Wales Gray vs Cromarty

Wales GrayBenjamin MoorevsCromartyFarrow & BallΔE 8.8Noticeable difference

Wales Gray (Benjamin Moore) and Cromarty (Farrow & Ball) come from different manufacturers. Wales Gray reads as blue-grey, while Cromarty reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 6-point LRV gap — 60 for Cromarty vs 54 for Wales Gray — means Cromarty will open up a space more effectively. Where Wales Gray leans green and blue, Cromarty reads warm — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. ΔE 8.8 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Wales Gray vs Cromarty in Real Spaces

6 real rooms side by side. Wales Gray and Cromarty 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

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. Cromarty reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

Wales GrayWales Gray hallway makeover

@stephanieplus4

CromartyCromarty living room fireplace paint review

@reidsrenovate

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. Cromarty has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

Wales GrayWales Gray bedroom color

@luxury_color_design

CromartyCromarty bedroom review

@hugos.abode

Dining Room

Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The brightness difference is modest but present — Cromarty gives the walls a little more lift.

Wales GrayBenjamin Moore Wales Gray dining room color

@kaitmadden

CromartyFarrow and Ball Cromarty dining room color

@revamp.nqy

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. Cromarty has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

Wales GrayWales Gray bathroom wall panelling review

@paperandpaintdesignco

CromartyCromarty bathroom color review

@morehandles

Home Office

Home office walls matter more than most — you're looking at them all day, and a color that reads fine at first can become tiring over time. Cromarty has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

Wales GrayBenjamin Moore Wales Gray home office review

@half.finished.home

CromartyCromarty home office paint

@chelworth_on_the_square

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. Cromarty has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

Wales GrayBenjamin Moore Wales Gray kitchen cabinets paint

@centeredbydesign

CromartyCromarty kitchen cabinets paint review

@petertressel

Color Details

Wales Gray
Benjamin Moore · 1585
Hex#B9C5C3
LRV53.5
BrandBenjamin Moore
Number1585
UndertoneGreen and Blue
TemperatureCool
BrightnessMedium
Cromarty
Farrow & Ball · 285
Hex#cfcec0
LRV60.0
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number285
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessLight

Wales Gray vs Cromarty Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Wales Gray on one side and Cromarty 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 Wales Gray comparisons

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

White Dove
Wales Gray
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Wales Gray
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite reads noticeably lighter

Iron Ore
Wales Gray
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Wales Gray is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
Wales Gray
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Nearly identical in tone

Evergreen Fog
Wales Gray
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Wales Gray reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
Wales Gray
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Nearly identical in tone

Agreeable Gray
Wales Gray
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray reads slightly lighter

Denim Drift
Wales Gray
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Wales Gray is the lighter choice

Tranquil Dawn
Wales Gray
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Nearly identical in tone

Balboa Mist
Wales Gray
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist reads slightly lighter

Vintage Vogue
Wales Gray
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Wales Gray is the lighter choice

Pale Green
Wales Gray
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Wales Gray reads noticeably lighter

Pine Needle
Wales Gray
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Wales Gray is the lighter choice

Cement grey
Wales Gray
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Wales Gray is the lighter choice

Black grey
Wales Gray
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Wales Gray is the lighter choice

Piazza
Wales Gray
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza reads slightly lighter

Humble Yellow
Wales Gray
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow reads slightly lighter

Windmill Lane
Wales Gray
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Wales Gray reads noticeably lighter

Senses
Wales Gray
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Wales Gray reads noticeably lighter

Lamp Black
Wales Gray
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Wales Gray is the lighter choice

Washed Linen
Wales Gray
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Nearly identical in tone

Tea with Florence
Wales Gray
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Wales Gray is the lighter choice

Thames Fog
Wales Gray
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Wales Gray is the lighter choice

Ocean Abyss
Wales Gray
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Wales Gray is the lighter choice

Classic Silver
Wales Gray
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Wales Gray reads slightly lighter

Teton Blue
Wales Gray
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Wales Gray reads noticeably lighter

RAL 110-2
Wales Gray
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 reads noticeably lighter

RAL 110-1
Wales Gray
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Wales Gray
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Wales Gray
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Wales Gray is the lighter choice