Reef Blue vs Balboa Mist
Reef Blue is a Behr color while Balboa Mist comes from Benjamin Moore. Reef Blue reads as blue, while Balboa Mist reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 66 vs 45, Balboa Mist will read as the brighter of the two — a 21-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Reef Blue's blue character against Balboa Mist's red — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 24.1, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Reef Blue vs Balboa Mist in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Reef 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.
Bedroom
Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Balboa Mist will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Reef Blue would.
Kitchen
Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The LRV gap is large enough that Balboa Mist will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Reef Blue would.
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 Reef Blue would.
House
At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Balboa Mist will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Reef 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 Reef Blue would.
Color Details
Reef Blue vs Balboa Mist Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Reef 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 Reef Blue comparisons
See how Reef Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
