Bay Leaf vs French Gray
Bay Leaf (Cloverdale Paint) and French Gray (Farrow & Ball) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Bay Leaf belongs to the greige-grey family and French Gray to the beige-greige family. The 8-point LRV gap — 43 for French Gray vs 35 for Bay Leaf — means French Gray will open up a space more effectively. ΔE 7.4 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Bay Leaf vs French Gray in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Bay Leaf and French Gray are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
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. French Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Bay Leaf.
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. French Gray 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 French Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Bay Leaf 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. French Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Bay Leaf vs French Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Bay Leaf on one side and French Gray 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 Bay Leaf comparisons
See how Bay Leaf stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 35, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 35), opening up a space where Bay Leaf encloses it.
Bay Leaf reads slightly lighter (LRV 35 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 35), opening up a space where Bay Leaf encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 35, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (35 vs 27) makes Bay Leaf the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 55 vs 35, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (44 vs 35) makes Hardwick White the marginally brighter of the two.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 35), opening up a space where Bay Leaf encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 35, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 35, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 35 vs 12, Bay Leaf is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 35 vs 8, Bay Leaf is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 35, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 35 vs 12, Bay Leaf is decisively the brighter choice.
A 10-point LRV gap (45 vs 35) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.
Bay Leaf reads slightly lighter (LRV 35 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Bay Leaf reflects far more light (LRV 35 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.