Midnight Blue vs Balboa Mist
Midnight Blue is a Behr color while Balboa Mist comes from Benjamin Moore. Hue-wise, Midnight Blue belongs to the blue-grey family and Balboa Mist to the beige-greige family. At LRV 66 vs 9, Balboa Mist will read as the brighter of the two — a 56-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Midnight Blue's blue character against Balboa Mist's red — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 51.0, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Midnight Blue vs Balboa Mist in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Midnight Blue and Balboa Mist 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 Mist returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Dining Room
Dining room light is typically the warmest in the house, which shifts both colors toward the red end of the spectrum compared to daylight. Balboa Mist reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Midnight Blue.
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 Mist will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Midnight Blue would.
Kitchen Cabinets
On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The LRV gap is large enough that Balboa Mist will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Midnight Blue would.
Color Details
Midnight Blue vs Balboa Mist Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Midnight Blue on one side and Balboa Mist 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 Midnight Blue comparisons
See how Midnight Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
