Blue Heron vs Thunder
Both from Benjamin Moore's palette. Blue Heron reads as blue, while Thunder reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Thunder (LRV 48) reflects noticeably more light than Blue Heron (LRV 16), a difference of 32 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Blue Heron runs blue while Thunder is decidedly red, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 38.0, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Blue Heron vs Thunder in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Blue Heron and Thunder in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Thunder reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Blue Heron.
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. Thunder reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Blue Heron.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Thunder reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Blue Heron.
Color Details
Blue Heron vs Thunder Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Blue Heron on one side and Thunder 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.