Cheating Heart vs Thunder
Cheating Heart and Thunder come from the same Benjamin Moore collection. Cheating Heart reads as grey, while Thunder reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 39-point LRV gap — 48 for Thunder vs 9 for Cheating Heart — means Thunder will open up a space more effectively. Where Cheating Heart leans blue, Thunder reads red — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 43.0 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.
Cheating Heart vs Thunder in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Cheating Heart and Thunder 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. Thunder reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Cheating Heart.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Thunder returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Thunder 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. Thunder returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Cheating Heart vs Thunder Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Cheating Heart on one side and Thunder 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.