Steep Cliff Gray vs Tranquil Dawn

Steep Cliff GrayBenjamin MoorevsTranquil DawnDuluxΔE 28.0Very different colors

Where Steep Cliff Gray belongs to Benjamin Moore's range, Tranquil Dawn is a Dulux color. Steep Cliff Gray reads as blue-grey, while Tranquil Dawn reads as green-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Tranquil Dawn (LRV 55) reflects noticeably more light than Steep Cliff Gray (LRV 21), a difference of 34 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Steep Cliff Gray runs blue while Tranquil Dawn is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 28.0, 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 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Steep Cliff Gray vs Tranquil Dawn in Real Spaces

5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Steep Cliff Gray and Tranquil Dawn 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 Tranquil Dawn will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Steep Cliff Gray would.

Steep Cliff GrayBenjamin Moore Steep Cliff Gray Living Room

@bluestarpaintproperty

Tranquil DawnDulux Tranquil Dawn living room fireplace review

@gwynfa_renovation

Bedroom

The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Tranquil Dawn reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Steep Cliff Gray.

Steep Cliff GrayBenjamin Moore Steep Cliff Gray Bedroom

@mississippi_designer

Tranquil DawnTranquil Dawn bedroom color review

@our_tooting_terrace

Dining Room

A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. Tranquil Dawn returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Steep Cliff Gray2122-20 Dining Room

@revivalhomedesigns

Tranquil DawnDulux Tranquil Dawn 45GY 55/052 dining room

@gosford_322

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. Tranquil Dawn reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Steep Cliff Gray.

Steep Cliff GraySteep Cliff Gray Bathroom Walls

@suburbanbees

Tranquil DawnDulux Tranquil Dawn bathroom paint

@thesuffolkmanse

Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Tranquil Dawn reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Steep Cliff Gray.

Steep Cliff GrayKitchen Cabinets

@not_too_shabby_lady

Tranquil DawnTranquil Dawn kitchen cabinets color review

@everythingsrosiedecorating

Color Details

Steep Cliff Gray
Benjamin Moore · 2122-20
Hex#6E7C7D
LRV20.5
BrandBenjamin Moore
Number2122-20
UndertoneBlue
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux · 45GY 55/052
Hex#BDC3B9
LRV55.0
BrandDulux
Number45GY 55/052
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium

Steep Cliff Gray vs Tranquil Dawn Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Steep Cliff Gray on one side and Tranquil Dawn 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 Steep Cliff Gray comparisons

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

White Dove
Steep Cliff Gray
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Steep Cliff Gray
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Steep Cliff Gray
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Steep Cliff Gray reads noticeably lighter

Purbeck Stone
Steep Cliff Gray
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
Steep Cliff Gray
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter

Mizzle
Steep Cliff Gray
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
Steep Cliff Gray
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Steep Cliff Gray
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Denim Drift reads slightly lighter

Balboa Mist
Steep Cliff Gray
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Vintage Vogue
Steep Cliff Gray
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Steep Cliff Gray reads slightly lighter

Pale Green
Steep Cliff Gray
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads slightly lighter

Pine Needle
Steep Cliff Gray
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Steep Cliff Gray reads noticeably lighter

Cement grey
Steep Cliff Gray
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Cement grey reads slightly lighter

Just Walnut
Steep Cliff Gray
Just Walnut
Dulux
Just Walnut
LRV 72

Just Walnut is the lighter choice

Black grey
Steep Cliff Gray
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Steep Cliff Gray reads noticeably lighter

Piazza
Steep Cliff Gray
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza is the lighter choice

Humble Yellow
Steep Cliff Gray
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow is the lighter choice

Windmill Lane
Steep Cliff Gray
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Windmill Lane reads slightly lighter

Senses
Steep Cliff Gray
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Senses reads noticeably lighter

Lamp Black
Steep Cliff Gray
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Steep Cliff Gray reads noticeably lighter

Washed Linen
Steep Cliff Gray
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen is the lighter choice

Tea with Florence
Steep Cliff Gray
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Nearly identical in tone

Thames Fog
Steep Cliff Gray
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Thames Fog reads slightly lighter

Ocean Abyss
Steep Cliff Gray
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Steep Cliff Gray reads noticeably lighter

Classic Silver
Steep Cliff Gray
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Classic Silver is the lighter choice

Teton Blue
Steep Cliff Gray
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Teton Blue reads slightly lighter

RAL 110-2
Steep Cliff Gray
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Steep Cliff Gray
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Steep Cliff Gray
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Steep Cliff Gray
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Steep Cliff Gray reads slightly lighter