Cobalt Embrace vs Bancha

Cobalt EmbraceDuluxvsBanchaFarrow & BallΔE 55.3Very different colors

Where Cobalt Embrace belongs to Dulux's range, Bancha is a Farrow & Ball color. Hue-wise, Cobalt Embrace belongs to the blue family and Bancha to the beige-greige family. Bancha (LRV 13) reflects noticeably more light than Cobalt Embrace (LRV 9), a difference of 4 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Cobalt Embrace runs cool while Bancha is decidedly warm, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 55.3, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Cobalt Embrace vs Bancha in Real Spaces

3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Cobalt Embrace and Bancha 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

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 brightness difference is modest but present — Bancha gives the walls a little more lift.

Cobalt EmbraceDulux Cobalt Embrace eclectic living room interior

@mycolourfulhouse

BanchaBancha living room fireplace interior

@yorkshire.terrace

Bedroom

The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Bancha reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

Cobalt EmbraceDulux 43BB 09/340 bedroom color

@spsdecorating7

BanchaFarrow and Ball 298 bedroom color review

@edwardian_by_the_sea

Home Office

The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. Bancha reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

Cobalt EmbraceDulux Cobalt Embrace home office color review

@spsdecorating7

BanchaFarrow and Ball Bancha home office paint

@farrowandball

Color Details

Cobalt Embrace
Dulux · 43BB 09/340
Hex#005184
LRV9.0
BrandDulux
Number43BB 09/340
Undertone
TemperatureCool
BrightnessDark
Bancha
Farrow & Ball · 298
Hex#686a47
LRV13.3
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number298
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessDark

Cobalt Embrace vs Bancha Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Cobalt Embrace on one side and Bancha 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 Cobalt Embrace comparisons

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

Cobalt Embrace
Ammonite
Cobalt Embrace
Ammonite
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

At LRV 69 vs 9, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.

White Dove
Cobalt Embrace
White Dove
Cobalt Embrace
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 9), opening up a space where Cobalt Embrace encloses it.

Cobalt Embrace
Iron Ore
Cobalt Embrace
Iron Ore
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

Cobalt Embrace reads slightly lighter (LRV 9 vs 6), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Cobalt Embrace
Purbeck Stone
Cobalt Embrace
Purbeck Stone
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

At LRV 52 vs 9, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.

Cobalt Embrace
Evergreen Fog
Cobalt Embrace
Evergreen Fog
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

At LRV 30 vs 9, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.

Cobalt Embrace
Mizzle
Cobalt Embrace
Mizzle
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 9), opening up a space where Cobalt Embrace encloses it.

Cobalt Embrace
Agreeable Gray
Cobalt Embrace
Agreeable Gray
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

At LRV 60 vs 9, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Cobalt Embrace
Accessible Beige
Cobalt Embrace
Accessible Beige
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 9), opening up a space where Cobalt Embrace encloses it.

Cobalt Embrace
Denim Drift
Cobalt Embrace
Denim Drift
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 9), opening up a space where Cobalt Embrace encloses it.

Cobalt Embrace
French Gray
Cobalt Embrace
French Gray
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

At LRV 43 vs 9, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Cobalt Embrace
Naval
Cobalt Embrace
Naval
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

A 5-point LRV gap (9 vs 4) makes Cobalt Embrace the marginally brighter of the two.

Cobalt Embrace
Tranquil Dawn
Cobalt Embrace
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 9), opening up a space where Cobalt Embrace encloses it.

Cobalt Embrace
Hardwick White
Cobalt Embrace
Hardwick White
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 9), opening up a space where Cobalt Embrace encloses it.

Cobalt Embrace
Pure White
Cobalt Embrace
Pure White
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

At LRV 84 vs 9, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.

Cobalt Embrace
Artichoke
Cobalt Embrace
Artichoke
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

At LRV 21 vs 9, Artichoke is decisively the brighter choice.

Balboa Mist
Cobalt Embrace
Balboa Mist
Cobalt Embrace
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 9), opening up a space where Cobalt Embrace encloses it.

Cobalt Embrace
Shoji White
Cobalt Embrace
Shoji White
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 9), opening up a space where Cobalt Embrace encloses it.

Cobalt Embrace
Snowbound
Cobalt Embrace
Snowbound
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 9), opening up a space where Cobalt Embrace encloses it.

Cobalt Embrace
Pigeon
Cobalt Embrace
Pigeon
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9
Farrow & Ball
Pigeon
LRV 51

At LRV 51 vs 9, Pigeon is decisively the brighter choice.

Cobalt Embrace
Pewter Green
Cobalt Embrace
Pewter Green
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

With LRVs of 12 and 9, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Cobalt Embrace
Duck Green
Cobalt Embrace
Duck Green
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

With LRVs of 9 and 8, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Cobalt Embrace
Skimming Stone
Cobalt Embrace
Skimming Stone
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 9), opening up a space where Cobalt Embrace encloses it.

Cobalt Embrace
Dix Blue
Cobalt Embrace
Dix Blue
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

At LRV 41 vs 9, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.

Cobalt Embrace
Hicks' Blue
Cobalt Embrace
Hicks' Blue
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

Cobalt Embrace vs Hicks' Blue

Cobalt Embrace
Slaked Lime Deep
Cobalt Embrace
Slaked Lime Deep
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

Cobalt Embrace vs Slaked Lime Deep

Vintage Vogue
Cobalt Embrace
Vintage Vogue
Cobalt Embrace
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

With LRVs of 12 and 9, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Cobalt Embrace
Livid
Cobalt Embrace
Livid
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

Cobalt Embrace vs Livid

Saybrook Sage
Cobalt Embrace
Saybrook Sage
Cobalt Embrace
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 9), opening up a space where Cobalt Embrace encloses it.

Cobalt Embrace
Pale Green
Cobalt Embrace
Pale Green
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

At LRV 31 vs 9, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.

Cobalt Embrace
Pine Needle
Cobalt Embrace
Pine Needle
Dulux
Cobalt Embrace
43BB 09/340 · LRV 9

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 9 vs 7), so neither reads brighter in a room.