Smokestack Gray vs Van Courtland Blue
Both from Benjamin Moore's palette. Both sit in the blue-grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. Van Courtland Blue (LRV 31) reflects noticeably more light than Smokestack Gray (LRV 23), a difference of 9 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean blue, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. The ΔE 8.4 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 7 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Smokestack Gray vs Van Courtland Blue in Real Spaces
7 real rooms side by side. Smokestack Gray and Van Courtland Blue 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.
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 Van Courtland Blue will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Smokestack Gray would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Van Courtland Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Smokestack Gray.
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. Van Courtland Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Smokestack Gray.
Mudroom
Mudrooms are seen in passing, often under whatever light comes through the door — a context that favors colors with some depth. Van Courtland Blue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Van Courtland Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Smokestack Gray.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The LRV gap is large enough that Van Courtland Blue will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Smokestack Gray would.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Van Courtland Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Smokestack Gray.
Color Details
Smokestack Gray vs Van Courtland Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Smokestack Gray on one side and Van Courtland Blue 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 Smokestack Gray comparisons
See how Smokestack Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
