Kensington Blue vs Van Deusen Blue paint color comparison

Kensington Blue vs Van Deusen Blue

Kensington Blue and Van Deusen Blue come from the same Benjamin Moore collection. Both sit in the blue family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 12 vs 12 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. Where Kensington Blue leans cool, Van Deusen Blue reads blue — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. ΔE 3.0 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below, 5 simulated room previews show how each color reads at scale — real-room photos will be added as they become available.

Color Details

Kensington Blue
Benjamin Moore · 840
Hex#4B5A71
LRV12.0
BrandBenjamin Moore
Number840
Undertone
TemperatureCool
BrightnessDark
Van Deusen Blue
Benjamin Moore · HC-156
Hex#485B6E
LRV12.0
BrandBenjamin Moore
NumberHC-156
UndertoneBlue
TemperatureCool
BrightnessDark

Kensington Blue vs Van Deusen Blue Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Kensington Blue on one side and Van Deusen Blue 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 Kensington Blue comparisons

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

White Dove
Kensington Blue
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12

White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 12), opening up a space where Kensington Blue encloses it.

Ammonite
Kensington Blue
Ammonite
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

At LRV 69 vs 12, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.

Iron Ore
Kensington Blue
Iron Ore
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12

Kensington Blue reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 6), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Purbeck Stone
Kensington Blue
Purbeck Stone
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12

At LRV 52 vs 12, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.

Evergreen Fog
Kensington Blue
Evergreen Fog
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12

At LRV 30 vs 12, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.

Mizzle
Kensington Blue
Mizzle
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 12), opening up a space where Kensington Blue encloses it.

Agreeable Gray
Kensington Blue
Agreeable Gray
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12

At LRV 60 vs 12, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Accessible Beige
Kensington Blue
Accessible Beige
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12

Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 12), opening up a space where Kensington Blue encloses it.

Denim Drift
Kensington Blue
Denim Drift
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12

Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 12), opening up a space where Kensington Blue encloses it.

French Gray
Kensington Blue
French Gray
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12

At LRV 43 vs 12, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Naval
Kensington Blue
Naval
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

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

Tranquil Dawn
Kensington Blue
Tranquil Dawn
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12

Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 12), opening up a space where Kensington Blue encloses it.

Bancha
Kensington Blue
Bancha
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

With LRVs of 13 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Hardwick White
Kensington Blue
Hardwick White
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12

Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 12), opening up a space where Kensington Blue encloses it.

Pure White
Kensington Blue
Pure White
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12

At LRV 84 vs 12, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.

Artichoke
Kensington Blue
Artichoke
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

A 9-point LRV gap (21 vs 12) makes Artichoke the marginally brighter of the two.

Balboa Mist
Balboa Mist
Kensington Blue
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12

Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 12), opening up a space where Kensington Blue encloses it.

Shoji White
Kensington Blue
Shoji White
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12

Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 12), opening up a space where Kensington Blue encloses it.

Snowbound
Kensington Blue
Snowbound
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 12), opening up a space where Kensington Blue encloses it.

Pewter Green
Kensington Blue
Pewter Green
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12

With LRVs of 12 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Skimming Stone
Kensington Blue
Skimming Stone
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12

Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 12), opening up a space where Kensington Blue encloses it.

Dix Blue
Kensington Blue
Dix Blue
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

At LRV 41 vs 12, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.

Calamine
Kensington Blue
Calamine
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

At LRV 68 vs 12, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.

Treron
Kensington Blue
Treron
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

At LRV 25 vs 12, Treron is decisively the brighter choice.

Vintage Vogue
Kensington Blue
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12

With LRVs of 12 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Saybrook Sage
Kensington Blue
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12

Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 12), opening up a space where Kensington Blue encloses it.

Pale Green
Kensington Blue
Pale Green
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

At LRV 31 vs 12, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.

Pine Needle
Kensington Blue
Pine Needle
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12

A 5-point LRV gap (12 vs 7) makes Kensington Blue the marginally brighter of the two.

Cement grey
Kensington Blue
Cement grey
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

At LRV 24 vs 12, Cement grey is decisively the brighter choice.

Guilford Green
Guilford Green
Kensington Blue
Benjamin Moore
Kensington Blue
840 · LRV 12

At LRV 57 vs 12, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.