Barren Plain vs Pure White
Where Barren Plain belongs to Benjamin Moore's range, Pure White is a Sherwin-Williams color. Hue-wise, Barren Plain belongs to the greige-grey family and Pure White to the beige-greige family. Pure White (LRV 84) reflects noticeably more light than Barren Plain (LRV 62), a difference of 22 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Barren Plain runs red while Pure White is decidedly warm, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. The ΔE 9.8 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Barren Plain vs Pure White in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Barren Plain and Pure White are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
Living Room
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The LRV gap is large enough that Pure White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Barren Plain would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Pure White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Barren Plain.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Pure White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Barren Plain.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. Pure White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Barren Plain.
Color Details
Barren Plain vs Pure White Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Barren Plain on one side and Pure White 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.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 62), opening up a space where Barren Plain encloses it.
A 7-point LRV gap (69 vs 62) makes Ammonite the marginally brighter of the two.
Barren Plain reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
A 10-point LRV gap (62 vs 52) makes Barren Plain the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 62 vs 30, Barren Plain is decisively the brighter choice.
Barren Plain reads slightly lighter (LRV 62 vs 52), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 62 vs 60), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Barren Plain reads slightly lighter (LRV 62 vs 58), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Barren Plain reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 62 vs 43, Barren Plain is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 62 vs 4, Barren Plain is decisively the brighter choice.
Barren Plain reads slightly lighter (LRV 62 vs 55), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Barren Plain reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Barren Plain reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
At LRV 62 vs 21, Barren Plain is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reads slightly lighter (LRV 66 vs 62), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 62), opening up a space where Barren Plain encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 62), opening up a space where Barren Plain encloses it.
Barren Plain reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 62), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 62 vs 41, Barren Plain is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (68 vs 62) makes Calamine the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 62 vs 25, Barren Plain is decisively the brighter choice.
Barren Plain reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Barren Plain reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 62 vs 31, Barren Plain is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 62 vs 7, Barren Plain is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 62 vs 24, Barren Plain is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (62 vs 57) makes Barren Plain the marginally brighter of the two.
A 10-point LRV gap (72 vs 62) makes Just Walnut the marginally brighter of the two.