Cathedral Gray vs Pigeon
Cathedral Gray is a Behr color while Pigeon comes from Farrow & Ball. Both sit in the grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. At LRV 51 vs 40, Pigeon will read as the brighter of the two — a 10-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Cathedral Gray's red character against Pigeon's neutral — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 6.9, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Cathedral Gray vs Pigeon in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Cathedral Gray and Pigeon are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
Living Room
Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. Pigeon returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that Pigeon will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Cathedral Gray would.
Kitchen Cabinets
On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The LRV gap is large enough that Pigeon will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Cathedral Gray would.
Color Details
Cathedral Gray vs Pigeon Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Cathedral Gray on one side and Pigeon on the other.
Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.
More Cathedral Gray comparisons
See how Cathedral Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 69 vs 40, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 40), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
Cathedral Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
A 11-point LRV gap (52 vs 40) makes Purbeck Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
A 10-point LRV gap (40 vs 30) makes Cathedral Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
Mizzle reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 40), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 60 vs 40, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 40), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
Cathedral Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 43 vs 40), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 40 vs 4, Cathedral Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 40), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
Cathedral Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Hardwick White reads slightly lighter (LRV 44 vs 40), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 40, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 40 vs 21, Cathedral Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 40), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 40), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 40), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
Cathedral Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Cathedral Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 40), opening up a space where Cathedral Gray encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 41 vs 40), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Cathedral Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reads slightly lighter (LRV 45 vs 40), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 9-point LRV gap (40 vs 31) makes Cathedral Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 40 vs 7, Cathedral Gray is decisively the brighter choice.