Merlins Beard vs Purbeck Stone
Where Merlins Beard belongs to Cloverdale Paint's range, Purbeck Stone is a Farrow & Ball color. Merlins Beard reads as beige, while Purbeck Stone reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Merlins Beard (LRV 77) reflects noticeably more light than Purbeck Stone (LRV 52), a difference of 25 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 13.1, 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.
Merlins Beard vs Purbeck Stone in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Merlins Beard and Purbeck Stone 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 Merlins Beard will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Purbeck Stone 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. Merlins Beard reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Purbeck Stone.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Merlins Beard reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Purbeck Stone.
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. Merlins Beard 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. Merlins Beard reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Purbeck Stone.
Color Details
Merlins Beard vs Purbeck Stone Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Merlins Beard on one side and Purbeck Stone 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 Merlins Beard comparisons
See how Merlins Beard stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
