Nimbus vs Black grey

NimbusBenjamin MoorevsBlack greyRAL ClassicΔE 61.8Very different colors

Nimbus (Benjamin Moore) and Black grey (RAL Classic) come from different manufacturers. Nimbus reads as greige-grey, while Black grey reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 53-point LRV gap — 59 for Nimbus vs 6 for Black grey — means Nimbus will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 61.8 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.

Nimbus vs Black grey in Real Spaces

2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Nimbus and Black grey 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

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. Nimbus reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Black grey.

NimbusNimbus living room color

@amy.russell.farber

Black greyRAL Classic Black grey 7021 living room

@dorfstadtvilla

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. Nimbus returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

NimbusBenjamin Moore Nimbus kitchen cabinets paint review

@precision.cabinetry

Black greyRAL Classic 7021 kitchen cabinets paint review

@a.jak.agata

Color Details

Nimbus
Benjamin Moore · 1465
Hex#CFCCC4
LRV59.4
BrandBenjamin Moore
Number1465
UndertoneYellow and Red
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessLight
Black grey
RAL Classic · RAL 7021
Hex#2F3234
LRV6.5
BrandRAL Classic
NumberRAL 7021
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessDark

Nimbus vs Black grey Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Nimbus on one side and Black grey 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 Nimbus comparisons

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

White Dove
Nimbus
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove reads noticeably lighter

Ammonite
Nimbus
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite reads slightly lighter

Iron Ore
Nimbus
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Nimbus is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
Nimbus
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Nimbus reads slightly lighter

Evergreen Fog
Nimbus
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Nimbus is the lighter choice

Mizzle
Nimbus
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Nimbus reads slightly lighter

Agreeable Gray
Nimbus
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Nearly identical in tone

Denim Drift
Nimbus
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Nimbus is the lighter choice

Tranquil Dawn
Nimbus
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Nimbus reads slightly lighter

Balboa Mist
Nimbus
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist reads slightly lighter

Vintage Vogue
Nimbus
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Nimbus is the lighter choice

Pale Green
Nimbus
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Nimbus is the lighter choice

Pine Needle
Nimbus
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Nimbus is the lighter choice

Cement grey
Nimbus
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Nimbus is the lighter choice

Piazza
Nimbus
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza reads slightly lighter

Humble Yellow
Nimbus
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Nearly identical in tone

Grey Blue
Nimbus
Grey Blue
RAL ClassicClassic
Grey Blue
LRV 7

Nimbus is the lighter choice

Windmill Lane
Nimbus
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Nimbus is the lighter choice

Senses
Nimbus
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Nimbus reads noticeably lighter

Lamp Black
Nimbus
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Nimbus is the lighter choice

Washed Linen
Nimbus
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Nimbus reads slightly lighter

Tea with Florence
Nimbus
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Nimbus is the lighter choice

Thames Fog
Nimbus
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Nimbus is the lighter choice

Ocean Abyss
Nimbus
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Nimbus is the lighter choice

Classic Silver
Nimbus
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Nimbus reads slightly lighter

Teton Blue
Nimbus
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Nimbus is the lighter choice

RAL 110-2
Nimbus
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 reads noticeably lighter

RAL 110-1
Nimbus
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 reads noticeably lighter

Paper
Nimbus
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Nimbus
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Nimbus is the lighter choice