Alchemy vs Calamine
Where Alchemy belongs to Cloverdale Paint's range, Calamine is a Farrow & Ball color. Alchemy reads as beige, while Calamine reads as pink-red — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Alchemy (LRV 71) reflects noticeably more light than Calamine (LRV 68), a difference of 3 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 11.7, 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 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Alchemy vs Calamine in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Alchemy and Calamine 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 brightness difference is modest but present — Alchemy gives the walls a little more lift.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Alchemy reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Alchemy reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. Alchemy has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Alchemy vs Calamine Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Alchemy on one side and Calamine 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 Alchemy comparisons
See how Alchemy stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 71, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Alchemy reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
Alchemy reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
Alchemy reads slightly lighter (LRV 71 vs 60), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 71 vs 58, Alchemy is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 71 vs 27, Alchemy is decisively the brighter choice.
Alchemy reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
At LRV 71 vs 55, Alchemy is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 71 vs 44, Alchemy is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 71), opening up a space where Alchemy encloses it.
A 5-point LRV gap (71 vs 66) makes Alchemy the marginally brighter of the two.
A 3-point LRV gap (74 vs 71) makes Shoji White the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 71 vs 12, Alchemy is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 71 vs 8, Alchemy is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 71 vs 68), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 71 vs 12, Alchemy is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 71 vs 45, Alchemy is decisively the brighter choice.
Alchemy reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.