Thunderbird → Farrow & Ball
The closest Farrow & Ball matches for Benjamin Moore Thunderbird (675), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Farrow & Ball Equivalent for Thunderbird
If you love Benjamin Moore Thunderbird 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.
Thunderbird (675) is a dark blue with smoky blue undertones. A medium-dark smoky blue with gray undertones. Rich enough to make a statement, gray enough to feel neutral. To find a good Farrow & Ball match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 14.15) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Thunderbird 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 Thunderbird. Inchyra Blue (No.289) comes in with a Delta E of 2, which puts it in the "excellent match" range. Inchyra Blue is the closest Farrow & Ball option at LRV 14. Very close match with F&B's signature chalky depth.
Farrow & Ball Matches for Thunderbird
Inchyra Blue is the closest Farrow & Ball option at LRV 14. Very close match with F&B's signature chalky depth.
| Thunderbird | Inchyra Blue | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 14.15 | 14 |
| Hex | #69828C | #777C78 |
| Undertone | Smoky Blue | Complex Blue-Green-Gray |
| Family | Blue | Blue |
Undertone Comparison
Thunderbird has smoky blue undertones. A medium-dark smoky blue with gray undertones. Rich enough to make a statement, gray enough to feel neutral.
Inchyra Blue has complex blue-green-gray undertones. A dark, complex color that shifts between blue, green, and gray. One of F&B's most chameleon-like colors.
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. Thunderbird's smoky blue quality may read differently than Inchyra Blue's complex blue-green-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
Thunderbird in Your Room
Reads as a sophisticated smoky blue in bright rooms. In dim light, the gray comes forward. A versatile blue for accent walls and exteriors.
Inchyra Blue in Your Room
Reads differently in every light. In daylight, it leans blue-green. Under warm light, it's more gray. At night, it approaches a moody dark neutral. Endlessly fascinating.
LRV and Brightness
Thunderbird has an LRV of 14.15, while Inchyra Blue has an LRV of 14. 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 Thunderbird
Benjamin Moore recommends Thunderbird for: accent wall, bedroom, office, exterior, bathroom. With an LRV of 14.15, this is a dark color that absorbs more light than it reflects. It makes a bold statement and works beautifully on accent walls, front doors, exterior trim, and features where drama is the goal. In a full room, make sure you have good lighting and bright white trim for contrast.
Inchyra Blue is recommended for: living room, bedroom, accent wall, office, exterior. The recommended applications differ slightly between brands, but the color's properties should work in the same rooms regardless of which brand you choose. Trust the LRV and undertone data more than the specific room suggestions, and always test in your actual space.
Thunderbird in Other Brands
Looking for Thunderbird equivalents in other brands besides Farrow & Ball? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Farrow & Ball match for Thunderbird (675) is Inchyra Blue (No.289) with a Delta E of 2, which rates as a "excellent match" match. Inchyra Blue is the closest Farrow & Ball option at LRV 14. 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. Thunderbird is a Benjamin Moore color with smoky blue undertones and an LRV of 14.15. Inchyra Blue is a Farrow & Ball color with complex blue-green-gray undertones and an LRV of 14. With a Delta E of 2, these are extremely close and most people will not spot the difference on a wall. 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, 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.