Nocturnal Gray vs Dix Blue
Nocturnal Gray (Benjamin Moore) and Dix 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 27-point LRV gap — 41 for Dix Blue vs 14 for Nocturnal Gray — means Dix Blue will open up a space more effectively. Where Nocturnal Gray leans blue, Dix Blue reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 29.1 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Nocturnal Gray vs Dix Blue in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Nocturnal Gray and Dix Blue 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. Dix Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Nocturnal Gray.
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. Dix Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Nocturnal Gray.
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. Dix Blue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Nocturnal Gray vs Dix Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Nocturnal Gray on one side and Dix Blue 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.
More Nocturnal Gray comparisons
See how Nocturnal Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
