Silver Lake vs Smoke Gray
Both from Benjamin Moore's palette. These are both blue-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue-grey to land. Silver Lake (LRV 55) reflects noticeably more light than Smoke Gray (LRV 21), a difference of 34 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Silver Lake runs green and blue while Smoke Gray is decidedly blue, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 28.4, 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 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Silver Lake vs Smoke Gray in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Silver Lake 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. Silver Lake reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Smoke Gray.
Color Details
Silver Lake vs Smoke Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Silver Lake 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 Silver Lake comparisons
See how Silver Lake stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 55, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 55), opening up a space where Silver Lake encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 6, Silver Lake is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 55 and 52, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Silver Lake reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
A 3-point LRV gap (55 vs 52) makes Silver Lake the marginally brighter of the two.
Agreeable Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 60 vs 55), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 58 vs 55), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 55 vs 27, Silver Lake is decisively the brighter choice.
Silver Lake reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 43), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Silver Lake reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 55 vs 55), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 55 vs 13, Silver Lake is decisively the brighter choice.
A 11-point LRV gap (55 vs 44) makes Silver Lake the marginally brighter of the two.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 55), opening up a space where Silver Lake encloses it.
Silver Lake reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
A 11-point LRV gap (66 vs 55) makes Balboa Mist the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 74 vs 55, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 55, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 55 vs 12, Silver Lake is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 55, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Silver Lake reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 41), opening up a space where Dix Blue encloses it.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 55), opening up a space where Silver Lake encloses it.
Silver Lake reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 25), opening up a space where Treron encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 12, Silver Lake is decisively the brighter choice.
A 9-point LRV gap (55 vs 45) makes Silver Lake the marginally brighter of the two.
Silver Lake reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
Silver Lake reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Silver Lake reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
With LRVs of 57 and 55, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.