Instinct vs Steam
Both from Benjamin Moore's palette. Hue-wise, Instinct belongs to the blue family and Steam to the beige-greige family. Steam (LRV 84) reflects noticeably more light than Instinct (LRV 55), a difference of 29 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Instinct runs blue while Steam is decidedly yellow, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 19.0, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below, 5 simulated room previews show how each color reads at scale — real-room photos will be added as they become available.
Color Details
Instinct vs Steam Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Instinct on one side and Steam 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 Instinct comparisons
See how Instinct stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 55), opening up a space where Instinct encloses it.
A 3-point LRV gap (55 vs 52) makes Instinct the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 55 vs 30, Instinct is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (60 vs 55) makes Agreeable Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
With LRVs of 58 and 55, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Instinct reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
A 12-point LRV gap (55 vs 43) makes Instinct the marginally brighter of the two.
With LRVs of 55 and 55, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Instinct reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 44), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 55, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reads slightly lighter (LRV 66 vs 55), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 55), opening up a space where Instinct encloses it.
Instinct reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 55), opening up a space where Instinct encloses it.
Instinct reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Instinct reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 45), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 55 vs 31, Instinct is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 55 vs 7, Instinct is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 55 vs 24, Instinct is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 57 vs 55), so neither reads brighter in a room.