PAINT COLOR COMPARISON
Benjamin MooreChelsea Grayvs Benjamin MooreKendall Charcoal
Why this comparison. BM’s two charcoal staples for islands and exteriors; Kendall Charcoal is the darker, browner one.
Chelsea Gray and Kendall Charcoal are clearly different colors (ΔE 11.06). Don't substitute one for the other.
BENJAMIN MOORE · HC-168
Chelsea Gray
#7E7770 · LRV 22
Undertone: red-orange / warm
BENJAMIN MOORE · HC-166
Kendall Charcoal
#5E5C56 · LRV 13
Undertone: true neutral
The numbers
ΔE2000
11.06
Different color
Perceptual color distance — lower = more similar
LRV DELTA
9
Chelsea Gray is lighter
Light reflectance: how bright on a wall
UNDERTONE
Different
Chelsea Gray: red-orange / warm
Kendall Charcoal: true neutral
Kendall Charcoal: true neutral
Chelsea Gray is slightly lighter (LRV 22 vs 13, 9-point delta).
Specs side by side
| Spec | Chelsea Gray | Kendall Charcoal |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Benjamin Moore | Benjamin Moore |
| SKU | HC-168 | HC-166 |
| Hex | #7E7770 | #5E5C56 |
| RGB | 126, 119, 112 | 94, 92, 86 |
| LRV | 22 | 13 |
| Undertone | red-orange / warm | true neutral |
| Family | Gray | Gray |
When to pick which
PICK CHELSEA GRAY
Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray
Best when you want the slightly lighter, airier read.
PICK KENDALL CHARCOAL
Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal
Best when you want the more neutral baseline — works in nearly any room.
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