Puritan Gray vs Black grey

Puritan GrayBenjamin MoorevsBlack greyRAL ClassicΔE 44.4Very different colors

Where Puritan Gray belongs to Benjamin Moore's range, Black grey is a RAL Classic color. Puritan Gray reads as grey, while Black grey reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Puritan Gray (LRV 34) reflects noticeably more light than Black grey (LRV 6), a difference of 28 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 44.4, 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 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Puritan Gray vs Black grey in Real Spaces

3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Puritan Gray 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

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 Puritan Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Black grey would.

Puritan GrayHc-164 Living Room

@mary_hudesign

Black greyRAL Classic Black grey 7021 living room

@dorfstadtvilla

House

Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. Puritan Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Black grey.

Puritan GrayBm Puritan Gray Exterior

@customconstructionservices

Black greyRAL Classic Black grey 7021 house exterior

@ebbandflow_home

Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Puritan Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Black grey.

Puritan GrayBenjamin Moore Puritan Gray kitchen cabinets review

@peachandpineinteriors

Black greyRAL Classic 7021 kitchen cabinets paint review

@a.jak.agata

Color Details

Puritan Gray
Benjamin Moore · HC-164
Hex#979F9B
LRV34.3
BrandBenjamin Moore
NumberHC-164
UndertoneGreen
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium
Black grey
RAL Classic · RAL 7021
Hex#2F3234
LRV6.5
BrandRAL Classic
NumberRAL 7021
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessDark

Puritan Gray vs Black grey Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Puritan Gray 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 Puritan Gray comparisons

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

White Dove
Puritan Gray
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Puritan Gray
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Puritan Gray
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Puritan Gray is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
Puritan Gray
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone reads noticeably lighter

Evergreen Fog
Puritan Gray
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Puritan Gray reads slightly lighter

Mizzle
Puritan Gray
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reads noticeably lighter

Agreeable Gray
Puritan Gray
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Puritan Gray
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Puritan Gray reads slightly lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Puritan Gray
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn reads noticeably lighter

Balboa Mist
Puritan Gray
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Vintage Vogue
Puritan Gray
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Puritan Gray reads noticeably lighter

Pale Green
Puritan Gray
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Puritan Gray reads slightly lighter

Pine Needle
Puritan Gray
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Puritan Gray is the lighter choice

Cement grey
Puritan Gray
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Puritan Gray reads slightly lighter

Piazza
Puritan Gray
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza is the lighter choice

Humble Yellow
Puritan Gray
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow reads noticeably lighter

Grey Blue
Puritan Gray
Grey Blue
RAL ClassicClassic
Grey Blue
LRV 7

Puritan Gray is the lighter choice

Windmill Lane
Puritan Gray
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Puritan Gray reads slightly lighter

Senses
Puritan Gray
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Senses reads slightly lighter

Lamp Black
Puritan Gray
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Puritan Gray is the lighter choice

Washed Linen
Puritan Gray
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen reads noticeably lighter

Tea with Florence
Puritan Gray
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Puritan Gray reads noticeably lighter

Thames Fog
Puritan Gray
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Puritan Gray reads slightly lighter

Ocean Abyss
Puritan Gray
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Puritan Gray is the lighter choice

Classic Silver
Puritan Gray
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Classic Silver reads noticeably lighter

Teton Blue
Puritan Gray
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Puritan Gray reads slightly lighter

RAL 110-2
Puritan Gray
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Puritan Gray
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Puritan Gray
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Puritan Gray
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Puritan Gray reads noticeably lighter