Ocean Abyss vs Smokey Taupe
Ocean Abyss (Behr) and Smokey Taupe (Benjamin Moore) come from different manufacturers. Ocean Abyss reads as blue, while Smokey Taupe reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 47-point LRV gap — 55 for Smokey Taupe vs 7 for Ocean Abyss — means Smokey Taupe will open up a space more effectively. Where Ocean Abyss leans blue, Smokey Taupe reads red — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 50.6 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Ocean Abyss vs Smokey Taupe in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Ocean Abyss and Smokey Taupe 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. Smokey Taupe reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Ocean Abyss.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Smokey Taupe 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. Smokey Taupe 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 Smokey Taupe Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Ocean Abyss on one side and Smokey Taupe 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.
