Cystern vs Ammonite
Where Cystern belongs to Cloverdale Paint's range, Ammonite is a Farrow & Ball color. Cystern reads as blue-grey, while Ammonite reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Ammonite (LRV 69) reflects noticeably more light than Cystern (LRV 45), a difference of 24 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 16.5, 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.
Cystern vs Ammonite in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Cystern 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 Cystern 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 Cystern.
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 Cystern.
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 Cystern.
Color Details
Cystern vs Ammonite Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Cystern 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 Cystern comparisons
See how Cystern stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 45), opening up a space where Cystern encloses it.
A 7-point LRV gap (52 vs 45) makes Purbeck Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 30, Cystern is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 45, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 45), opening up a space where Cystern encloses it.
Cystern reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 45 vs 43), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Tranquil Dawn reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 45), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
With LRVs of 45 and 44, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 84 vs 45, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 45), opening up a space where Cystern encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 45), opening up a space where Cystern encloses it.
Cystern reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 45), opening up a space where Cystern encloses it.
Cystern reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
With LRVs of 45 and 45, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 45 vs 31, Cystern is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 7, Cystern is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 24, Cystern is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 45, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 72 vs 45, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.