Kyoto vs Borrowed Light
Where Kyoto belongs to Cloverdale Paint's range, Borrowed Light is a Farrow & Ball color. Hue-wise, Kyoto belongs to the blue family and Borrowed Light to the blue-grey family. Kyoto (LRV 73) reflects noticeably more light than Borrowed Light (LRV 69), a difference of 4 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. The ΔE 9.8 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.
Kyoto vs Borrowed Light in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Kyoto and Borrowed Light 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 brightness difference is modest but present — Kyoto gives the walls a little more lift.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Kyoto reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Kyoto reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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. Kyoto has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
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. Kyoto reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Kyoto vs Borrowed Light Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Kyoto on one side and Borrowed Light 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 Kyoto comparisons
See how Kyoto stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reads slightly lighter (LRV 83 vs 73), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 73 vs 52, Kyoto is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 73 vs 30, Kyoto is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 73 vs 60, Kyoto is decisively the brighter choice.
Kyoto reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 58), opening up a space where Accessible Beige encloses it.
Kyoto reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 73 vs 43, Kyoto is decisively the brighter choice.
Kyoto reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 55), opening up a space where Tranquil Dawn encloses it.
Kyoto reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
A 11-point LRV gap (84 vs 73) makes Pure White the marginally brighter of the two.
Kyoto reads slightly lighter (LRV 73 vs 66), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
With LRVs of 74 and 73, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Kyoto reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Kyoto reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Kyoto reads slightly lighter (LRV 73 vs 68), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Kyoto reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Kyoto reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 73 vs 31, Kyoto is decisively the brighter choice.