Castor vs French Gray

CastorCloverdale PaintvsFrench GrayFarrow & BallΔE 27.3Very different colors

Where Castor belongs to Cloverdale Paint's range, French Gray is a Farrow & Ball color. Castor reads as greige-grey, while French Gray reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. French Gray (LRV 43) reflects noticeably more light than Castor (LRV 15), a difference of 29 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 27.3, 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 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Castor vs French Gray in Real Spaces

4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Castor and French Gray 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 French Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Castor would.

CastorCastor EX245 by Cloverdale Paint — Living Room

@visualization

French GrayFarrow and Ball 18 living room paint

@over_at_overview

Bedroom

The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. French Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Castor.

CastorCastor EX245 by Cloverdale Paint — Bedroom

@visualization

French GrayFarrow and Ball French Gray bedroom color review

@renovating_a_nightmare

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. French Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

CastorCastor EX245 by Cloverdale Paint — Dining Room

@visualization

French GrayFarrow and Ball 18 dining room color

@kenliscountry_

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. French Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Castor.

CastorCastor EX245 by Cloverdale Paint — Bathroom

@visualization

French GrayFarrow and Ball French Gray bathroom review

@livingwithchlo_

Color Details

Castor
Cloverdale Paint · EX245
Hex#736A5E
LRV14.8
BrandCloverdale Paint
NumberEX245
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessDark
French Gray
Farrow & Ball · 18
Hex#b5b19a
LRV43.3
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number18
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium

Castor vs French Gray Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Castor on one side and French Gray 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 Castor comparisons

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

White Dove
Castor
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Castor
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Castor
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Castor reads slightly lighter

Purbeck Stone
Castor
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
Castor
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
Castor
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
Castor
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Castor
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Denim Drift reads noticeably lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Castor
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Balboa Mist
Castor
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Vintage Vogue
Castor
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Nearly identical in tone

Pale Green
Castor
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads noticeably lighter

Pine Needle
Castor
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Castor reads slightly lighter

Cement grey
Castor
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Cement grey reads slightly lighter

Black grey
Castor
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Castor reads slightly lighter

Piazza
Castor
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza is the lighter choice

Humble Yellow
Castor
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow is the lighter choice

Windmill Lane
Castor
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Windmill Lane reads noticeably lighter

Senses
Castor
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Senses is the lighter choice

Lamp Black
Castor
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Castor reads noticeably lighter

Washed Linen
Castor
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen is the lighter choice

Tea with Florence
Castor
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Tea with Florence reads slightly lighter

Thames Fog
Castor
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Thames Fog reads noticeably lighter

Ocean Abyss
Castor
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Castor reads slightly lighter

Classic Silver
Castor
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Classic Silver is the lighter choice

Teton Blue
Castor
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Teton Blue reads noticeably lighter

RAL 110-2
Castor
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Castor
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Castor
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Castor
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Nearly identical in tone