Wales Gray vs Icy Blue
Wales Gray (Benjamin Moore) and Icy Blue (Jotun) come from different manufacturers. These are both blue-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue-grey to land. The 28-point LRV gap — 54 for Wales Gray vs 25 for Icy Blue — means Wales Gray will open up a space more effectively. Where Wales Gray leans green and blue, Icy Blue reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 21.2 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.
Wales Gray vs Icy Blue in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Wales Gray and Icy 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. Wales Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Icy Blue.
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. Wales Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Dining Room
Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The LRV gap is large enough that Wales Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Icy Blue would.
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. Wales Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Wales Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Wales Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Wales Gray vs Icy Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Wales Gray on one side and Icy 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 Wales Gray comparisons
See how Wales Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
