Ocean Abyss vs Beneath the Clouds
Ocean Abyss (Behr) and Beneath the Clouds (Benjamin Moore) come from different manufacturers. Ocean Abyss reads as blue, while Beneath the Clouds reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 35-point LRV gap — 42 for Beneath the Clouds vs 7 for Ocean Abyss — means Beneath the Clouds will open up a space more effectively. Both share a blue character, which means they'll respond to light and surrounding materials in similar ways. A ΔE of 38.4 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Ocean Abyss vs Beneath the Clouds in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Ocean Abyss and Beneath the Clouds 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
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Beneath the Clouds reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Ocean Abyss.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Beneath the Clouds 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 rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The LRV gap is large enough that Beneath the Clouds will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Ocean Abyss would.
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. Beneath the Clouds returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Beneath the Clouds returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Front Door
On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. Beneath the Clouds reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Ocean Abyss.
Color Details
Ocean Abyss vs Beneath the Clouds Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Ocean Abyss on one side and Beneath the Clouds 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 Ocean Abyss comparisons
See how Ocean Abyss stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
