Mole's Breath vs Matrix

Mole's BreathFarrow & BallvsMatrixJotunΔE 5.8Noticeable difference

Mole's Breath is a Farrow & Ball color while Matrix comes from Jotun. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. At LRV 24 vs 20, Mole's Breath will read as the brighter of the two — a 4-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. They share a neutral quality — useful to know if you're layering them in the same space. At ΔE 5.8, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Mole's Breath vs Matrix in Real Spaces

3 real rooms side by side. Mole's Breath and Matrix 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

Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. Mole's Breath has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

Mole's BreathFarrow and Ball Mole's Breath cozy living room interior

@thegreeneyedgirl_

MatrixJotun Matrix scandinavian living room interior

@chicinterior_

Bedroom

Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The brightness difference is modest but present — Mole's Breath gives the walls a little more lift.

Mole's BreathFarrow and Ball Mole's Breath cozy bedroom paint review

@housenearmeadow

MatrixJotun Matrix bedroom paint review

@casa_skrautval

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The brightness difference is modest but present — Mole's Breath gives the walls a little more lift.

Mole's BreathFarrow and Ball Mole's Breath modern bathroom

@overton_renovation_

MatrixJotun Matrix cozy bathroom color

@grobyggebo

Color Details

Mole's Breath
Farrow & Ball · 276
Hex#8b857f
LRV24.1
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number276
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark
Matrix
Jotun · 9913
Hex#7b7a79
LRV19.7
BrandJotun
Number9913
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark

Mole's Breath vs Matrix Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Mole's Breath on one side and Matrix 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 Mole's Breath comparisons

See how Mole's Breath stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Mole's Breath
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Mole's Breath
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Mole's Breath
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Mole's Breath reads noticeably lighter

Purbeck Stone
Mole's Breath
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
Mole's Breath
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter

Mizzle
Mole's Breath
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
Mole's Breath
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Accessible Beige
Mole's Breath
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

Accessible Beige is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Mole's Breath
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Nearly identical in tone

French Gray
Mole's Breath
French Gray
Farrow & Ball
French Gray
LRV 43

French Gray reads noticeably lighter

Naval
Mole's Breath
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Mole's Breath reads noticeably lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Mole's Breath
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Bancha
Mole's Breath
Bancha
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

Mole's Breath reads slightly lighter

Hardwick White
Mole's Breath
Hardwick White
Farrow & Ball
Hardwick White
LRV 44

Hardwick White reads noticeably lighter

Pure White
Mole's Breath
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Pure White
LRV 84

Pure White is the lighter choice

Artichoke
Mole's Breath
Artichoke
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

Nearly identical in tone

Balboa Mist
Mole's Breath
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Shoji White
Mole's Breath
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Shoji White
LRV 74

Shoji White is the lighter choice

Snowbound
Mole's Breath
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound is the lighter choice

Pewter Green
Mole's Breath
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Pewter Green
LRV 12

Mole's Breath reads noticeably lighter

Skimming Stone
Mole's Breath
Skimming Stone
Farrow & Ball
Skimming Stone
LRV 68

Skimming Stone is the lighter choice

Dix Blue
Mole's Breath
Dix Blue
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Dix Blue reads noticeably lighter

Calamine
Mole's Breath
Calamine
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine is the lighter choice

Treron
Mole's Breath
Treron
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Nearly identical in tone

Vintage Vogue
Mole's Breath
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Mole's Breath reads noticeably lighter

Saybrook Sage
Mole's Breath
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Saybrook Sage
LRV 45

Saybrook Sage reads noticeably lighter

Pale Green
Mole's Breath
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads slightly lighter

Pine Needle
Mole's Breath
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Mole's Breath reads noticeably lighter

Cement grey
Mole's Breath
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Nearly identical in tone

Guilford Green
Mole's Breath
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Guilford Green
LRV 57

Guilford Green is the lighter choice