Char Brown vs Denim Drift

Char BrownBenjamin MoorevsDenim DriftDuluxΔE 29.4Very different colors

Char Brown (Benjamin Moore) and Denim Drift (Dulux) come from different manufacturers. Char Brown reads as beige-greige, while Denim Drift reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 18-point LRV gap — 27 for Denim Drift vs 9 for Char Brown — means Denim Drift will open up a space more effectively. Where Char Brown leans red, Denim Drift reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 29.4 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.

Char Brown vs Denim Drift in Real Spaces

1 real room side by side. Seeing Char Brown and Denim Drift 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. Denim Drift reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Char Brown.

Char BrownChar Brown living room picture

@makingspacesnet

Denim DriftDulux Denim Drift living room paint review

@melshousetohome

Color Details

Char Brown
Benjamin Moore · 2137-20
Hex#5A4F40
LRV9.3
BrandBenjamin Moore
Number2137-20
UndertoneRed
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessDark
Denim Drift
Dulux · 87BG 27/077
Hex#7c8d95
LRV27.0
BrandDulux
Number87BG 27/077
Undertone
TemperatureCool
BrightnessMedium

Char Brown vs Denim Drift Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Char Brown on one side and Denim Drift on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Char Brown comparisons

See how Char Brown stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

Char Brown
White Dove
Char Brown
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9

White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 9), opening up a space where Char Brown encloses it.

Char Brown
Ammonite
Char Brown
Ammonite
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

At LRV 69 vs 9, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.

Char Brown
Iron Ore
Char Brown
Iron Ore
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9

Char Brown reads slightly lighter (LRV 9 vs 6), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Char Brown
Purbeck Stone
Char Brown
Purbeck Stone
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9

At LRV 52 vs 9, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.

Char Brown
Evergreen Fog
Char Brown
Evergreen Fog
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9

At LRV 30 vs 9, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.

Char Brown
Mizzle
Char Brown
Mizzle
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 9), opening up a space where Char Brown encloses it.

Char Brown
Agreeable Gray
Char Brown
Agreeable Gray
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9

At LRV 60 vs 9, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Char Brown
Accessible Beige
Char Brown
Accessible Beige
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9

Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 9), opening up a space where Char Brown encloses it.

Char Brown
French Gray
Char Brown
French Gray
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9

At LRV 43 vs 9, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Char Brown
Naval
Char Brown
Naval
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

A 5-point LRV gap (9 vs 4) makes Char Brown the marginally brighter of the two.

Char Brown
Tranquil Dawn
Char Brown
Tranquil Dawn
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9

Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 9), opening up a space where Char Brown encloses it.

Char Brown
Bancha
Char Brown
Bancha
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

Bancha reads slightly lighter (LRV 13 vs 9), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Char Brown
Hardwick White
Char Brown
Hardwick White
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9

Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 9), opening up a space where Char Brown encloses it.

Char Brown
Pure White
Char Brown
Pure White
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9

At LRV 84 vs 9, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.

Char Brown
Artichoke
Char Brown
Artichoke
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

At LRV 21 vs 9, Artichoke is decisively the brighter choice.

Balboa Mist
Char Brown
Balboa Mist
Char Brown
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9

Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 9), opening up a space where Char Brown encloses it.

Char Brown
Shoji White
Char Brown
Shoji White
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9

Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 9), opening up a space where Char Brown encloses it.

Char Brown
Snowbound
Char Brown
Snowbound
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 9), opening up a space where Char Brown encloses it.

Char Brown
Pewter Green
Char Brown
Pewter Green
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9

With LRVs of 12 and 9, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Char Brown
Skimming Stone
Char Brown
Skimming Stone
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9

Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 9), opening up a space where Char Brown encloses it.

Char Brown
Dix Blue
Char Brown
Dix Blue
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

At LRV 41 vs 9, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.

Char Brown
Calamine
Char Brown
Calamine
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

At LRV 68 vs 9, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.

Char Brown
Treron
Char Brown
Treron
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

At LRV 25 vs 9, Treron is decisively the brighter choice.

Char Brown
Vintage Vogue
Char Brown
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9

With LRVs of 12 and 9, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Char Brown
Saybrook Sage
Char Brown
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9

Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 9), opening up a space where Char Brown encloses it.

Char Brown
Pale Green
Char Brown
Pale Green
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

At LRV 31 vs 9, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.

Char Brown
Pine Needle
Char Brown
Pine Needle
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 9 vs 7), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Char Brown
Cement grey
Char Brown
Cement grey
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

At LRV 24 vs 9, Cement grey is decisively the brighter choice.

Char Brown
Guilford Green
Char Brown
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9

At LRV 57 vs 9, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.

Char Brown
Just Walnut
Char Brown
Just Walnut
Benjamin Moore
Char Brown
2137-20 · LRV 9

At LRV 72 vs 9, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.