Earl Blue vs French Gray
Earl Blue is a Dulux color while French Gray comes from Farrow & Ball. Hue-wise, Earl Blue belongs to the blue-grey family and French Gray to the beige-greige family. With LRVs of 41 and 43, they'll behave almost identically in terms of how much light they reflect back into a room. The tonal difference — Earl Blue's cool character against French Gray's warm — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 16.3, 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.
Earl Blue vs French Gray in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Earl 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
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. Earl Blue reads more restrained here, while French Gray adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Bedroom
Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The temperature contrast between French Gray and Earl Blue is what sets these apart most in this context.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The temperature contrast between French Gray and Earl Blue is what sets these apart most in this context.
Kitchen Cabinets
On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The temperature contrast between French Gray and Earl Blue is what sets these apart most in this context.
Color Details
Earl Blue vs French Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Earl Blue 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 Earl Blue comparisons
See how Earl Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 41), opening up a space where Earl Blue encloses it.
A 11-point LRV gap (52 vs 41) makes Purbeck Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
A 11-point LRV gap (41 vs 30) makes Earl Blue the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 60 vs 41, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 41), opening up a space where Earl Blue encloses it.
Earl Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 41), opening up a space where Earl Blue encloses it.
With LRVs of 44 and 41, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 84 vs 41, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 41), opening up a space where Earl Blue encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 41), opening up a space where Earl Blue encloses it.
Earl Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 41), opening up a space where Earl Blue encloses it.
Earl Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reads slightly lighter (LRV 45 vs 41), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 10-point LRV gap (41 vs 31) makes Earl Blue the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 41 vs 7, Earl Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 41 vs 24, Earl Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 41, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 72 vs 41, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.