Vintage Vogue and Essex Green: the documented difference
Vintage Vogue has an LRV of 11.85; Benjamin Moore Essex Green HC-188 is 5.64. The difference is 6.21 points, with Vintage Vogue returning more light under the reference measurement. Choose by the material relationship as well as the number. Vintage Vogue's smoky green can replace the role of brown or black while retaining a color direction of its own. Essex Green is so dark that its green approaches black.
| Color | Brand / code | LRV |
|---|---|---|
| Vintage Vogue | Benjamin Moore 462 | 11.85 |
| Essex Green | Benjamin Moore HC-188 | 5.64 |
The choice beside walnut shelves and worn leather
Walnut shelves and leather already create a dark, textured setting, so a full wall of deep green needs careful area planning.
Set up both candidates with walnut shelves and worn leather. Use equal-sized boards with the intended finishes and place them in the same orientation. Do not put one directly beside a window and leave the other in shadow. A difference that follows the position rather than the board is a lighting observation, not evidence that the formula changed.
What the comparison can—and cannot—settle
For a second point of reference, Dark Olive is recorded at LRV 13.52. The undertones and neighboring colors covers that related choice.
Check the shelves and wall after sunset; if both merge into one dark mass, add contrast or reduce the painted area. Assess Vintage Vogue and Essex Green alone as well as side by side. The unchosen board will not remain in the finished room, and a preference created only by that neighbor may not survive its removal. Before ordering samples, compare room-planning features in the paint color visualizer roundup.
Sources & notes
Color specifications: Benjamin Moore Vintage Vogue 462. The recorded LRV is 11.85. Named comparison values come from the respective manufacturers; material schemes are editorial suggestions.
This guide reviews published color information and proposes practical sample checks. It does not claim first-hand paint testing or customer-review scores. Benjamin Moore does not sponsor or endorse this site. Product names and trademarks belong to their respective owners. Confirm the color in a physical sample and select the coating for the actual surface and finish.