Soot vs Reseda green
Soot (Benjamin Moore) and Reseda green (RAL Classic) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Soot belongs to the blue-grey family and Reseda green to the green-yellow family. The 15-point LRV gap — 21 for Reseda green vs 6 for Soot — means Reseda green will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 34.6 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Soot vs Reseda green in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Soot and Reseda green in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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. Reseda green returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Front Door
On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. Reseda green reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Soot.
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. Reseda green returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Soot vs Reseda green Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Soot on one side and Reseda green 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 Soot comparisons
See how Soot stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
