Barren Plain vs Hardwick White
Barren Plain is a Benjamin Moore color while Hardwick White comes from Farrow & Ball. Both sit in the greige-grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. At LRV 62 vs 44, Barren Plain will read as the brighter of the two — a 18-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Barren Plain's red character against Hardwick White's warm — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 12.8, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Barren Plain vs Hardwick White in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Barren Plain and Hardwick White 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
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. Barren Plain returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Bedroom
Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Barren Plain will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Hardwick White would.
Kitchen
Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The LRV gap is large enough that Barren Plain will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Hardwick White would.
Dining Room
Dining room light is typically the warmest in the house, which shifts both colors toward the red end of the spectrum compared to daylight. Barren Plain reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Hardwick White.
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 Barren Plain will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Hardwick White would.
Color Details
Barren Plain vs Hardwick White Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Barren Plain on one side and Hardwick White 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 Barren Plain comparisons
See how Barren Plain stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 62), opening up a space where Barren Plain encloses it.
A 7-point LRV gap (69 vs 62) makes Ammonite the marginally brighter of the two.
Barren Plain reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
A 10-point LRV gap (62 vs 52) makes Barren Plain the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 62 vs 30, Barren Plain is decisively the brighter choice.
Barren Plain reads slightly lighter (LRV 62 vs 52), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 62 vs 60), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Barren Plain reads slightly lighter (LRV 62 vs 58), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Barren Plain reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 62 vs 43, Barren Plain is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 62 vs 4, Barren Plain is decisively the brighter choice.
Barren Plain reads slightly lighter (LRV 62 vs 55), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Barren Plain reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 62, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 62 vs 21, Barren Plain is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reads slightly lighter (LRV 66 vs 62), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 62), opening up a space where Barren Plain encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 62), opening up a space where Barren Plain encloses it.
Barren Plain reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 62), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 62 vs 41, Barren Plain is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (68 vs 62) makes Calamine the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 62 vs 25, Barren Plain is decisively the brighter choice.
Barren Plain reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Barren Plain reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 62 vs 31, Barren Plain is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 62 vs 7, Barren Plain is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 62 vs 24, Barren Plain is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (62 vs 57) makes Barren Plain the marginally brighter of the two.
A 10-point LRV gap (72 vs 62) makes Just Walnut the marginally brighter of the two.