Au Gratin vs Windmill Lane
Au Gratin (Cloverdale Paint) and Windmill Lane (Little Greene) come from different manufacturers. Au Gratin reads as beige, while Windmill Lane reads as green-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 17-point LRV gap — 48 for Au Gratin vs 31 for Windmill Lane — means Au Gratin will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 62.5 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Au Gratin vs Windmill Lane in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Au Gratin and Windmill Lane 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. Au Gratin reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Windmill Lane.
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. Au Gratin returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Dining Room
Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The LRV gap is large enough that Au Gratin will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Windmill Lane would.
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. Au Gratin returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Au Gratin vs Windmill Lane Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Au Gratin on one side and Windmill Lane 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.
