Golden Buff vs French Gray

Golden BuffCloverdale PaintvsFrench GrayFarrow & BallΔE 13.2Distinct difference

Golden Buff is a Cloverdale Paint color while French Gray comes from Farrow & Ball. Hue-wise, Golden Buff belongs to the beige family and French Gray to the beige-greige family. At LRV 60 vs 43, Golden Buff will read as the brighter of the two — a 17-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. At ΔE 13.2, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Golden Buff vs French Gray in Real Spaces

4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Golden Buff 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

Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. Golden Buff returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Golden BuffGolden Buff 0288 by Cloverdale Paint — Living Room

@visualization

French GrayFarrow and Ball 18 living room paint

@over_at_overview

Bedroom

Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Golden Buff will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than French Gray would.

Golden BuffGolden Buff 0288 by Cloverdale Paint — Bedroom

@visualization

French GrayFarrow and Ball French Gray bedroom color review

@renovating_a_nightmare

Dining Room

Dining room light is typically the warmest in the house, which shifts both colors toward the red end of the spectrum compared to daylight. Golden Buff reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than French Gray.

Golden BuffGolden Buff 0288 by Cloverdale Paint — Dining Room

@visualization

French GrayFarrow and Ball 18 dining room color

@kenliscountry_

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that Golden Buff will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than French Gray would.

Golden BuffGolden Buff 0288 by Cloverdale Paint — Bathroom

@visualization

French GrayFarrow and Ball French Gray bathroom review

@livingwithchlo_

Color Details

Golden Buff
Cloverdale Paint · 0288
Hex#DCC9A5
LRV60.0
BrandCloverdale Paint
Number0288
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessLight
French Gray
Farrow & Ball · 18
Hex#b5b19a
LRV43.3
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number18
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium

Golden Buff vs French Gray Simulated Comparison

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

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

White Dove
Golden Buff
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove reads noticeably lighter

Ammonite
Golden Buff
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite reads slightly lighter

Iron Ore
Golden Buff
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Golden Buff is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
Golden Buff
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Golden Buff reads slightly lighter

Evergreen Fog
Golden Buff
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Golden Buff is the lighter choice

Mizzle
Golden Buff
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Golden Buff reads slightly lighter

Agreeable Gray
Golden Buff
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Nearly identical in tone

Accessible Beige
Golden Buff
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

Nearly identical in tone

Denim Drift
Golden Buff
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Golden Buff is the lighter choice

Naval
Golden Buff
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Golden Buff is the lighter choice

Tranquil Dawn
Golden Buff
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Golden Buff reads slightly lighter

Bancha
Golden Buff
Bancha
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

Golden Buff is the lighter choice

Hardwick White
Golden Buff
Hardwick White
Farrow & Ball
Hardwick White
LRV 44

Golden Buff reads noticeably lighter

Pure White
Golden Buff
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Pure White
LRV 84

Pure White reads noticeably lighter

Artichoke
Golden Buff
Artichoke
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

Golden Buff is the lighter choice

Balboa Mist
Golden Buff
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist reads slightly lighter

Shoji White
Golden Buff
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Shoji White
LRV 74

Shoji White reads noticeably lighter

Snowbound
Golden Buff
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound reads noticeably lighter

Pewter Green
Golden Buff
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Pewter Green
LRV 12

Golden Buff is the lighter choice

Skimming Stone
Golden Buff
Skimming Stone
Farrow & Ball
Skimming Stone
LRV 68

Skimming Stone reads slightly lighter

Dix Blue
Golden Buff
Dix Blue
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Golden Buff reads noticeably lighter

Calamine
Golden Buff
Calamine
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine reads slightly lighter

Treron
Golden Buff
Treron
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Golden Buff is the lighter choice

Vintage Vogue
Golden Buff
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Golden Buff is the lighter choice

Saybrook Sage
Golden Buff
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Saybrook Sage
LRV 45

Golden Buff reads noticeably lighter

Pale Green
Golden Buff
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Golden Buff is the lighter choice

Pine Needle
Golden Buff
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Golden Buff is the lighter choice

Cement grey
Golden Buff
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Golden Buff is the lighter choice

Guilford Green
Golden Buff
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Guilford Green
LRV 57

Nearly identical in tone

Just Walnut
Golden Buff
Just Walnut
Dulux
Just Walnut
LRV 72

Just Walnut reads noticeably lighter