Smoke Gray vs Passageway
Where Smoke Gray belongs to Benjamin Moore's range, Passageway is a Valspar color. These are both blue-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue-grey to land. Smoke Gray (LRV 21) reflects noticeably more light than Passageway (LRV 14), a difference of 7 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. The ΔE 8.7 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Smoke Gray vs Passageway in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Smoke Gray and Passageway are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
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. Smoke Gray reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Smoke Gray vs Passageway Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Smoke Gray on one side and Passageway 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.
