Hay Bale vs Lamp Black
Where Hay Bale belongs to Dulux's range, Lamp Black is a Little Greene color. Hay Bale reads as beige, while Lamp Black reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Hay Bale (LRV 68) reflects noticeably more light than Lamp Black (LRV 3), a difference of 65 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Hay Bale runs warm while Lamp Black is decidedly purple, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 68.3, 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 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Hay Bale vs Lamp Black in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Hay Bale and Lamp Black 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 Hay Bale will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Lamp Black would.
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. Hay Bale reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Lamp Black.
Color Details
Hay Bale vs Lamp Black Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Hay Bale on one side and Lamp Black 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 Hay Bale comparisons
See how Hay Bale stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
