Whitewash vs French Gray
Whitewash is a Cloverdale Paint color while French Gray comes from Farrow & Ball. Whitewash reads as white-yellow, while French Gray reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 82 vs 43, Whitewash will read as the brighter of the two — a 39-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. At ΔE 20.5, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Whitewash vs French Gray in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Whitewash 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
Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. Whitewash returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Bedroom
Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Whitewash will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than French Gray would.
Dining Room
Dining room light is typically the warmest in the house, which shifts both colors toward the red end of the spectrum compared to daylight. Whitewash reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than French Gray.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that Whitewash will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than French Gray would.
Color Details
Whitewash vs French Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Whitewash 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 Whitewash comparisons
See how Whitewash stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
With LRVs of 83 and 82, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 82 vs 52, Whitewash is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 82 vs 30, Whitewash is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 82 vs 60, Whitewash is decisively the brighter choice.
Whitewash reflects far more light (LRV 82 vs 58), opening up a space where Accessible Beige encloses it.
Whitewash reflects far more light (LRV 82 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
Whitewash reflects far more light (LRV 82 vs 55), opening up a space where Tranquil Dawn encloses it.
Whitewash reflects far more light (LRV 82 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 84 vs 82), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Whitewash reflects far more light (LRV 82 vs 66), opening up a space where Balboa Mist encloses it.
Whitewash reads slightly lighter (LRV 82 vs 74), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Whitewash reflects far more light (LRV 82 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Whitewash reflects far more light (LRV 82 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Whitewash reflects far more light (LRV 82 vs 68), opening up a space where Skimming Stone encloses it.
Whitewash reflects far more light (LRV 82 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Whitewash reflects far more light (LRV 82 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 82 vs 31, Whitewash is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 82 vs 7, Whitewash is decisively the brighter choice.