China Clay vs Ammonite
Where China Clay belongs to Cloverdale Paint's range, Ammonite is a Farrow & Ball color. These are both beige-greiges, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within beige-greige to land. Ammonite (LRV 69) reflects noticeably more light than China Clay (LRV 39), a difference of 30 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 19.2, 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.
China Clay vs Ammonite in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing China Clay and Ammonite 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 Ammonite will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than China Clay 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. Ammonite reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than China Clay.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Ammonite reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than China Clay.
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. Ammonite 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. Ammonite reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than China Clay.
Color Details
China Clay vs Ammonite Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see China Clay on one side and Ammonite 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 China Clay comparisons
See how China Clay stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 39, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 39 vs 6, China Clay is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 39), opening up a space where China Clay encloses it.
China Clay reads slightly lighter (LRV 39 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 39, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 39), opening up a space where China Clay encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 39, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 12-point LRV gap (39 vs 27) makes China Clay the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 39), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
China Clay reflects far more light (LRV 39 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 39, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 39 vs 13, China Clay is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (44 vs 39) makes Hardwick White the marginally brighter of the two.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 39), opening up a space where China Clay encloses it.
China Clay reflects far more light (LRV 39 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 39, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 39, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 39, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 39 vs 12, China Clay is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 39, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 41 and 39, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 39), opening up a space where China Clay encloses it.
China Clay reflects far more light (LRV 39 vs 25), opening up a space where Treron encloses it.
At LRV 39 vs 12, China Clay is decisively the brighter choice.
A 7-point LRV gap (45 vs 39) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.
China Clay reads slightly lighter (LRV 39 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
China Clay reflects far more light (LRV 39 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
China Clay reflects far more light (LRV 39 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 39), opening up a space where China Clay encloses it.
Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 39), opening up a space where China Clay encloses it.