Cotton vs Calamine
Where Cotton belongs to Cloverdale Paint's range, Calamine is a Farrow & Ball color. Hue-wise, Cotton belongs to the beige-greige family and Calamine to the pink-red family. Cotton (LRV 81) reflects noticeably more light than Calamine (LRV 68), a difference of 13 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. The ΔE 9.6 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Cotton vs Calamine in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Cotton and Calamine 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
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 Cotton will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Calamine 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. Cotton reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Calamine.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Cotton reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Calamine.
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. Cotton returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Cotton vs Calamine Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Cotton on one side and Calamine 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 Cotton comparisons
See how Cotton stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
