Blue Note vs French Gray

Blue NoteBenjamin MoorevsFrench GrayFarrow & BallΔE 45.0Very different colors

Blue Note is a Benjamin Moore color while French Gray comes from Farrow & Ball. Hue-wise, Blue Note belongs to the blue-grey family and French Gray to the beige-greige family. At LRV 43 vs 9, French Gray will read as the brighter of the two — a 34-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Blue Note's blue character against French Gray's warm — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 45.0, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Blue Note vs French Gray in Real Spaces

6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Blue Note 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

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

Blue NoteBenjamin Moore 2129-30 living room paint

@thebuzzardfamily

French GrayFarrow and Ball 18 living room paint

@over_at_overview

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 French Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Blue Note would.

Blue NoteBenjamin Moore Blue Note bedroom accent wall color

@alderandsand

French GrayFarrow and Ball French Gray bedroom color review

@renovating_a_nightmare

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. French Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Blue Note.

Blue NoteBenjamin Moore Blue Note dining room paint

@lasoldesign

French GrayFarrow and Ball 18 dining room color

@kenliscountry_

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 French Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Blue Note would.

Blue NoteBenjamin Moore Blue Note bathroom review

@makingspacesnet

French GrayFarrow and Ball French Gray bathroom review

@livingwithchlo_

House

At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The LRV gap is large enough that French Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Blue Note would.

Blue NoteBenjamin Moore Blue Note exterior review

@fromhorrortohygge

French GrayFarrow and Ball French Gray house exterior review

@mylittledorsetcottageofdreams

Kitchen Cabinets

On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The LRV gap is large enough that French Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Blue Note would.

Blue NoteBenjamin Moore 2129-30 kitchen cabinets paint

@fwfix7

French GrayFrench Gray kitchen cabinets photo

@myfirstvictorianhome_247

Color Details

Blue Note
Benjamin Moore · 2129-30
Hex#404B54
LRV9.0
BrandBenjamin Moore
Number2129-30
UndertoneBlue
TemperatureCool
BrightnessDark
French Gray
Farrow & Ball · 18
Hex#b5b19a
LRV43.3
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number18
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium

Blue Note vs French Gray Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Blue Note 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 Blue Note comparisons

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

White Dove
Blue Note
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Blue Note
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Blue Note
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Blue Note reads slightly lighter

Purbeck Stone
Blue Note
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
Blue Note
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
Blue Note
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
Blue Note
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Blue Note
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Denim Drift reads noticeably lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Blue Note
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Balboa Mist
Blue Note
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Vintage Vogue
Blue Note
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Nearly identical in tone

Pale Green
Blue Note
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads noticeably lighter

Pine Needle
Blue Note
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Nearly identical in tone

Cement grey
Blue Note
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Cement grey reads noticeably lighter

Black grey
Blue Note
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Nearly identical in tone

Piazza
Blue Note
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza is the lighter choice

Humble Yellow
Blue Note
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow is the lighter choice

Windmill Lane
Blue Note
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Windmill Lane reads noticeably lighter

Senses
Blue Note
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Senses is the lighter choice

Lamp Black
Blue Note
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Blue Note reads slightly lighter

Washed Linen
Blue Note
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen is the lighter choice

Tea with Florence
Blue Note
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Tea with Florence reads slightly lighter

Thames Fog
Blue Note
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Thames Fog reads noticeably lighter

Ocean Abyss
Blue Note
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Nearly identical in tone

Classic Silver
Blue Note
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Classic Silver is the lighter choice

Teton Blue
Blue Note
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Teton Blue reads noticeably lighter

RAL 110-2
Blue Note
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Blue Note
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Blue Note
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Blue Note
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Passageway reads slightly lighter