Balboa Mist vs Barley Twist
Where Balboa Mist belongs to Benjamin Moore's range, Barley Twist is a Dulux color. Hue-wise, Balboa Mist belongs to the beige-greige family and Barley Twist to the beige family. Barley Twist (LRV 77) reflects noticeably more light than Balboa Mist (LRV 66), a difference of 12 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Balboa Mist runs red while Barley Twist is decidedly warm, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. The ΔE 8.1 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Balboa Mist vs Barley Twist in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Balboa Mist and Barley Twist are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
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 Barley Twist will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Balboa Mist would.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Barley Twist reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Balboa Mist.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. Barley Twist returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Barley Twist reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Balboa Mist.
Color Details
Balboa Mist vs Barley Twist Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Balboa Mist on one side and Barley Twist 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 Balboa Mist comparisons
See how Balboa Mist stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
