Balboa Mist vs Celtic Forest 3
Balboa Mist (Benjamin Moore) and Celtic Forest 3 (Dulux) come from different manufacturers. Both sit in the beige-greige family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. The 14-point LRV gap — 66 for Balboa Mist vs 52 for Celtic Forest 3 — means Balboa Mist will open up a space more effectively. Where Balboa Mist leans red, Celtic Forest 3 reads warm — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 13.3 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Balboa Mist vs Celtic Forest 3 in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Balboa Mist and Celtic Forest 3 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. Balboa Mist reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Celtic Forest 3.
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. Balboa Mist returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Balboa Mist returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Balboa Mist returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Balboa Mist vs Celtic Forest 3 Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Balboa Mist on one side and Celtic Forest 3 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.
