Cinder vs Black grey

CinderBenjamin MoorevsBlack greyRAL ClassicΔE 35.1Very different colors

Cinder (Benjamin Moore) and Black grey (RAL Classic) come from different manufacturers. Cinder reads as grey, while Black grey reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 18-point LRV gap — 24 for Cinder vs 6 for Black grey — means Cinder will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 35.1 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Cinder vs Black grey in Real Spaces

3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Cinder and Black grey 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. Cinder reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Black grey.

CinderBenjamin Moore AF-705 living room paint

@visionbacksplash

Black greyRAL Classic Black grey 7021 living room

@dorfstadtvilla

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

CinderBenjamin Moore AF-705 exterior paint

@fauxtimedesign

Black greyRAL Classic Black grey 7021 house exterior

@ebbandflow_home

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

CinderBenjamin Moore AF-705 kitchen cabinets

@steadybrushpainting

Black greyRAL Classic 7021 kitchen cabinets paint review

@a.jak.agata

Color Details

Cinder
Benjamin Moore · AF-705
Hex#868583
LRV24.1
BrandBenjamin Moore
NumberAF-705
UndertoneRed
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark
Black grey
RAL Classic · RAL 7021
Hex#2F3234
LRV6.5
BrandRAL Classic
NumberRAL 7021
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessDark

Cinder vs Black grey Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Cinder on one side and Black grey 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 Cinder comparisons

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

White Dove
Cinder
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Cinder
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Cinder
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Cinder reads noticeably lighter

Purbeck Stone
Cinder
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
Cinder
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter

Mizzle
Cinder
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
Cinder
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Cinder
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Nearly identical in tone

Tranquil Dawn
Cinder
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Balboa Mist
Cinder
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Vintage Vogue
Cinder
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Cinder reads noticeably lighter

Pale Green
Cinder
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads slightly lighter

Pine Needle
Cinder
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Cinder reads noticeably lighter

Cement grey
Cinder
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Nearly identical in tone

Piazza
Cinder
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza is the lighter choice

Humble Yellow
Cinder
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow is the lighter choice

Grey Blue
Cinder
Grey Blue
RAL ClassicClassic
Grey Blue
LRV 7

Cinder reads noticeably lighter

Windmill Lane
Cinder
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Windmill Lane reads slightly lighter

Senses
Cinder
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Senses reads noticeably lighter

Lamp Black
Cinder
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Cinder reads noticeably lighter

Washed Linen
Cinder
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen is the lighter choice

Tea with Florence
Cinder
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Cinder reads slightly lighter

Thames Fog
Cinder
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Thames Fog reads slightly lighter

Ocean Abyss
Cinder
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Cinder reads noticeably lighter

Classic Silver
Cinder
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Classic Silver reads noticeably lighter

Teton Blue
Cinder
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Teton Blue reads slightly lighter

RAL 110-2
Cinder
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Cinder
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Cinder
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Cinder
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Cinder reads slightly lighter