Gardenia vs Agreeable Gray
Gardenia (Benjamin Moore) and Agreeable Gray (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Gardenia belongs to the beige family and Agreeable Gray to the greige-grey family. The 25-point LRV gap — 85 for Gardenia vs 60 for Agreeable Gray — means Gardenia will open up a space more effectively. Where Gardenia leans red, Agreeable Gray reads warm — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 13.1 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.
Gardenia vs Agreeable Gray in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Gardenia and Agreeable Gray 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. Gardenia reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Agreeable Gray.
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. Gardenia 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. Gardenia returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Gardenia vs Agreeable Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Gardenia on one side and Agreeable Gray 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.
More Gardenia comparisons
See how Gardenia stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 85 vs 83), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Gardenia reflects far more light (LRV 85 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
Gardenia reflects far more light (LRV 85 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
At LRV 85 vs 58, Gardenia is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 85 vs 27, Gardenia is decisively the brighter choice.
Gardenia reflects far more light (LRV 85 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
At LRV 85 vs 55, Gardenia is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 85 vs 44, Gardenia is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 85 and 84, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 85 vs 66, Gardenia is decisively the brighter choice.
A 11-point LRV gap (85 vs 74) makes Gardenia the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 85 vs 12, Gardenia is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 85 vs 68, Gardenia is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 85 vs 12, Gardenia is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 85 vs 45, Gardenia is decisively the brighter choice.
Gardenia reflects far more light (LRV 85 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
Gardenia reflects far more light (LRV 85 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Gardenia reflects far more light (LRV 85 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
Gardenia reflects far more light (LRV 85 vs 57), opening up a space where Guilford Green encloses it.
Gardenia reflects far more light (LRV 85 vs 72), opening up a space where Just Walnut encloses it.