Imperial Gray vs Black grey
Where Imperial Gray belongs to Behr's range, Black grey is a RAL Classic color. Hue-wise, Imperial Gray belongs to the grey family and Black grey to the blue-grey family. Imperial Gray (LRV 14) reflects noticeably more light than Black grey (LRV 6), a difference of 8 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 24.0, 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 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Imperial Gray vs Black grey in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Imperial Gray and Black grey in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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 Black grey Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Imperial Gray on one side and Black grey 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.
