Mortar vs Balboa Mist
Mortar (Behr) and Balboa Mist (Benjamin Moore) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Mortar belongs to the grey family and Balboa Mist to the beige-greige family. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 67 vs 66 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. Where Mortar leans yellow, Balboa Mist reads red — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 2.1 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Mortar vs Balboa Mist in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Mortar and Balboa Mist are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Color Details
Mortar vs Balboa Mist Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Mortar 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 Mortar comparisons
See how Mortar stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
