Balboa Mist vs Honed Soapstone
Balboa Mist (Benjamin Moore) and Honed Soapstone (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Balboa Mist belongs to the beige-greige family and Honed Soapstone to the greige-grey family. The 34-point LRV gap — 66 for Balboa Mist vs 31 for Honed Soapstone — means Balboa Mist will open up a space more effectively. Where Balboa Mist leans red, Honed Soapstone reads warm — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 23.3 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Balboa Mist vs Honed Soapstone in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Balboa Mist and Honed Soapstone in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Dining Room
Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The LRV gap is large enough that Balboa Mist will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Honed Soapstone would.
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.
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 Honed Soapstone Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Balboa Mist on one side and Honed Soapstone 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.
