Carbon Fibre vs Hopper Head

Carbon Fibre (Cloverdale Paint) and Hopper Head (Farrow & Ball) come from different manufacturers. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 8 vs 9 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. A ΔE of 1.8 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Carbon Fibre vs Hopper Head in Real Spaces

4 real rooms side by side. Carbon Fibre and Hopper Head 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. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.

Carbon FibreCarbon Fibre EX157 by Cloverdale Paint — Living Room

@visualization

Hopper HeadHopper Head living room fireplace

@kitkatsgarden

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. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.

Carbon FibreCarbon Fibre EX157 by Cloverdale Paint — Bedroom

@visualization

Hopper HeadFarrow and Ball Hopper Head bedroom wall panelling

@emmajanechun

Dining Room

Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.

Carbon FibreCarbon Fibre EX157 by Cloverdale Paint — Dining Room

@visualization

Hopper HeadHopper Head dark dining room paint review

@bespokeberkhamsted

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. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.

Carbon FibreCarbon Fibre EX157 by Cloverdale Paint — Bathroom

@visualization

Hopper HeadHopper Head bathroom vanity color

@phbespokecabinets

Color Details

Carbon Fibre
Cloverdale Paint · EX157
Hex#4C5053
LRV7.9
BrandCloverdale Paint
NumberEX157
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessDark
Hopper Head
Farrow & Ball · 305
Hex#505456
LRV8.9
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number305
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark

Carbon Fibre vs Hopper Head Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Carbon Fibre on one side and Hopper Head on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Carbon Fibre comparisons

See how Carbon Fibre stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Carbon Fibre
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Carbon Fibre
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Carbon Fibre
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Nearly identical in tone

Purbeck Stone
Carbon Fibre
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
Carbon Fibre
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
Carbon Fibre
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
Carbon Fibre
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Carbon Fibre
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Denim Drift reads noticeably lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Carbon Fibre
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Balboa Mist
Carbon Fibre
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Vintage Vogue
Carbon Fibre
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter

Pale Green
Carbon Fibre
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads noticeably lighter

Pine Needle
Carbon Fibre
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Nearly identical in tone

Cement grey
Carbon Fibre
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Cement grey reads noticeably lighter

Black grey
Carbon Fibre
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Nearly identical in tone

Piazza
Carbon Fibre
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza is the lighter choice

Humble Yellow
Carbon Fibre
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow is the lighter choice

Windmill Lane
Carbon Fibre
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Windmill Lane reads noticeably lighter

Senses
Carbon Fibre
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Senses is the lighter choice

Lamp Black
Carbon Fibre
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Carbon Fibre reads slightly lighter

Washed Linen
Carbon Fibre
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen is the lighter choice

Tea with Florence
Carbon Fibre
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Tea with Florence reads slightly lighter

Thames Fog
Carbon Fibre
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Thames Fog reads noticeably lighter

Ocean Abyss
Carbon Fibre
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Nearly identical in tone

Classic Silver
Carbon Fibre
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Classic Silver is the lighter choice

Teton Blue
Carbon Fibre
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Teton Blue reads noticeably lighter

RAL 110-2
Carbon Fibre
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Carbon Fibre
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Carbon Fibre
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Carbon Fibre
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Passageway reads slightly lighter