Balboa Mist vs Arsenic
Balboa Mist (Benjamin Moore) and Arsenic (Farrow & Ball) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Balboa Mist belongs to the beige-greige family and Arsenic to the green family. The 29-point LRV gap — 66 for Balboa Mist vs 37 for Arsenic — means Balboa Mist will open up a space more effectively. Where Balboa Mist leans red, Arsenic reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 26.6 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 Arsenic in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Balboa Mist and Arsenic 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 Arsenic.
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.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. 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 Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. 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 Arsenic Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Balboa Mist on one side and Arsenic 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.
