Taos Taupe vs Van Courtland Blue
Taos Taupe and Van Courtland Blue come from the same Benjamin Moore collection. Taos Taupe reads as grey, while Van Courtland Blue reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 8-point LRV gap — 31 for Van Courtland Blue vs 24 for Taos Taupe — means Van Courtland Blue will open up a space more effectively. Where Taos Taupe leans red, Van Courtland Blue reads blue — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 14.7 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.
Taos Taupe vs Van Courtland Blue in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Taos Taupe and Van Courtland Blue 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. Van Courtland Blue reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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. Van Courtland Blue has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
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. Van Courtland Blue has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
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. Van Courtland Blue has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
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. Van Courtland Blue reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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. Van Courtland Blue has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Taos Taupe vs Van Courtland Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Taos Taupe on one side and Van Courtland Blue 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 Taos Taupe comparisons
See how Taos Taupe stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 24), opening up a space where Taos Taupe encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 24, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
Taos Taupe reflects far more light (LRV 24 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 24, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 7-point LRV gap (30 vs 24) makes Evergreen Fog the marginally brighter of the two.
Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 24), opening up a space where Taos Taupe encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 24, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 24), opening up a space where Taos Taupe encloses it.
Denim Drift reads slightly lighter (LRV 27 vs 24), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 43 vs 24, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 24 vs 4, Taos Taupe is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 24), opening up a space where Taos Taupe encloses it.
Taos Taupe reads slightly lighter (LRV 24 vs 13), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 24), opening up a space where Taos Taupe encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 24, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 24 vs 21), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 24), opening up a space where Taos Taupe encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 24), opening up a space where Taos Taupe encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 24), opening up a space where Taos Taupe encloses it.
Taos Taupe reads slightly lighter (LRV 24 vs 12), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 24), opening up a space where Taos Taupe encloses it.
At LRV 41 vs 24, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 24, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 25 vs 24), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Taos Taupe reads slightly lighter (LRV 24 vs 12), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 24), opening up a space where Taos Taupe encloses it.
A 8-point LRV gap (31 vs 24) makes Pale Green the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 24 vs 7, Taos Taupe is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 24 vs 24), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 57 vs 24, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.