Soot vs Timeless

SootBenjamin MoorevsTimelessDuluxΔE 69.2Very different colors

Soot (Benjamin Moore) and Timeless (Dulux) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Soot belongs to the blue-grey family and Timeless to the beige-yellow family. The 81-point LRV gap — 87 for Timeless vs 6 for Soot — means Timeless will open up a space more effectively. Where Soot leans blue, Timeless reads warm — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 69.2 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Soot vs Timeless in Real Spaces

6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Soot and Timeless 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

A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Timeless reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Soot.

SootBenjamin Moore Soot living room color review

@danas_interiorpainting

TimelessTimeless living room interior idea

@pollypaintsdecor

Bedroom

Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Timeless returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

SootBenjamin Moore Soot kids' room

@sarahlabrieinteriors

TimelessDulux Timeless victorian home bedroom review

@grrrlathome

Dining Room

Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The LRV gap is large enough that Timeless will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Soot would.

SootBenjamin Moore 2129-20 dining room color review

@danas_interiorpainting

TimelessTimeless dining room paint

@pollypaintsdecor

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. Timeless returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

SootBenjamin Moore Soot bathroom color review

@kimloftisinteriors

TimelessDulux Timeless cozy bathroom paint review

@jillj01

Home Office

Home office walls matter more than most — you're looking at them all day, and a color that reads fine at first can become tiring over time. Timeless returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Soot2129-20 Home Office

@wdesigncollective

TimelessDulux Timeless home office color

@thewisteria.home

House

A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Timeless returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

SootBenjamin Moore Soot House Exterior

@shellysukstorf

TimelessDulux Timeless exterior paint

@londonprodecorators

Color Details

Soot
Benjamin Moore · 2129-20
Hex#373C41
LRV6.2
BrandBenjamin Moore
Number2129-20
UndertoneBlue
TemperatureCool
BrightnessDark
Timeless
Dulux
Hex#F0EDE4
LRV87.0
BrandDulux
Number
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessLight

Soot vs Timeless Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Soot on one side and Timeless on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Soot comparisons

See how Soot stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Soot
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Soot
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Soot
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Nearly identical in tone

Purbeck Stone
Soot
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
Soot
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
Soot
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
Soot
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Soot
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Denim Drift reads noticeably lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Soot
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Balboa Mist
Soot
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Vintage Vogue
Soot
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter

Pale Green
Soot
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green is the lighter choice

Pine Needle
Soot
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Nearly identical in tone

Cement grey
Soot
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Cement grey reads noticeably lighter

Black grey
Soot
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Nearly identical in tone

Piazza
Soot
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza is the lighter choice

Humble Yellow
Soot
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow is the lighter choice

Windmill Lane
Soot
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Windmill Lane reads noticeably lighter

Senses
Soot
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Senses is the lighter choice

Lamp Black
Soot
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Soot reads slightly lighter

Washed Linen
Soot
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen is the lighter choice

Tea with Florence
Soot
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Tea with Florence reads noticeably lighter

Thames Fog
Soot
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Thames Fog reads noticeably lighter

Ocean Abyss
Soot
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Nearly identical in tone

Classic Silver
Soot
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Classic Silver is the lighter choice

Teton Blue
Soot
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Teton Blue reads noticeably lighter

RAL 110-2
Soot
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Soot
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Soot
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Soot
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Passageway reads slightly lighter