Essex Green vs Lafayette Green

Essex Green and Lafayette Green come from the same Benjamin Moore collection. Essex Green reads as green, while Lafayette Green reads as green-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 5-point LRV gap — 11 for Lafayette Green vs 6 for Essex Green — means Lafayette Green will open up a space more effectively. Both share a green character, which means they'll respond to light and surrounding materials in similar ways. A ΔE of 17.8 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Essex Green vs Lafayette Green in Real Spaces

6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Essex Green and Lafayette Green 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. Lafayette Green reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

Essex GreenBm Essex Green Living Room

@hollie.a.adams

Lafayette GreenBm Lafayette Green Living Room Wall

@oakdesignproject

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. Lafayette Green has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

Essex GreenBedroom

@kimroraback

Lafayette GreenHc-135 Bedroom

@ysinteriors_ab

Dining Room

Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The brightness difference is modest but present — Lafayette Green gives the walls a little more lift.

Essex GreenHc-188 Dining Room

@greenpaintandlove

Lafayette GreenLafayette Green Dining Room

@simplyorderedhome

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. Lafayette Green has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

Essex GreenHc-188 Bathroom Paint

@jessicawhite629

Lafayette GreenBathroom

@monicaescalantekolbuk

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. Lafayette Green has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

Essex GreenHouse Exterior

@sarahhayesdesign

Lafayette GreenBm Lafayette Green Windows

@juliaparktracey

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. Lafayette Green reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

Essex GreenBenjamin Moore Essex Green Front Door

@doughty.chuck

Lafayette GreenHc-135 Front Door

@deboeverinteriors

Color Details

Essex Green
Benjamin Moore · HC-188
Hex#27362E
LRV5.6
BrandBenjamin Moore
NumberHC-188
UndertoneGreen
TemperatureCool
BrightnessDark
Lafayette Green
Benjamin Moore · HC-135
Hex#486055
LRV10.5
BrandBenjamin Moore
NumberHC-135
UndertoneGreen
TemperatureCool
BrightnessDark

Essex Green vs Lafayette Green Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Essex Green on one side and Lafayette Green 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 Essex Green comparisons

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

White Dove
Essex Green
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Essex Green
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Essex Green
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Nearly identical in tone

Purbeck Stone
Essex Green
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
Essex Green
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
Essex Green
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
Essex Green
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Essex Green
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Denim Drift reads noticeably lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Essex Green
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Balboa Mist
Essex Green
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Vintage Vogue
Essex Green
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter

Pale Green
Essex Green
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green is the lighter choice

Pine Needle
Essex Green
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Nearly identical in tone

Cement grey
Essex Green
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Cement grey reads noticeably lighter

Black grey
Essex Green
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Nearly identical in tone

Piazza
Essex Green
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza is the lighter choice

Humble Yellow
Essex Green
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow is the lighter choice

Windmill Lane
Essex Green
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Windmill Lane is the lighter choice

Senses
Essex Green
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Senses is the lighter choice

Lamp Black
Essex Green
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Nearly identical in tone

Washed Linen
Essex Green
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen is the lighter choice

Tea with Florence
Essex Green
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Tea with Florence reads noticeably lighter

Thames Fog
Essex Green
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Thames Fog reads noticeably lighter

Ocean Abyss
Essex Green
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Nearly identical in tone

Classic Silver
Essex Green
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Classic Silver is the lighter choice

Teton Blue
Essex Green
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Teton Blue is the lighter choice

RAL 110-2
Essex Green
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Essex Green
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Essex Green
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Essex Green
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Passageway reads slightly lighter