May Sun vs French Gray
Where May Sun belongs to Cloverdale Paint's range, French Gray is a Farrow & Ball color. May Sun reads as beige, while French Gray reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. May Sun (LRV 83) reflects noticeably more light than French Gray (LRV 43), a difference of 40 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 21.3, 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 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
May Sun vs French Gray in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing May Sun 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
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 May Sun will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than French Gray 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. May Sun reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than French Gray.
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. May Sun 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. May Sun reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than French Gray.
Color Details
May Sun vs French Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see May Sun on one side and French Gray 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 May Sun comparisons
See how May Sun stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
With LRVs of 83 and 83, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 83 vs 52, May Sun is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 30, May Sun is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 60, May Sun is decisively the brighter choice.
May Sun reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 58), opening up a space where Accessible Beige encloses it.
May Sun reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
May Sun reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 55), opening up a space where Tranquil Dawn encloses it.
May Sun reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 84 vs 83), so neither reads brighter in a room.
May Sun reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 66), opening up a space where Balboa Mist encloses it.
May Sun reads slightly lighter (LRV 83 vs 74), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
May Sun reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
May Sun reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
May Sun reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 68), opening up a space where Skimming Stone encloses it.
May Sun reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
May Sun reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 31, May Sun is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 7, May Sun is decisively the brighter choice.