Distant Gray vs Gunmetal
Both from Benjamin Moore's palette. Hue-wise, Distant Gray belongs to the green-grey family and Gunmetal to the grey family. Distant Gray (LRV 88) reflects noticeably more light than Gunmetal (LRV 17), a difference of 72 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Distant Gray runs green while Gunmetal is decidedly blue, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 49.6, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Distant Gray vs Gunmetal in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Distant Gray and Gunmetal in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Distant Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Gunmetal.
Color Details
Distant Gray vs Gunmetal Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Distant Gray on one side and Gunmetal 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.