Pale Smoke vs Cement grey
Pale Smoke (Benjamin Moore) and Cement grey (RAL Classic) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Pale Smoke belongs to the blue-green family and Cement grey to the grey family. The 39-point LRV gap — 64 for Pale Smoke vs 24 for Cement grey — means Pale Smoke will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 30.8 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Pale Smoke vs Cement grey in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Pale Smoke and Cement 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. Pale Smoke reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Cement grey.
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. Pale Smoke returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Pale Smoke returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Pale Smoke returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Pale Smoke vs Cement grey Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Pale Smoke on one side and Cement grey 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 Pale Smoke comparisons
See how Pale Smoke stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
