Cathedral Gray vs Skimming Stone
Cathedral Gray (Benjamin Moore) and Skimming Stone (Farrow & Ball) come from different manufacturers. Cathedral Gray reads as greige-grey, while Skimming Stone reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 42-point LRV gap — 68 for Skimming Stone vs 26 for Cathedral Gray — means Skimming Stone will open up a space more effectively. Where Cathedral Gray leans red, Skimming Stone reads warm — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 28.3 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Cathedral Gray vs Skimming Stone in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Cathedral Gray and Skimming Stone 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. Skimming Stone reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Cathedral Gray.
Color Details
Cathedral Gray vs Skimming Stone Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Cathedral Gray on one side and Skimming Stone 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 Cathedral Gray comparisons
See how Cathedral Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 26, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 26), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
At LRV 26 vs 6, Cathedral Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 26), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 26), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 26, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 26), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 26, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 27 vs 26), so neither reads brighter in a room.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 26), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
Cathedral Gray reflects far more light (LRV 26 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 26, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 26 vs 13, Cathedral Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 26, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 26), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
Cathedral Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 26 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 26, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 26, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 26, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 26 vs 12, Cathedral Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 26), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 26), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
With LRVs of 26 and 25, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 26 vs 12, Cathedral Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 26, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 26), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Cathedral Gray reflects far more light (LRV 26 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
With LRVs of 26 and 24, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 26), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 26), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.