Au Gratin vs Hicks' Blue
Au Gratin (Cloverdale Paint) and Hicks' Blue (Little Greene) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Au Gratin belongs to the beige family and Hicks' Blue to the blue family. Au Gratin has an LRV of 48. A ΔE of 83.7 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Au Gratin vs Hicks' Blue in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Au Gratin and Hicks' Blue 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. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Color Details
Au Gratin vs Hicks' Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Au Gratin on one side and Hicks' Blue 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 Au Gratin comparisons
See how Au Gratin stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 48), opening up a space where Au Gratin encloses it.
A 4-point LRV gap (52 vs 48) makes Purbeck Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 48 vs 30, Au Gratin is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 48, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reads slightly lighter (LRV 58 vs 48), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Au Gratin reflects far more light (LRV 48 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
A 5-point LRV gap (48 vs 43) makes Au Gratin the marginally brighter of the two.
Tranquil Dawn reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 48), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Au Gratin reads slightly lighter (LRV 48 vs 44), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 48, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 48), opening up a space where Au Gratin encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 48), opening up a space where Au Gratin encloses it.
Au Gratin reflects far more light (LRV 48 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Au Gratin reflects far more light (LRV 48 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 48), opening up a space where Au Gratin encloses it.
Au Gratin reflects far more light (LRV 48 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
With LRVs of 48 and 45, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 48 vs 31, Au Gratin is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 48 vs 7, Au Gratin is decisively the brighter choice.