray's blue character against Skimming Stone's warm — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 42.1, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Imperial Gray vs Skimming Stone in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Imperial Gray and Skimming Stone in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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 Skimming Stone will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Imperial Gray would.
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 Skimming Stone will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Imperial Gray would.
Kitchen Cabinets
On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The LRV gap is large enough that Skimming Stone will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Imperial Gray would.
Color Details
Imperial Gray vs Skimming Stone Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Imperial Gray on one side and Skimming Stone 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.
At LRV 83 vs 14, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 14), opening up a space where Imperial Gray encloses it.
A 9-point LRV gap (14 vs 6) makes Imperial Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 14), opening up a space where Imperial Gray encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 14), opening up a space where Imperial Gray encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 14, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 14), opening up a space where Imperial Gray encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 14, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 14, Denim Drift is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 14), opening up a space where Imperial Gray encloses it.
Imperial Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 14 vs 4), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 55 vs 14, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 14 vs 13), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 44 vs 14, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 14), opening up a space where Imperial Gray encloses it.
Artichoke reads slightly lighter (LRV 21 vs 14), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 14, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 14, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 14, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 14 vs 12), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 14), opening up a space where Imperial Gray encloses it.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 14), opening up a space where Imperial Gray encloses it.
Treron reads slightly lighter (LRV 25 vs 14), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 14 vs 12), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 45 vs 14, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 14), opening up a space where Imperial Gray encloses it.
Imperial Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 14 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Cement grey reads slightly lighter (LRV 24 vs 14), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 14), opening up a space where Imperial Gray encloses it.
Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 14), opening up a space where Imperial Gray encloses it.