Ocean Abyss vs Carolina Gull
Ocean Abyss (Behr) and Carolina Gull (Benjamin Moore) come from different manufacturers. Ocean Abyss reads as blue, while Carolina Gull reads as green-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 20-point LRV gap — 27 for Carolina Gull vs 7 for Ocean Abyss — means Carolina Gull will open up a space more effectively. Where Ocean Abyss leans blue, Carolina Gull reads green — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 28.5 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 Carolina Gull in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Ocean Abyss and Carolina Gull 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. Carolina Gull 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. Carolina Gull 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 Carolina Gull 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. Carolina Gull returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Home Office
Home office walls matter more than most — you're looking at them all day, and a color that reads fine at first can become tiring over time. Carolina Gull returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Carolina Gull returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Ocean Abyss vs Carolina Gull Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Ocean Abyss on one side and Carolina Gull 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.
