Nimbus → Farrow & Ball
The closest Farrow & Ball matches for Benjamin Moore Nimbus (1465), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Farrow & Ball Equivalent for Nimbus
If you love Benjamin Moore Nimbus but need a Farrow & Ball alternative, you are not alone. This is one of the most common cross-brand paint matching searches, whether you are working with a painter who prefers Farrow & Ball, your local store does not carry Benjamin Moore, or you simply want to compare prices across brands before committing.
Nimbus (1465) is a medium gray with warm green-gray undertones. A medium gray with warm green undertones. Deeper than Silver Chain, greener than Smoke Embers. A sophisticated mid-tone neutral. To find a good Farrow & Ball match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 43.28) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Nimbus and every Farrow & Ball color using the CIE2000 Delta E formula, which measures how different two colors look to the human eye. A Delta E under 2 means most people cannot tell the colors apart. Between 2 and 4, you might notice a difference in certain lighting. Above 5, the difference is clearly visible side by side.
The good news: there is a strong Farrow & Ball match for Nimbus. Pavilion Gray (No.242) comes in with a Delta E of 2.1, which puts it in the "excellent match" range. Pavilion Gray is the closest Farrow & Ball option at LRV 44. Very close match with F&B's signature chalky depth.
Farrow & Ball Matches for Nimbus
Pavilion Gray is the closest Farrow & Ball option at LRV 44. Very close match with F&B's signature chalky depth.
| Nimbus | Pavilion Gray | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 43.28 | 44 |
| Hex | #BAB7B0 | #BDB8B5 |
| Undertone | Warm Green-Gray | Warm Pink-Gray |
| Family | Gray | Gray |
Undertone Comparison
Nimbus has warm green-gray undertones. A medium gray with warm green undertones. Deeper than Silver Chain, greener than Smoke Embers. A sophisticated mid-tone neutral.
Pavilion Gray has warm pink-gray undertones. A medium gray with warm pink-mauve undertones. More substantial than Ammonite, with the subtle warmth Farrow & Ball is known for.
The undertone difference is worth paying attention to. While they are close in overall appearance, the different undertones mean they may diverge in certain lighting. Nimbus's warm green-gray quality may read differently than Pavilion Gray's warm pink-gray character, especially in rooms with strong directional light or colored accents that could pull out one undertone more than the other. Test a sample in your specific room before committing.
How These Colors Behave in Different Lighting
Nimbus in Your Room
The green is subtle but present. In bright rooms, it reads as a soft sage-gray. In dim rooms, it's a warm medium gray.
Pavilion Gray in Your Room
The pink-mauve shows in cooler light and north-facing rooms. In warm light, it reads as a balanced mid-gray. Elegant and sophisticated.
LRV and Brightness
Nimbus has an LRV of 43.28, while Pavilion Gray has an LRV of 44. These two colors reflect a very similar amount of light, so you should not notice a significant difference in room brightness when switching between them. The room will feel approximately the same in terms of light and space, which makes this a smoother transition.
Best Rooms for Nimbus
Benjamin Moore recommends Nimbus for: living room, bedroom, dining room, office, accent wall. With an LRV of 43.28, this is a medium color that is in the medium range, adding real depth and presence to a room. It works best in rooms with good natural light or as an accent wall color. In smaller or darker rooms, pair it with bright white trim to keep the space from feeling closed in.
Pavilion Gray is recommended for: living room, bedroom, dining room, hallway, office. Both colors are recommended for similar applications, which confirms that this is a practical cross-brand match. You can use Pavilion Gray in the same rooms you planned for Nimbus.
Nimbus in Other Brands
Looking for Nimbus equivalents in other brands besides Farrow & Ball? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Farrow & Ball match for Nimbus (1465) is Pavilion Gray (No.242) with a Delta E of 2.1, which rates as a "excellent match" match. Pavilion Gray is the closest Farrow & Ball option at LRV 44. Very close match with F&B's signature chalky depth. Delta E measures perceptual color distance on a scale where under 2 means nearly identical, 2 to 4 means close with subtle differences, and over 5 means clearly noticeable.
No, they are not identical. Nimbus is a Benjamin Moore color with warm green-gray undertones and an LRV of 43.28. Pavilion Gray is a Farrow & Ball color with warm pink-gray undertones and an LRV of 44. With a Delta E of 2.1, the difference is subtle and mainly visible in direct side-by-side comparison. Paint formulations differ between brands, so even colors with similar values can look slightly different due to pigment concentration, binders, and finish.
With a Delta E of 2.1, these colors are close enough to use in separate rooms of the same house without a jarring difference. However, avoid painting them on adjacent walls in the same room, as even subtle differences become apparent at a hard edge where two paints meet. For the smoothest result, use one brand consistently within each connected space and reserve the other brand for rooms that are visually separated.
There are several practical reasons to look for a Farrow & Ball equivalent. Price differences between brands can be significant on large projects. Availability matters if your nearest paint store or home center specializes in Farrow & Ball. Some painters have strong preferences for one brand's formula based on coverage, dry time, or workability. And if you are touching up existing Farrow & Ball work, matching within the same brand gives you the best consistency for seamless results.
Match calculations use Delta E (CIE2000) computed from Lab color space conversion. Color data sourced from manufacturer specifications. Last reviewed: March 22, 2026.