When Red Met Blue vs French Gray

When Red Met Blue (Cloverdale Paint) and French Gray (Farrow & Ball) come from different manufacturers. When Red Met Blue reads as blue-purple, while French Gray reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 34-point LRV gap — 43 for French Gray vs 9 for When Red Met Blue — means French Gray will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 51.6 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

When Red Met Blue vs French Gray in Real Spaces

4 real rooms side by side. Seeing When Red Met Blue 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

A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. French Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than When Red Met Blue.

When Red Met BlueWhen Red Met Blue 1243 by Cloverdale Paint — Living Room

@visualization

French GrayFarrow and Ball 18 living room paint

@over_at_overview

Bedroom

Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. French Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

When Red Met BlueWhen Red Met Blue 1243 by Cloverdale Paint — Bedroom

@visualization

French GrayFarrow and Ball French Gray bedroom color review

@renovating_a_nightmare

Dining Room

Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The LRV gap is large enough that French Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than When Red Met Blue would.

When Red Met BlueWhen Red Met Blue 1243 by Cloverdale Paint — Dining Room

@visualization

French GrayFarrow and Ball 18 dining room color

@kenliscountry_

Bathroom

Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. French Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

When Red Met BlueWhen Red Met Blue 1243 by Cloverdale Paint — Bathroom

@visualization

French GrayFarrow and Ball French Gray bathroom review

@livingwithchlo_

Color Details

When Red Met Blue
Cloverdale Paint · 1243
Hex#604D7A
LRV9.0
BrandCloverdale Paint
Number1243
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessDark
French Gray
Farrow & Ball · 18
Hex#b5b19a
LRV43.3
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number18
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium

When Red Met Blue vs French Gray Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see When Red Met Blue 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 When Red Met Blue comparisons

See how When Red Met Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
When Red Met Blue
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
When Red Met Blue
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
When Red Met Blue
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

When Red Met Blue reads slightly lighter

Purbeck Stone
When Red Met Blue
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
When Red Met Blue
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
When Red Met Blue
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
When Red Met Blue
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
When Red Met Blue
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Denim Drift reads noticeably lighter

Tranquil Dawn
When Red Met Blue
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Balboa Mist
When Red Met Blue
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Vintage Vogue
When Red Met Blue
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Nearly identical in tone

Pale Green
When Red Met Blue
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads noticeably lighter

Pine Needle
When Red Met Blue
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Nearly identical in tone

Cement grey
When Red Met Blue
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Cement grey reads noticeably lighter

Black grey
When Red Met Blue
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Nearly identical in tone

Piazza
When Red Met Blue
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza is the lighter choice

Humble Yellow
When Red Met Blue
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow is the lighter choice

Windmill Lane
When Red Met Blue
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Windmill Lane reads noticeably lighter

Senses
When Red Met Blue
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Senses is the lighter choice

Lamp Black
When Red Met Blue
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

When Red Met Blue reads slightly lighter

Washed Linen
When Red Met Blue
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen is the lighter choice

Tea with Florence
When Red Met Blue
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Tea with Florence reads slightly lighter

Thames Fog
When Red Met Blue
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Thames Fog reads noticeably lighter

Ocean Abyss
When Red Met Blue
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Nearly identical in tone

Classic Silver
When Red Met Blue
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Classic Silver is the lighter choice

Teton Blue
When Red Met Blue
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Teton Blue reads noticeably lighter

RAL 110-2
When Red Met Blue
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
When Red Met Blue
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
When Red Met Blue
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
When Red Met Blue
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Passageway reads slightly lighter