Midnight Blue vs Pewter Green

Midnight Blue (Benjamin Moore) and Pewter Green (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Midnight Blue reads as blue-grey, while Pewter Green reads as green-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 4-point LRV gap — 12 for Pewter Green vs 8 for Midnight Blue — means Pewter Green will open up a space more effectively. Where Midnight Blue leans blue, Pewter Green reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 11.4 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Midnight Blue vs Pewter Green in Real Spaces

2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Midnight Blue and Pewter Green in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.

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

Midnight BlueBenjamin Moore Midnight Blue house exterior color

@herbertpainting

Pewter GreenPewter Green house color review

@mybudgetrecipes

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

Midnight BlueMidnight Blue kitchen cabinets paint

@tobias_designllc

Pewter GreenSW Pewter Green kitchen cabinets review

@thebirdielane

Color Details

Midnight Blue
Benjamin Moore · 1638
Hex#494E52
LRV8.2
BrandBenjamin Moore
Number1638
UndertoneBlue
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams · 6208
Hex#5E6259
LRV11.8
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6208
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark

Midnight Blue vs Pewter Green Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Midnight Blue on one side and Pewter Green 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 Midnight Blue comparisons

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

Midnight Blue
White Dove
Midnight Blue
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8

White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 8), opening up a space where Midnight Blue encloses it.

Midnight Blue
Ammonite
Midnight Blue
Ammonite
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

At LRV 69 vs 8, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.

Midnight Blue
Iron Ore
Midnight Blue
Iron Ore
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8

With LRVs of 8 and 6, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Midnight Blue
Purbeck Stone
Midnight Blue
Purbeck Stone
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8

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

Midnight Blue
Evergreen Fog
Midnight Blue
Evergreen Fog
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8

At LRV 30 vs 8, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.

Midnight Blue
Mizzle
Midnight Blue
Mizzle
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 8), opening up a space where Midnight Blue encloses it.

Midnight Blue
Agreeable Gray
Midnight Blue
Agreeable Gray
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8

At LRV 60 vs 8, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Midnight Blue
Accessible Beige
Midnight Blue
Accessible Beige
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8

Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 8), opening up a space where Midnight Blue encloses it.

Midnight Blue
Denim Drift
Midnight Blue
Denim Drift
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8

Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 8), opening up a space where Midnight Blue encloses it.

Midnight Blue
French Gray
Midnight Blue
French Gray
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8

At LRV 43 vs 8, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Midnight Blue
Naval
Midnight Blue
Naval
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

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

Midnight Blue
Tranquil Dawn
Midnight Blue
Tranquil Dawn
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8

Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 8), opening up a space where Midnight Blue encloses it.

Midnight Blue
Bancha
Midnight Blue
Bancha
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

Bancha reads slightly lighter (LRV 13 vs 8), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Midnight Blue
Hardwick White
Midnight Blue
Hardwick White
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8

Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 8), opening up a space where Midnight Blue encloses it.

Midnight Blue
Pure White
Midnight Blue
Pure White
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8

At LRV 84 vs 8, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.

Midnight Blue
Artichoke
Midnight Blue
Artichoke
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

At LRV 21 vs 8, Artichoke is decisively the brighter choice.

Balboa Mist
Midnight Blue
Balboa Mist
Midnight Blue
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8

Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 8), opening up a space where Midnight Blue encloses it.

Midnight Blue
Shoji White
Midnight Blue
Shoji White
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8

Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 8), opening up a space where Midnight Blue encloses it.

Midnight Blue
Snowbound
Midnight Blue
Snowbound
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 8), opening up a space where Midnight Blue encloses it.

Midnight Blue
Skimming Stone
Midnight Blue
Skimming Stone
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8

Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 8), opening up a space where Midnight Blue encloses it.

Midnight Blue
Dix Blue
Midnight Blue
Dix Blue
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

At LRV 41 vs 8, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.

Midnight Blue
Calamine
Midnight Blue
Calamine
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

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

Midnight Blue
Treron
Midnight Blue
Treron
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

At LRV 25 vs 8, Treron is decisively the brighter choice.

Midnight Blue
Vintage Vogue
Midnight Blue
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8

Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 8), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Midnight Blue
Saybrook Sage
Midnight Blue
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8

Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 8), opening up a space where Midnight Blue encloses it.

Midnight Blue
Pale Green
Midnight Blue
Pale Green
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

At LRV 31 vs 8, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.

Midnight Blue
Pine Needle
Midnight Blue
Pine Needle
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 8 vs 7), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Midnight Blue
Cement grey
Midnight Blue
Cement grey
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

At LRV 24 vs 8, Cement grey is decisively the brighter choice.

Guilford Green
Midnight Blue
Guilford Green
Midnight Blue
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8

At LRV 57 vs 8, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.

Midnight Blue
Just Walnut
Midnight Blue
Just Walnut
Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue
1638 · LRV 8

At LRV 72 vs 8, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.