Reef Blue vs French Gray
Reef Blue (Behr) and French Gray (Farrow & Ball) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Reef Blue belongs to the blue family and French Gray to the beige-greige family. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 45 vs 43 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. Where Reef Blue leans blue, French Gray reads warm — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 27.0 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Reef Blue vs French Gray in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Reef Blue and French Gray in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Living Room
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. French Gray brings more warmth to the space, while Reef Blue keeps things cooler and crisper.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Reef Blue reads more restrained here, while French Gray adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Reef Blue reads more restrained here, while French Gray adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Reef Blue reads more restrained here, while French Gray adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Reef Blue reads more restrained here, while French Gray adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Color Details
Reef Blue vs French Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Reef Blue on one side and French Gray 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 Reef Blue comparisons
See how Reef Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 45, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 45), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Reef Blue reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 45), opening up a space where Reef Blue encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 45, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 27, Reef Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
A 10-point LRV gap (55 vs 45) makes Tranquil Dawn the marginally brighter of the two.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 45 vs 44), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 45), opening up a space where Reef Blue encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 45, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 45, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 12, Reef Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 45, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 12, Reef Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 45 vs 45), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Reef Blue reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
Reef Blue reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Reef Blue reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 45), opening up a space where Reef Blue encloses it.
Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 45), opening up a space where Reef Blue encloses it.