Straw Bale vs Skimming Stone
Where Straw Bale belongs to Cloverdale Paint's range, Skimming Stone is a Farrow & Ball color. Straw Bale reads as beige, while Skimming Stone reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Skimming Stone (LRV 68) reflects noticeably more light than Straw Bale (LRV 60), a difference of 8 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 19.9, 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.
Straw Bale vs Skimming Stone in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Straw Bale and Skimming 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 Skimming Stone will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Straw Bale 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. Skimming Stone reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Straw Bale.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Skimming Stone reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Straw Bale.
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. Skimming Stone reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Straw Bale.
Color Details
Straw Bale vs Skimming Stone Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Straw Bale on one side and Skimming 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 Straw Bale comparisons
See how Straw Bale stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 60), opening up a space where Straw Bale encloses it.
A 9-point LRV gap (69 vs 60) makes Ammonite the marginally brighter of the two.
Straw Bale reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
A 8-point LRV gap (60 vs 52) makes Straw Bale the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 60 vs 30, Straw Bale is decisively the brighter choice.
Straw Bale reads slightly lighter (LRV 60 vs 52), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 60 vs 60), so neither reads brighter in a room.
With LRVs of 60 and 58, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Straw Bale reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 43, Straw Bale is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 4, Straw Bale is decisively the brighter choice.
Straw Bale reads slightly lighter (LRV 60 vs 55), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Straw Bale reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Straw Bale reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 60, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 21, Straw Bale is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reads slightly lighter (LRV 66 vs 60), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 60), opening up a space where Straw Bale encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 60), opening up a space where Straw Bale encloses it.
Straw Bale reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 41, Straw Bale is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (68 vs 60) makes Calamine the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 60 vs 25, Straw Bale is decisively the brighter choice.
Straw Bale reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Straw Bale reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 31, Straw Bale is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 7, Straw Bale is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 24, Straw Bale is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 60 vs 57), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 72 vs 60, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.