Studio Clay vs French Gray

Studio ClayBehrvsFrench GrayFarrow & BallΔE 11.3Distinct difference

Studio Clay (Behr) and French Gray (Farrow & Ball) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Studio Clay belongs to the beige family and French Gray to the beige-greige family. The 18-point LRV gap — 61 for Studio Clay vs 43 for French Gray — means Studio Clay will open up a space more effectively. Where Studio Clay leans red, French Gray reads warm — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 11.3 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Studio Clay vs French Gray in Real Spaces

2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Studio Clay 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. Studio Clay reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than French Gray.

Studio ClayBehr Studio Clay living room color

@smashingdiy

French GrayFarrow and Ball 18 living room paint

@over_at_overview

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. Studio Clay returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Studio ClayBehr Studio Clay exterior color

@macfarland_painting

French GrayFarrow and Ball French Gray house exterior review

@mylittledorsetcottageofdreams

Color Details

Studio Clay
Behr · MQ2-27
Hex#d9ccb8
LRV61.4
BrandBehr
NumberMQ2-27
UndertoneRed
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessLight
French Gray
Farrow & Ball · 18
Hex#b5b19a
LRV43.3
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number18
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium

Studio Clay vs French Gray Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Studio Clay on one side and French Gray on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Studio Clay comparisons

See how Studio Clay stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Studio Clay
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove reads noticeably lighter

Ammonite
Studio Clay
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite reads slightly lighter

Iron Ore
Studio Clay
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Studio Clay is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
Studio Clay
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Studio Clay reads slightly lighter

Evergreen Fog
Studio Clay
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Studio Clay is the lighter choice

Mizzle
Studio Clay
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Studio Clay reads slightly lighter

Agreeable Gray
Studio Clay
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Nearly identical in tone

Denim Drift
Studio Clay
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Studio Clay is the lighter choice

Tranquil Dawn
Studio Clay
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Studio Clay reads slightly lighter

Balboa Mist
Studio Clay
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist reads slightly lighter

Vintage Vogue
Studio Clay
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Studio Clay is the lighter choice

Pale Green
Studio Clay
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Studio Clay is the lighter choice

Pine Needle
Studio Clay
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Studio Clay is the lighter choice

Cement grey
Studio Clay
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Studio Clay is the lighter choice

Black grey
Studio Clay
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Studio Clay is the lighter choice

Piazza
Studio Clay
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza reads slightly lighter

Humble Yellow
Studio Clay
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Studio Clay reads slightly lighter

Windmill Lane
Studio Clay
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Studio Clay is the lighter choice

Senses
Studio Clay
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Studio Clay reads noticeably lighter

Lamp Black
Studio Clay
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Studio Clay is the lighter choice

Washed Linen
Studio Clay
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Studio Clay reads slightly lighter

Tea with Florence
Studio Clay
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Studio Clay is the lighter choice

Thames Fog
Studio Clay
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Studio Clay is the lighter choice

Ocean Abyss
Studio Clay
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Studio Clay is the lighter choice

Classic Silver
Studio Clay
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Studio Clay reads noticeably lighter

Teton Blue
Studio Clay
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Studio Clay is the lighter choice

RAL 110-2
Studio Clay
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 reads slightly lighter

RAL 110-1
Studio Clay
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 reads noticeably lighter

Paper
Studio Clay
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Studio Clay
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Studio Clay is the lighter choice