PAINT COLOR COMPARISON
Benjamin MooreKendall Charcoalvs Farrow & BallDown Pipe
Why this comparison. The cross-brand mid-charcoal comparison favored by editorial designers.
Kendall Charcoal and Down Pipe are close but distinct (ΔE 6.21). Visible difference on the wall, especially in flat daylight.
BENJAMIN MOORE · HC-166
Kendall Charcoal
#5E5C56 · LRV 13
Undertone: true neutral
FARROW & BALL · No. 26
Down Pipe
#525659 · LRV 11
Undertone: true neutral
The numbers
ΔE2000
6.21
different
Perceptual color distance — lower = more similar
LRV DELTA
2
Kendall Charcoal is lighter
Light reflectance: how bright on a wall
UNDERTONE
Same
Kendall Charcoal: true neutral
Down Pipe: true neutral
Down Pipe: true neutral
LRV is essentially equal (13 vs 11) — both reflect light the same.
Specs side by side
| Spec | Kendall Charcoal | Down Pipe |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Benjamin Moore | Farrow & Ball |
| SKU | HC-166 | No. 26 |
| Hex | #5E5C56 | #525659 |
| RGB | 94, 92, 86 | 82, 86, 89 |
| LRV | 13 | 11 |
| Undertone | true neutral | true neutral |
| Family | Gray | Gray |
When to pick which
PICK KENDALL CHARCOAL
Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal
Best when you want the more neutral baseline — works in nearly any room.
PICK DOWN PIPE
Farrow & Ball Down Pipe
Best when you want the more neutral baseline — works in nearly any room.
Kompozit alternatives
Closest hex in the Kompozit deck for each side, ranked by ΔE2000.
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