Fennel Seed vs Mouse's Back
Fennel Seed (Cloverdale Paint) and Mouse's Back (Farrow & Ball) come from different manufacturers. These are both beige-greiges, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within beige-greige to land. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 26 vs 26 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. ΔE 5.0 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Fennel Seed vs Mouse's Back in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Fennel Seed and Mouse's Back 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
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. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Color Details
Fennel Seed vs Mouse's Back Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Fennel Seed on one side and Mouse's Back 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 Fennel Seed comparisons
See how Fennel Seed stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 26), opening up a space where Fennel Seed encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 26, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
Fennel Seed reflects far more light (LRV 26 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 26, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (30 vs 26) makes Evergreen Fog the marginally brighter of the two.
Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 26), opening up a space where Fennel Seed encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 26, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 26), opening up a space where Fennel Seed encloses it.
With LRVs of 27 and 26, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 43 vs 26, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 26 vs 4, Fennel Seed is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 26), opening up a space where Fennel Seed encloses it.
Fennel Seed reflects far more light (LRV 26 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 26), opening up a space where Fennel Seed encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 26, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (26 vs 21) makes Fennel Seed the marginally brighter of the two.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 26), opening up a space where Fennel Seed encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 26), opening up a space where Fennel Seed encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 26), opening up a space where Fennel Seed encloses it.
Fennel Seed reflects far more light (LRV 26 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 26), opening up a space where Fennel Seed encloses it.
At LRV 41 vs 26, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 26, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 26 vs 25), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Fennel Seed reflects far more light (LRV 26 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 26), opening up a space where Fennel Seed encloses it.
A 5-point LRV gap (31 vs 26) makes Pale Green the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 26 vs 7, Fennel Seed is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 26 vs 24), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 57 vs 26, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.