Couscous vs French Gray

CouscousCloverdale PaintvsFrench GrayFarrow & BallΔE 12.0Distinct difference

Couscous (Cloverdale Paint) and French Gray (Farrow & Ball) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Couscous belongs to the beige family and French Gray to the beige-greige family. The 3-point LRV gap — 46 for Couscous vs 43 for French Gray — means Couscous will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 12.0 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Couscous vs French Gray in Real Spaces

4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Couscous 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

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. Couscous reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

CouscousCouscous EX172 by Cloverdale Paint — Living Room

@visualization

French GrayFarrow and Ball 18 living room paint

@over_at_overview

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. Couscous has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

CouscousCouscous EX172 by Cloverdale Paint — Bedroom

@visualization

French GrayFarrow and Ball French Gray bedroom color review

@renovating_a_nightmare

Dining Room

Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The brightness difference is modest but present — Couscous gives the walls a little more lift.

CouscousCouscous EX172 by Cloverdale Paint — Dining Room

@visualization

French GrayFarrow and Ball 18 dining room color

@kenliscountry_

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. Couscous has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

CouscousCouscous EX172 by Cloverdale Paint — Bathroom

@visualization

French GrayFarrow and Ball French Gray bathroom review

@livingwithchlo_

Color Details

Couscous
Cloverdale Paint · EX172
Hex#C6B48A
LRV46.5
BrandCloverdale Paint
NumberEX172
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessMedium
French Gray
Farrow & Ball · 18
Hex#b5b19a
LRV43.3
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number18
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium

Couscous vs French Gray Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Couscous 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 Couscous comparisons

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

White Dove
Couscous
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Couscous
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite reads noticeably lighter

Iron Ore
Couscous
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Couscous is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
Couscous
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone reads slightly lighter

Evergreen Fog
Couscous
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Couscous reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
Couscous
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reads slightly lighter

Agreeable Gray
Couscous
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray reads noticeably lighter

Denim Drift
Couscous
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Couscous reads noticeably lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Couscous
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn reads slightly lighter

Balboa Mist
Couscous
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist reads noticeably lighter

Vintage Vogue
Couscous
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Couscous is the lighter choice

Pale Green
Couscous
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Couscous reads noticeably lighter

Pine Needle
Couscous
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Couscous is the lighter choice

Cement grey
Couscous
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Couscous reads noticeably lighter

Black grey
Couscous
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Couscous is the lighter choice

Piazza
Couscous
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza reads noticeably lighter

Humble Yellow
Couscous
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow reads slightly lighter

Windmill Lane
Couscous
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Couscous reads noticeably lighter

Senses
Couscous
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Couscous reads slightly lighter

Lamp Black
Couscous
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Couscous is the lighter choice

Washed Linen
Couscous
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen reads slightly lighter

Tea with Florence
Couscous
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Couscous is the lighter choice

Thames Fog
Couscous
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Couscous reads noticeably lighter

Ocean Abyss
Couscous
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Couscous is the lighter choice

Classic Silver
Couscous
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Nearly identical in tone

Teton Blue
Couscous
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Couscous reads noticeably lighter

RAL 110-2
Couscous
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Couscous
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Couscous
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Couscous
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Couscous is the lighter choice