New Hope Gray vs Thunder
Both from Benjamin Moore's palette. New Hope Gray reads as blue-grey, while Thunder reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Thunder (LRV 48) reflects noticeably more light than New Hope Gray (LRV 39), a difference of 8 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. New Hope Gray runs blue while Thunder is decidedly red, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 15.0, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
New Hope Gray vs Thunder in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing New Hope Gray and Thunder 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
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The LRV gap is large enough that Thunder will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than New Hope Gray would.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Thunder reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than New Hope Gray.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. Thunder reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than New Hope Gray.
Mudroom
Mudrooms are seen in passing, often under whatever light comes through the door — a context that favors colors with some depth. Thunder returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Thunder reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than New Hope Gray.
Color Details
New Hope Gray vs Thunder Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see New Hope Gray on one side and Thunder 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.