Austere vs Hardwick White
Austere (Cloverdale Paint) and Hardwick White (Farrow & Ball) come from different manufacturers. Austere reads as beige-greige, while Hardwick White reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 28-point LRV gap — 44 for Hardwick White vs 16 for Austere — means Hardwick White will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 26.8 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Austere vs Hardwick White in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Austere and Hardwick White 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. Hardwick White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Austere.
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. Hardwick White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Hardwick White 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 Hardwick White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Austere 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. Hardwick White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Austere vs Hardwick White Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Austere on one side and Hardwick White 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 Austere comparisons
See how Austere stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 16, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 16), opening up a space where Austere encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 16), opening up a space where Austere encloses it.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 16), opening up a space where Austere encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 16, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 11-point LRV gap (27 vs 16) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 16), opening up a space where Austere encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 16, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 16), opening up a space where Austere encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 16, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 16, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (16 vs 12) makes Austere the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 16, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (16 vs 12) makes Austere the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 16, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 16), opening up a space where Austere encloses it.
Austere reads slightly lighter (LRV 16 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Cement grey reads slightly lighter (LRV 24 vs 16), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 16), opening up a space where Austere encloses it.
Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 16), opening up a space where Austere encloses it.