Graphite vs Tranquil Dawn

GraphiteBenjamin MoorevsTranquil DawnDuluxΔE 48.9Very different colors

Graphite (Benjamin Moore) and Tranquil Dawn (Dulux) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Graphite belongs to the grey family and Tranquil Dawn to the green-grey family. The 47-point LRV gap — 55 for Tranquil Dawn vs 8 for Graphite — means Tranquil Dawn will open up a space more effectively. Where Graphite leans blue, Tranquil Dawn reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 48.9 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.

Graphite vs Tranquil Dawn in Real Spaces

4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Graphite and Tranquil Dawn 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. Tranquil Dawn reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Graphite.

GraphiteLiving Room Fireplace

@freshuprestoration

Tranquil DawnDulux Tranquil Dawn living room fireplace review

@gwynfa_renovation

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

GraphiteBedroom Accent Wall

@freshuprestoration

Tranquil DawnTranquil Dawn bedroom color review

@our_tooting_terrace

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

GraphiteBm Graphite Bathroom

@littlemugsphotography

Tranquil DawnDulux Tranquil Dawn bathroom paint

@thesuffolkmanse

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

GraphiteGraphite Kitchen Cabinets

@everickbrowndesign

Tranquil DawnTranquil Dawn kitchen cabinets color review

@everythingsrosiedecorating

Color Details

Graphite
Benjamin Moore · 1603
Hex#444647
LRV7.6
BrandBenjamin Moore
Number1603
UndertoneBlue
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux · 45GY 55/052
Hex#BDC3B9
LRV55.0
BrandDulux
Number45GY 55/052
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium

Graphite vs Tranquil Dawn Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Graphite on one side and Tranquil Dawn 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 Graphite comparisons

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

Graphite
White Dove
Graphite
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8

At LRV 83 vs 8, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.

Graphite
Ammonite
Graphite
Ammonite
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 8), opening up a space where Graphite encloses it.

Graphite
Iron Ore
Graphite
Iron Ore
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 8 vs 6), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Graphite
Purbeck Stone
Graphite
Purbeck Stone
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8

Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 8), opening up a space where Graphite encloses it.

Graphite
Evergreen Fog
Graphite
Evergreen Fog
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8

Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 8), opening up a space where Graphite encloses it.

Graphite
Mizzle
Graphite
Mizzle
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

At LRV 52 vs 8, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.

Graphite
Agreeable Gray
Graphite
Agreeable Gray
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8

Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 8), opening up a space where Graphite encloses it.

Graphite
Accessible Beige
Graphite
Accessible Beige
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8

At LRV 58 vs 8, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.

Graphite
Denim Drift
Graphite
Denim Drift
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8

At LRV 27 vs 8, Denim Drift is decisively the brighter choice.

Graphite
French Gray
Graphite
French Gray
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8

French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 8), opening up a space where Graphite encloses it.

Graphite
Naval
Graphite
Naval
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Graphite reads slightly lighter (LRV 8 vs 4), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Graphite
Bancha
Graphite
Bancha
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

A 6-point LRV gap (13 vs 8) makes Bancha the marginally brighter of the two.

Graphite
Hardwick White
Graphite
Hardwick White
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8

At LRV 44 vs 8, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.

Graphite
Pure White
Graphite
Pure White
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8

Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 8), opening up a space where Graphite encloses it.

Graphite
Artichoke
Graphite
Artichoke
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

Artichoke reflects far more light (LRV 21 vs 8), opening up a space where Graphite encloses it.

Balboa Mist
Graphite
Balboa Mist
Graphite
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8

At LRV 66 vs 8, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.

Graphite
Shoji White
Graphite
Shoji White
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8

At LRV 74 vs 8, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.

Graphite
Snowbound
Graphite
Snowbound
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

At LRV 83 vs 8, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.

Graphite
Pewter Green
Graphite
Pewter Green
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8

A 4-point LRV gap (12 vs 8) makes Pewter Green the marginally brighter of the two.

Graphite
Skimming Stone
Graphite
Skimming Stone
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8

At LRV 68 vs 8, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.

Graphite
Dix Blue
Graphite
Dix Blue
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 8), opening up a space where Graphite encloses it.

Graphite
Calamine
Graphite
Calamine
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 8), opening up a space where Graphite encloses it.

Graphite
Treron
Graphite
Treron
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Treron reflects far more light (LRV 25 vs 8), opening up a space where Graphite encloses it.

Graphite
Vintage Vogue
Graphite
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8

A 4-point LRV gap (12 vs 8) makes Vintage Vogue the marginally brighter of the two.

Graphite
Saybrook Sage
Graphite
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8

At LRV 45 vs 8, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.

Graphite
Pale Green
Graphite
Pale Green
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 8), opening up a space where Graphite encloses it.

Graphite
Pine Needle
Graphite
Pine Needle
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8

With LRVs of 8 and 7, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Graphite
Cement grey
Graphite
Cement grey
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Cement grey reflects far more light (LRV 24 vs 8), opening up a space where Graphite encloses it.

Graphite
Guilford Green
Graphite
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8

Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 8), opening up a space where Graphite encloses it.

Graphite
Just Walnut
Graphite
Just Walnut
Benjamin Moore
Graphite
1603 · LRV 8

Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 8), opening up a space where Graphite encloses it.