Knoxville Gray vs Inchyra Blue

Knoxville Gray (Benjamin Moore) and Inchyra Blue (Farrow & Ball) come from different manufacturers. These are both blue-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue-grey to land. The 3-point LRV gap — 16 for Knoxville Gray vs 13 for Inchyra Blue — means Knoxville Gray will open up a space more effectively. Where Knoxville Gray leans blue, Inchyra Blue reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 2.2 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 7 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Knoxville Gray vs Inchyra Blue in Real Spaces

7 real rooms side by side. Knoxville Gray and Inchyra Blue are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.

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

Knoxville GrayBenjamin Moore Knoxville Gray living room paint

@harmonyhaus

Inchyra BlueFarrow and Ball Inchyra Blue boho living room

@wonenopnummer11

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

Knoxville GrayBedroom

@ethanallen_batonrouge

Inchyra BlueInchyra Blue bedroom color review

@victorianadventure

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 — Knoxville Gray gives the walls a little more lift.

Knoxville GrayBm Knoxville Gray Dining Room

@mvphomeimp

Inchyra BlueFarrow and Ball Inchyra Blue 289 dining room

@altbauliebe.koeln

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

Knoxville GrayHc-160 Bathroom

@life_in_molena

Inchyra BlueInchyra Blue bathroom interior

@stevensandnicholls

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

Knoxville GrayKnoxville Gray Exterior

@wildberryhomes

Inchyra BlueFarrow and Ball Inchyra Blue 289 exterior

@porthallstores

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

Knoxville GrayHc-160 Front Door

@hirshfieldspaint

Inchyra BlueInchyra Blue front door review

@marcellapinandco

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

Knoxville GrayBenjamin Moore Knoxville Gray Kitchen Cabinets

@kellyjhess

Inchyra BlueInchyra Blue kitchen cabinets paint

@retwiggdstylist

Color Details

Knoxville Gray
Benjamin Moore · HC-160
Hex#5E6C6C
LRV15.7
BrandBenjamin Moore
NumberHC-160
UndertoneBlue
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark
Inchyra Blue
Farrow & Ball · 289
Hex#586768
LRV12.5
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number289
Undertone
TemperatureCool
BrightnessDark

Knoxville Gray vs Inchyra Blue Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Knoxville Gray on one side and Inchyra 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 Knoxville Gray comparisons

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

White Dove
Knoxville Gray
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Knoxville Gray
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Knoxville Gray
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Knoxville Gray reads slightly lighter

Purbeck Stone
Knoxville Gray
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
Knoxville Gray
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
Knoxville Gray
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
Knoxville Gray
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Knoxville Gray
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Denim Drift reads slightly lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Knoxville Gray
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Balboa Mist
Knoxville Gray
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Vintage Vogue
Knoxville Gray
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Knoxville Gray reads slightly lighter

Pale Green
Knoxville Gray
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads noticeably lighter

Pine Needle
Knoxville Gray
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Knoxville Gray reads slightly lighter

Cement grey
Knoxville Gray
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Cement grey reads slightly lighter

Black grey
Knoxville Gray
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Knoxville Gray reads slightly lighter

Piazza
Knoxville Gray
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza is the lighter choice

Humble Yellow
Knoxville Gray
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow is the lighter choice

Windmill Lane
Knoxville Gray
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Windmill Lane reads noticeably lighter

Senses
Knoxville Gray
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Senses is the lighter choice

Lamp Black
Knoxville Gray
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Knoxville Gray reads noticeably lighter

Washed Linen
Knoxville Gray
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen is the lighter choice

Tea with Florence
Knoxville Gray
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Nearly identical in tone

Thames Fog
Knoxville Gray
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Thames Fog reads slightly lighter

Ocean Abyss
Knoxville Gray
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Knoxville Gray reads slightly lighter

Classic Silver
Knoxville Gray
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Classic Silver is the lighter choice

Teton Blue
Knoxville Gray
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Teton Blue reads noticeably lighter

RAL 110-2
Knoxville Gray
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Knoxville Gray
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Knoxville Gray
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Knoxville Gray
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Nearly identical in tone