Templeton Gray vs Serene Blue paint color comparison

Templeton Gray vs Serene Blue

Templeton GrayBenjamin MoorevsSerene BlueJotunΔE 1.6Subtle difference

Where Templeton Gray belongs to Benjamin Moore's range, Serene Blue is a Jotun color. These are both blue-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue-grey to land. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (24 vs 22), so they'll read as similarly Dark in most lighting conditions. Templeton Gray runs blue while Serene Blue is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. At ΔE 1.6, these are close — the kind of difference that matters when choosing between them, but doesn't read strongly in a finished room. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Templeton Gray vs Serene Blue in Real Spaces

3 real rooms side by side. Templeton Gray and Serene Blue 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.

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 two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.

Templeton GrayBenjamin Moore HC-161 living room color

@expatmomma

Serene BlueJotun 5490 living room paint review

@rutheart

Bedroom

The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.

Templeton GrayTempleton Gray bedroom paint review

@ferrazartisans

Serene BlueJotun Serene Blue bedroom color

@angelicas.hem

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. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.

Templeton GrayBenjamin Moore Templeton Gray bathroom paint

@busybee.painter

Serene BlueJotun Serene Blue bathroom picture

@villawiig

Color Details

Templeton Gray
Benjamin Moore · HC-161
LRV23.9
BrandBenjamin Moore
NumberHC-161
UndertoneBlue
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark
Serene Blue
Jotun · 5490
LRV22.0
BrandJotun
Number5490
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark

Templeton Gray vs Serene Blue Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Templeton Gray on one side and Serene Blue 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 Templeton Gray comparisons

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

Templeton Gray
Ammonite
Templeton Gray
Ammonite
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 24), opening up a space where Templeton Gray encloses it.

Templeton Gray
White Dove
Templeton Gray
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 83 vs 24, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Iron Ore
Templeton Gray
Iron Ore
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 24 vs 6, Templeton Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Purbeck Stone
Templeton Gray
Purbeck Stone
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 24), opening up a space where Templeton Gray encloses it.

Templeton Gray
Evergreen Fog
Templeton Gray
Evergreen Fog
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 24), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Templeton Gray
Mizzle
Templeton Gray
Mizzle
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

At LRV 52 vs 24, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Agreeable Gray
Templeton Gray
Agreeable Gray
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 24), opening up a space where Templeton Gray encloses it.

Templeton Gray
Accessible Beige
Templeton Gray
Accessible Beige
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 58 vs 24, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Templeton Gray
Denim Drift
Denim Drift
Templeton Gray vs Denim Drift
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

A 3-point LRV gap (27 vs 24) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.

Templeton Gray
French Gray
Templeton Gray
French Gray
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 24), opening up a space where Templeton Gray encloses it.

Templeton Gray
Naval
Templeton Gray
Naval
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Templeton Gray reflects far more light (LRV 24 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.

Templeton Gray
Tranquil Dawn
Templeton Gray
Tranquil Dawn
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 55 vs 24, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Bancha
Templeton Gray
Bancha
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

A 11-point LRV gap (24 vs 13) makes Templeton Gray the marginally brighter of the two.

Templeton Gray
Hardwick White
Templeton Gray
Hardwick White
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 44 vs 24, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Pure White
Templeton Gray
Pure White
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 24), opening up a space where Templeton Gray encloses it.

Templeton Gray
Artichoke
Templeton Gray
Artichoke
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

With LRVs of 24 and 21, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Balboa Mist
Templeton Gray
Balboa Mist
Templeton Gray
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 66 vs 24, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Shoji White
Templeton Gray
Shoji White
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 74 vs 24, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Snowbound
Templeton Gray
Snowbound
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

At LRV 83 vs 24, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Pigeon
Templeton Gray
Pigeon
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24
Farrow & Ball
Pigeon
LRV 51

Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 24), opening up a space where Templeton Gray encloses it.

Templeton Gray
Pewter Green
Templeton Gray
Pewter Green
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 24 vs 12, Templeton Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Duck Green
Templeton Gray
Duck Green
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 24 vs 8, Templeton Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Skimming Stone
Templeton Gray
Skimming Stone
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 68 vs 24, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Dix Blue
Templeton Gray
Dix Blue
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 24), opening up a space where Templeton Gray encloses it.

Templeton Gray
Hicks' Blue
Templeton Gray
Hicks' Blue
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

Templeton Gray vs Hicks' Blue

Templeton Gray
Slaked Lime Deep
Templeton Gray
Slaked Lime Deep

Templeton Gray vs Slaked Lime Deep

Templeton Gray
Vintage Vogue
Templeton Gray
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 24 vs 12, Templeton Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Livid
Templeton Gray
Livid
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

Templeton Gray vs Livid

Saybrook Sage
Templeton Gray
Saybrook Sage
Templeton Gray
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 45 vs 24, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Pale Green
Templeton Gray
Pale Green
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 24), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.