Malt Chocolate vs Thames Fog

Malt ChocolateDuluxvsThames FogValsparΔE 21.2Distinct difference

Where Malt Chocolate belongs to Dulux's range, Thames Fog is a Valspar color. Malt Chocolate reads as beige-greige, while Thames Fog reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Malt Chocolate (LRV 57) reflects noticeably more light than Thames Fog (LRV 27), a difference of 30 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 21.2, 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 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Malt Chocolate vs Thames Fog in Real Spaces

4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Malt Chocolate and Thames Fog 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 LRV gap is large enough that Malt Chocolate will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Thames Fog would.

Malt ChocolateDulux Malt Chocolate living room accent wall

@mylittlepieceofe7

Thames FogValspar Thames Fog living room inspiration

@melaniejadedesign

Bedroom

The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Malt Chocolate reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Thames Fog.

Malt ChocolateDulux Malt Chocolate bedroom panelling

@victorianhouse_renono37

Thames FogValspar Thames Fog bedroom review

@thelancashireterrace

Dining Room

A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. Malt Chocolate returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Malt ChocolateDulux Malt Chocolate dining room

@ourtwgosfordhome

Thames FogValspar Thames Fog dining room photo

@renovations_at31

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. Malt Chocolate reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Thames Fog.

Malt ChocolateExpresso Delight 4 bathroom color

@charliehamiltondecorating

Thames FogValspar Thames Fog bathroom review

@bellwaycherry17

Color Details

Malt Chocolate
Dulux · 80YR 57/070
Hex#D1C2B9
LRV57.0
BrandDulux
Number80YR 57/070
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessLight
Thames Fog
Valspar · V144-5
Hex#8f9082
LRV27.4
BrandValspar
NumberV144-5
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessMedium

Malt Chocolate vs Thames Fog Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Malt Chocolate on one side and Thames Fog 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 Malt Chocolate comparisons

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

White Dove
Malt Chocolate
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Malt Chocolate
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite reads slightly lighter

Iron Ore
Malt Chocolate
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Malt Chocolate is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
Malt Chocolate
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Malt Chocolate reads slightly lighter

Evergreen Fog
Malt Chocolate
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Malt Chocolate is the lighter choice

Mizzle
Malt Chocolate
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Malt Chocolate reads slightly lighter

Agreeable Gray
Malt Chocolate
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray reads slightly lighter

Denim Drift
Malt Chocolate
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Malt Chocolate is the lighter choice

Tranquil Dawn
Malt Chocolate
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Nearly identical in tone

Balboa Mist
Malt Chocolate
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist reads slightly lighter

Vintage Vogue
Malt Chocolate
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Malt Chocolate is the lighter choice

Pale Green
Malt Chocolate
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Malt Chocolate is the lighter choice

Pine Needle
Malt Chocolate
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Malt Chocolate is the lighter choice

Cement grey
Malt Chocolate
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Malt Chocolate is the lighter choice

Black grey
Malt Chocolate
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Malt Chocolate is the lighter choice

Piazza
Malt Chocolate
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza reads slightly lighter

Humble Yellow
Malt Chocolate
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Nearly identical in tone

Windmill Lane
Malt Chocolate
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Malt Chocolate is the lighter choice

Senses
Malt Chocolate
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Malt Chocolate reads noticeably lighter

Lamp Black
Malt Chocolate
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Malt Chocolate is the lighter choice

Washed Linen
Malt Chocolate
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Nearly identical in tone

Tea with Florence
Malt Chocolate
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Malt Chocolate is the lighter choice

Ocean Abyss
Malt Chocolate
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Malt Chocolate is the lighter choice

Classic Silver
Malt Chocolate
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Malt Chocolate reads slightly lighter

Teton Blue
Malt Chocolate
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Malt Chocolate is the lighter choice

RAL 110-2
Malt Chocolate
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 reads noticeably lighter

Passageway
Malt Chocolate
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Malt Chocolate is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Malt Chocolate
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 reads noticeably lighter

Paper
Malt Chocolate
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

RAL 180-1
Malt Chocolate
RAL 180-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 180-1
LRV 49

Malt Chocolate reads slightly lighter