Classic Gray vs Pale Oak
Classic Gray (LRV 74) is the coolest of Benjamin Moore's light neutrals; Pale Oak (LRV 69) runs warmer and shifts visibly toward beige in warm light, five points darker and a different undertone family entirely.
Classic Gray Benjamin Moore · OC-23 LRV 74
Pick Classic Gray for a bright, cool-neutral wall color, especially in a room with plenty of natural light that can carry a paler, less warm tone.
Pale Oak Benjamin Moore · OC-20 LRV 69
Pick Pale Oak when the room needs a warmer greige that still reads light, particularly next to warm wood floors or trim.
How close are they?
Delta-E (perceptual color distance) between Classic Gray and Pale Oak is 2.2 (close enough that most eyes will not tell them apart on a wall). LRV runs 74 for Classic Gray versus 69 for Pale Oak, a 5-point gap.