Soft Fern vs Purbeck Stone
Soft Fern (Benjamin Moore) and Purbeck Stone (Farrow & Ball) come from different manufacturers. Soft Fern reads as beige-greige, while Purbeck Stone reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 5-point LRV gap — 57 for Soft Fern vs 52 for Purbeck Stone — means Soft Fern will open up a space more effectively. Where Soft Fern leans yellow, Purbeck Stone reads warm — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. ΔE 8.6 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Soft Fern vs Purbeck Stone in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Soft Fern and Purbeck Stone 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
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Soft Fern has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Soft Fern has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Soft Fern vs Purbeck Stone Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Soft Fern on one side and Purbeck Stone 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 Soft Fern comparisons
See how Soft Fern stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 57, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Soft Fern reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
Agreeable Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 60 vs 57), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 58 vs 57), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 57 vs 27, Soft Fern is decisively the brighter choice.
Soft Fern reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 57 vs 55), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 57 vs 44, Soft Fern is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 57), opening up a space where Soft Fern encloses it.
A 9-point LRV gap (66 vs 57) makes Balboa Mist the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 74 vs 57, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 12, Soft Fern is decisively the brighter choice.
A 11-point LRV gap (68 vs 57) makes Skimming Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 57 vs 12, Soft Fern is decisively the brighter choice.
A 11-point LRV gap (57 vs 45) makes Soft Fern the marginally brighter of the two.
Soft Fern reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
Soft Fern reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Soft Fern reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
With LRVs of 57 and 57, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 57), opening up a space where Soft Fern encloses it.