Buxton Blue vs Hardwick White
Buxton Blue (Benjamin Moore) and Hardwick White (Farrow & Ball) come from different manufacturers. Buxton Blue reads as blue, while Hardwick White reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 45 vs 44 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. Where Buxton Blue leans blue, Hardwick White reads warm — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 15.2 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Buxton Blue vs Hardwick White in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Buxton Blue and Hardwick White 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. Hardwick White brings more warmth to the space, while Buxton Blue keeps things cooler and crisper.
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. Buxton Blue reads more restrained here, while Hardwick White adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
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. Buxton Blue reads more restrained here, while Hardwick White adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
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. Buxton Blue reads more restrained here, while Hardwick White adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Color Details
Buxton Blue vs Hardwick White Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Buxton Blue on one side and Hardwick 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 Buxton Blue comparisons
See how Buxton Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 45), opening up a space where Buxton Blue encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 45, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
Buxton Blue reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
A 7-point LRV gap (52 vs 45) makes Purbeck Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 30, Buxton Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Mizzle reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 45), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 60 vs 45, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 45), opening up a space where Buxton Blue encloses it.
Buxton Blue reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 45 vs 43), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 45 vs 4, Buxton Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 45), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Buxton Blue reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 45, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 21, Buxton Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 45), opening up a space where Buxton Blue encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 45), opening up a space where Buxton Blue encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 45), opening up a space where Buxton Blue encloses it.
Buxton Blue reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 45), opening up a space where Buxton Blue encloses it.
A 4-point LRV gap (45 vs 41) makes Buxton Blue the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 45, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 25, Buxton Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Buxton Blue reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
With LRVs of 45 and 45, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 45 vs 31, Buxton Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 7, Buxton Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 24, Buxton Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 45, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 72 vs 45, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.