Charcoal Slate vs Evergreen Fog

Charcoal Slate (Benjamin Moore) and Evergreen Fog (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Charcoal Slate belongs to the grey family and Evergreen Fog to the green-grey family. The 16-point LRV gap — 30 for Evergreen Fog vs 15 for Charcoal Slate — means Evergreen Fog will open up a space more effectively. Where Charcoal Slate leans blue, Evergreen Fog reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 20.4 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 8 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Charcoal Slate vs Evergreen Fog in Real Spaces

8 real rooms side by side. Seeing Charcoal Slate and Evergreen Fog 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. Evergreen Fog reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Charcoal Slate.

Charcoal SlateBenjamin Moore HC-178 living room fireplace

@mlevac_design

Evergreen FogEvergreen Fog SW 9130 living room

@mybudgetrecipes

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. Evergreen Fog returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Charcoal SlateBenjamin Moore Charcoal Slate bedroom color review

@nickysinteriorpainting

Evergreen FogBedroom painted in Sherwin-Williams Evergreen Fog

@mybudgetrecipes

Kitchen

Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Evergreen Fog returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Charcoal SlateHc-178 Kitchen Walls

@bluebird_painting

Evergreen FogSherwin Williams Evergreen Fog kitchen cabinets evergreen fog alabaster

@mybudgetrecipes

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. Evergreen Fog returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Charcoal SlateBenjamin Moore HC-178 bathroom wall panelling

@little_blueberry_homestead

Evergreen FogSW 9130 bathroom evergreen fog 590x1024 inspiration

@mybudgetrecipes

Home Office

Home office walls matter more than most — you're looking at them all day, and a color that reads fine at first can become tiring over time. Evergreen Fog returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Charcoal SlateBenjamin Moore Charcoal Slate Home Office

@djfbuilders

Evergreen FogEvergreen Fog home office color review

@mybudgetrecipes

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. Evergreen Fog returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Charcoal SlateBenjamin Moore HC-178 house exterior review

@tjspaintingcompany

Evergreen FogCraftsman House with White Trim and Stonework in Evergreen Fog

@homeimprovementdude

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. Evergreen Fog reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Charcoal Slate.

Charcoal SlateBm Charcoal Slate Front Door

@insta.gramma_

Evergreen FogFarmhouse Front Door with White Trim and Evergreen Fog

@homeimprovementdude

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. Evergreen Fog returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Charcoal SlateCharcoal Slate kitchen cabinets

@designit.buildit

Evergreen FogFarmhouse Kitchen with Quartz and Evergreen Fog Cabinets

@homeimprovementdude

Color Details

Charcoal Slate
Benjamin Moore · HC-178
Hex#646769
LRV14.5
BrandBenjamin Moore
NumberHC-178
UndertoneBlue
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams · 9130
Hex#95978A
LRV30.4
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number9130
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium

Charcoal Slate vs Evergreen Fog Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Charcoal Slate on one side and Evergreen Fog 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 Charcoal Slate comparisons

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

White Dove
Charcoal Slate
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Charcoal Slate
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Charcoal Slate
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Charcoal Slate reads slightly lighter

Purbeck Stone
Charcoal Slate
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Mizzle
Charcoal Slate
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
Charcoal Slate
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Accessible Beige
Charcoal Slate
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

Accessible Beige is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Charcoal Slate
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Denim Drift reads noticeably lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Charcoal Slate
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Balboa Mist
Charcoal Slate
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Vintage Vogue
Charcoal Slate
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Nearly identical in tone

Pale Green
Charcoal Slate
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads noticeably lighter

Pine Needle
Charcoal Slate
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Charcoal Slate reads slightly lighter

Cement grey
Charcoal Slate
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Cement grey reads slightly lighter

Black grey
Charcoal Slate
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Charcoal Slate reads slightly lighter

Piazza
Charcoal Slate
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza is the lighter choice

Humble Yellow
Charcoal Slate
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow is the lighter choice

Windmill Lane
Charcoal Slate
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Windmill Lane reads noticeably lighter

Senses
Charcoal Slate
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Senses is the lighter choice

Lamp Black
Charcoal Slate
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Charcoal Slate reads slightly lighter

Washed Linen
Charcoal Slate
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen is the lighter choice

Tea with Florence
Charcoal Slate
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Tea with Florence reads slightly lighter

Thames Fog
Charcoal Slate
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Thames Fog reads noticeably lighter

Ocean Abyss
Charcoal Slate
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Charcoal Slate reads slightly lighter

Classic Silver
Charcoal Slate
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Classic Silver is the lighter choice

Teton Blue
Charcoal Slate
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Teton Blue reads noticeably lighter

RAL 110-2
Charcoal Slate
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Charcoal Slate
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Charcoal Slate
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Charcoal Slate
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Nearly identical in tone