Pure White vs Smoke Gray
Both from Benjamin Moore's palette. Hue-wise, Pure White belongs to the green-white family and Smoke Gray to the blue-grey family. Pure White (LRV 79) reflects noticeably more light than Smoke Gray (LRV 21), a difference of 58 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Pure White runs green while Smoke Gray is decidedly blue, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 40.5, 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 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Pure White vs Smoke Gray in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Pure White and Smoke Gray in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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. Pure White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Smoke Gray.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Pure White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Smoke Gray.
Color Details
Pure White vs Smoke Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Pure White on one side and Smoke Gray 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 Pure White comparisons
See how Pure White stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
