Trout Gray vs Hicks' Blue
Trout Gray (Benjamin Moore) and Hicks' Blue (Little Greene) come from different manufacturers. Trout Gray reads as grey, while Hicks' Blue reads as blue — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Trout Gray has an LRV of 16. Both share a blue character, which means they'll respond to light and surrounding materials in similar ways. A ΔE of 13.7 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Trout Gray vs Hicks' Blue in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Trout Gray and Hicks' 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. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Color Details
Trout Gray vs Hicks' Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Trout Gray on one side and Hicks' 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 Trout Gray comparisons
See how Trout Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 16), opening up a space where Trout Gray encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 16, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
A 11-point LRV gap (16 vs 6) makes Trout Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 16), opening up a space where Trout Gray encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 16), opening up a space where Trout Gray encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 16, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 16), opening up a space where Trout Gray encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 16, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 11-point LRV gap (27 vs 16) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 16), opening up a space where Trout Gray encloses it.
Trout Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 16 vs 4), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 55 vs 16, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 3-point LRV gap (16 vs 13) makes Trout Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 44 vs 16, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 16), opening up a space where Trout Gray encloses it.
Artichoke reads slightly lighter (LRV 21 vs 16), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 16, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 16, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 16, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 16), opening up a space where Trout Gray encloses it.
A 5-point LRV gap (16 vs 12) makes Trout Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
A 8-point LRV gap (16 vs 8) makes Trout Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 16, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 16), opening up a space where Trout Gray encloses it.
A 5-point LRV gap (16 vs 12) makes Trout Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 16, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 16), opening up a space where Trout Gray encloses it.
Trout Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 16 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.