Templeton Gray vs French Gray

Where Templeton Gray belongs to Benjamin Moore's range, French Gray is a Farrow & Ball color. Hue-wise, Templeton Gray belongs to the blue-grey family and French Gray to the beige-greige family. French Gray (LRV 43) reflects noticeably more light than Templeton Gray (LRV 24), a difference of 19 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Templeton Gray runs blue while French Gray is decidedly warm, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 22.5, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Templeton Gray vs French Gray in Real Spaces

4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Templeton Gray 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

In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The LRV gap is large enough that French Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Templeton Gray would.

Templeton GrayBenjamin Moore HC-161 living room color

@expatmomma

French GrayFarrow and Ball 18 living room paint

@over_at_overview

Bedroom

The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. French Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Templeton Gray.

Templeton GrayTempleton Gray bedroom paint review

@ferrazartisans

French GrayFarrow and Ball French Gray bedroom color review

@renovating_a_nightmare

Bathroom

Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. French Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Templeton Gray.

Templeton GrayBenjamin Moore Templeton Gray bathroom paint

@busybee.painter

French GrayFarrow and Ball French Gray bathroom review

@livingwithchlo_

Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. French Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Templeton Gray.

Templeton GrayBenjamin Moore HC-161 kitchen cabinets paint review

@kateandcompanyinteriors

French GrayFrench Gray kitchen cabinets photo

@myfirstvictorianhome_247

Color Details

Templeton Gray
Benjamin Moore · HC-161
Hex#778686
LRV23.9
BrandBenjamin Moore
NumberHC-161
UndertoneBlue
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark
French Gray
Farrow & Ball · 18
Hex#b5b19a
LRV43.3
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number18
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium

Templeton Gray vs French Gray Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Templeton Gray 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 Templeton Gray comparisons

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

Templeton Gray
White Dove
Templeton Gray
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 83 vs 24, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Ammonite
Templeton Gray
Ammonite
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 24), opening up a space where Templeton Gray encloses it.

Templeton Gray
Iron Ore
Templeton Gray
Iron Ore
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 24 vs 6, Templeton Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Purbeck Stone
Templeton Gray
Purbeck Stone
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 24), opening up a space where Templeton Gray encloses it.

Templeton Gray
Evergreen Fog
Templeton Gray
Evergreen Fog
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 24), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Templeton Gray
Mizzle
Templeton Gray
Mizzle
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

At LRV 52 vs 24, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Agreeable Gray
Templeton Gray
Agreeable Gray
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 24), opening up a space where Templeton Gray encloses it.

Templeton Gray
Accessible Beige
Templeton Gray
Accessible Beige
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 58 vs 24, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Denim Drift
Templeton Gray vs Denim Drift
Templeton Gray
Denim Drift
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

A 3-point LRV gap (27 vs 24) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.

Templeton Gray
Naval
Templeton Gray
Naval
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Templeton Gray reflects far more light (LRV 24 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.

Templeton Gray
Tranquil Dawn
Templeton Gray
Tranquil Dawn
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 55 vs 24, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Bancha
Templeton Gray
Bancha
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

A 11-point LRV gap (24 vs 13) makes Templeton Gray the marginally brighter of the two.

Templeton Gray
Hardwick White
Templeton Gray
Hardwick White
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 44 vs 24, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Pure White
Templeton Gray
Pure White
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 24), opening up a space where Templeton Gray encloses it.

Templeton Gray
Artichoke
Templeton Gray
Artichoke
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

With LRVs of 24 and 21, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Balboa Mist
Templeton Gray
Balboa Mist
Templeton Gray
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 66 vs 24, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Shoji White
Templeton Gray
Shoji White
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 74 vs 24, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Snowbound
Templeton Gray
Snowbound
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

At LRV 83 vs 24, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Pewter Green
Templeton Gray
Pewter Green
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 24 vs 12, Templeton Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Skimming Stone
Templeton Gray
Skimming Stone
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 68 vs 24, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Dix Blue
Templeton Gray
Dix Blue
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 24), opening up a space where Templeton Gray encloses it.

Templeton Gray
Calamine
Templeton Gray
Calamine
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 24), opening up a space where Templeton Gray encloses it.

Templeton Gray
Treron
Templeton Gray
Treron
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

With LRVs of 25 and 24, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Templeton Gray
Vintage Vogue
Templeton Gray
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 24 vs 12, Templeton Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Saybrook Sage
Templeton Gray
Saybrook Sage
Templeton Gray
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

At LRV 45 vs 24, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.

Templeton Gray
Pale Green
Templeton Gray
Pale Green
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 24), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Templeton Gray
Pine Needle
Templeton Gray
Pine Needle
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

Templeton Gray reflects far more light (LRV 24 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.

Templeton Gray
Cement grey
Templeton Gray
Cement grey
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

With LRVs of 24 and 24, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Guilford Green
Templeton Gray
Guilford Green vs Templeton Gray
Guilford Green
Templeton Gray
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 24), opening up a space where Templeton Gray encloses it.

Templeton Gray
Just Walnut
Templeton Gray
Just Walnut
Benjamin Moore
Templeton Gray
HC-161 · LRV 24

Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 24), opening up a space where Templeton Gray encloses it.