Barren Plain vs Northern Cliffs
Barren Plain and Northern Cliffs come from the same Benjamin Moore collection. These are both greige-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within greige-grey to land. The 17-point LRV gap — 62 for Barren Plain vs 46 for Northern Cliffs — means Barren Plain will open up a space more effectively. Where Barren Plain leans red, Northern Cliffs reads yellow and red — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 10.6 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Barren Plain vs Northern Cliffs in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Barren Plain and Northern Cliffs 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. Barren Plain reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Northern Cliffs.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Barren Plain returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Barren Plain vs Northern Cliffs Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Barren Plain on one side and Northern Cliffs 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 Barren Plain comparisons
See how Barren Plain stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
