Smoke Gray vs Thunder
Both from Benjamin Moore's palette. Smoke Gray reads as blue-grey, while Thunder reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Thunder (LRV 48) reflects noticeably more light than Smoke Gray (LRV 21), a difference of 27 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Smoke Gray runs blue while Thunder is decidedly red, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 25.9, 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.
Smoke Gray vs Thunder in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Smoke Gray and Thunder 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. Thunder 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. Thunder reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Smoke Gray.
Color Details
Smoke Gray vs Thunder Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Smoke Gray on one side and Thunder 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 Smoke Gray comparisons
See how Smoke Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
