Smokey Taupe vs Thames Fog
Where Smokey Taupe belongs to Benjamin Moore's range, Thames Fog is a Valspar color. Smokey Taupe reads as beige-greige, while Thames Fog reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Smokey Taupe (LRV 55) reflects noticeably more light than Thames Fog (LRV 27), a difference of 27 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 20.5, 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.
Smokey Taupe vs Thames Fog in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Smokey Taupe and Thames Fog 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 Smokey Taupe will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Thames Fog would.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Smokey Taupe reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Thames Fog.
Color Details
Smokey Taupe vs Thames Fog Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Smokey Taupe on one side and Thames Fog 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 Smokey Taupe comparisons
See how Smokey Taupe stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
