Calm vs Nimbus
Calm and Nimbus come from the same Benjamin Moore collection. Calm reads as greige-white, while Nimbus reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 16-point LRV gap — 76 for Calm vs 59 for Nimbus — means Calm will open up a space more effectively. Where Calm leans red, Nimbus reads yellow and red — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. ΔE 8.7 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Calm vs Nimbus in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Calm and Nimbus 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
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. Calm reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Nimbus.
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. Calm returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Calm returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Calm vs Nimbus Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Calm on one side and Nimbus 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 Calm comparisons
See how Calm stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
A 7-point LRV gap (83 vs 76) makes White Dove the marginally brighter of the two.
Calm reflects far more light (LRV 76 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
Calm reflects far more light (LRV 76 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
Calm reflects far more light (LRV 76 vs 60), opening up a space where Agreeable Gray encloses it.
At LRV 76 vs 58, Calm is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 76 vs 27, Calm is decisively the brighter choice.
Calm reflects far more light (LRV 76 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
At LRV 76 vs 55, Calm is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 76 vs 44, Calm is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reads slightly lighter (LRV 84 vs 76), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 10-point LRV gap (76 vs 66) makes Calm the marginally brighter of the two.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 76 vs 74), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 76 vs 12, Calm is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (76 vs 68) makes Calm the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 76 vs 12, Calm is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 76 vs 45, Calm is decisively the brighter choice.
Calm reflects far more light (LRV 76 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
Calm reflects far more light (LRV 76 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Calm reflects far more light (LRV 76 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
Calm reflects far more light (LRV 76 vs 57), opening up a space where Guilford Green encloses it.