Balboa Mist vs Before the Storm
Balboa Mist is a Benjamin Moore color while Before the Storm comes from Sherwin-Williams. Hue-wise, Balboa Mist belongs to the beige-greige family and Before the Storm to the grey family. At LRV 66 vs 18, Balboa Mist will read as the brighter of the two — a 47-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Balboa Mist's red character against Before the Storm's neutral — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 36.6, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Balboa Mist vs Before the Storm in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Balboa Mist and Before the Storm 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.
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 Before the Storm would.
Color Details
Balboa Mist vs Before the Storm Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Balboa Mist on one side and Before the Storm 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.
