Au Gratin vs Naval
Where Au Gratin belongs to Cloverdale Paint's range, Naval is a Sherwin-Williams color. Au Gratin reads as beige, while Naval reads as blue — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Au Gratin (LRV 48) reflects noticeably more light than Naval (LRV 4), a difference of 44 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 87.4, 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.
Au Gratin vs Naval in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Au Gratin and Naval 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 Au Gratin will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Naval would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Au Gratin reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Naval.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Au Gratin reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Naval.
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. Au Gratin returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Au Gratin reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Naval.
Color Details
Au Gratin vs Naval Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Au Gratin on one side and Naval 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.