Seapearl (BM 961) vs Pale Oak (BM OC-20)
Quick decision
- Lighter
- Seapearl, LRV 76.4 vs 68.6.
- Warmer
- About the same (Lab b* 5.7 vs 5.9). Seapearl reads warm white; Pale Oak reads greige.
- North rooms
- Seapearl: keeps more brightness (L* 86.6 vs 82.8 in north light) and drifts less gray (chroma drop 3.4 vs 4.0).
- Trim that works
- China White BM OC-141, #E7E4D9, LRV 76.4: the Benjamin Moore white closest in hue to both.
- Closeness
- deltaE 2.5, noticeably different. At 2.5, test both: on a full wall the difference will show.
See each color
Seapearl (BM 961) is lighter than Pale Oak (BM OC-20) and about as warm: LRV 76.4 vs 68.6, deltaE 2.5 (noticeably different).
Side by side
| Measure | Seapearl | Pale Oak | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Benjamin Moore | Benjamin Moore | |
| Color code | 961 | OC-20 | |
| Hex | #E7E4D9 | #DDD9CE | |
| RGB | 231, 228, 217 | 221, 217, 206 | |
| HSL | 47°, 23%, 88% | 44°, 18%, 84% | |
| LRV (light reflectance value) | 76.4 | 68.6 | +7.8 |
| Lab L* | 90.5 | 86.7 | +3.8 |
| Lab a* | -0.9 | -0.5 | −0.3 |
| Lab b* | 5.7 | 5.9 | −0.2 |
| Undertone | Neutral | Warm Greige | |
| Temperature | warm | warm | |
| Color family | Off-white | Greige |
Same paint, two kinds of light
Seapearl (BM 961), published as #E7E4D9
#D5DAD7
#F9EED9
Pale Oak (BM OC-20), published as #DDD9CE
#CCCFCC
#EFE3CE
These swatches and the rooms above are a simulation, not a measurement. How the visualizer works
Which should you pick
Rules of thumb computed from the LRV and Lab values in the table above; no room test was done.
- Pick Seapearl (BM 961) for a small room or a north-facing room, because it is 7.8 LRV points lighter (76.4 vs 68.6), so it bounces back more of the limited light
Closest matches to Seapearl in other brands
Closest matches to Pale Oak in other brands
Common questions
- Is Seapearl the same color as Pale Oak?
- They are noticeably different: a CIEDE2000 difference of 2.5. Most people can see the difference between Seapearl and Pale Oak side by side.
- Which is lighter, Seapearl or Pale Oak?
- Seapearl, with an LRV of 76.4 against 68.6.
Full pages
Related comparisons
Sources: LRV and hex from Benjamin Moore technical data (verified 2026-10-02). Color differences are CIEDE2000 values computed by this site from the hex values (data snapshot 2026-10-01). Color names and codes belong to their manufacturers.