Boothbay Gray vs Hicks' Blue
Boothbay Gray (Benjamin Moore) and Hicks' Blue (Little Greene) come from different manufacturers. Boothbay Gray reads as blue-green, while Hicks' Blue reads as blue — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Boothbay Gray has an LRV of 43. Where Boothbay Gray leans green, Hicks' Blue reads blue — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 37.3 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Boothbay Gray vs Hicks' Blue in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Boothbay Gray and Hicks' Blue 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. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Front Door
On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Color Details
Boothbay Gray vs Hicks' Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Boothbay Gray on one side and Hicks' Blue 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 Boothbay Gray comparisons
See how Boothbay Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 43), opening up a space where Boothbay Gray encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 43, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 43 vs 6, Boothbay Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 43), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Boothbay Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
A 8-point LRV gap (52 vs 43) makes Mizzle the marginally brighter of the two.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 43), opening up a space where Boothbay Gray encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 43, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 43 vs 27, Boothbay Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 43 and 43, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Boothbay Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
A 12-point LRV gap (55 vs 43) makes Tranquil Dawn the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 43 vs 13, Boothbay Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 44 vs 43), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 43), opening up a space where Boothbay Gray encloses it.
Boothbay Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 43, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 43, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 43, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reads slightly lighter (LRV 51 vs 43), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 43 vs 12, Boothbay Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 43 vs 8, Boothbay Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 43, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 43 and 41, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 43 vs 12, Boothbay Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 45 vs 43), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Boothbay Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
Boothbay Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.