Amherst Gray vs Black Forest Green
Both from Benjamin Moore's palette. Amherst Gray reads as grey, while Black Forest Green reads as blue-green — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Amherst Gray (LRV 19) reflects noticeably more light than Black Forest Green (LRV 5), a difference of 14 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Amherst Gray runs yellow while Black Forest Green is decidedly green and blue, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 31.8, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Amherst Gray vs Black Forest Green in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Amherst Gray and Black Forest Green 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
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The LRV gap is large enough that Amherst Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Black Forest Green would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Amherst Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Black Forest Green.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. Amherst Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Black Forest Green.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. Amherst Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Black Forest Green.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The LRV gap is large enough that Amherst Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Black Forest Green would.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Amherst Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Black Forest Green.
Color Details
Amherst Gray vs Black Forest Green Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Amherst Gray on one side and Black Forest Green 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 Amherst Gray comparisons
See how Amherst Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
