Babouche vs French Gray

BaboucheFarrow & BallvsFrench GrayFarrow & BallΔE 39.1Very different colors

Both are Farrow & Ball colors. Babouche reads as beige, while French Gray reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 57 vs 43, Babouche will read as the brighter of the two — a 13-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. They share a warm quality — useful to know if you're layering them in the same space. At ΔE 39.1, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 7 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Babouche vs French Gray in Real Spaces

7 real rooms side by side. Seeing Babouche 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. Babouche returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

BaboucheFarrow and Ball Babouche living room color review

@kateslater

French GrayFarrow and Ball 18 living room paint

@over_at_overview

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 Babouche will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than French Gray would.

BaboucheFarrow and Ball Babouche bedroom color-block

@jackdmarch

French GrayFarrow and Ball French Gray bedroom color review

@renovating_a_nightmare

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. Babouche reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than French Gray.

BaboucheFarrow and Ball Babouche dining room

@lesliebanker

French GrayFarrow and Ball 18 dining room color

@kenliscountry_

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 Babouche will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than French Gray would.

BaboucheFarrow and Ball Babouche bathroom color review

@asouthlondonmumslife

French GrayFarrow and Ball French Gray bathroom review

@livingwithchlo_

House

At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Babouche will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than French Gray would.

BaboucheFarrow and Ball Babouche exterior paint review

@lifeattheprospect

French GrayFarrow and Ball French Gray house exterior review

@mylittledorsetcottageofdreams

Front Door

Front doors are seen in isolation against the rest of the facade, which makes them a high-stakes surface where even subtle differences matter. Babouche returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

BaboucheBabouche front door

@georgestreet1890

French GrayFrench Gray front door inspiration

@the_rutland_lady

Kitchen Cabinets

On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The LRV gap is large enough that Babouche will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than French Gray would.

BaboucheFarrow and Ball Babouche kitchen cabinets

@perfectfinishes

French GrayFrench Gray kitchen cabinets photo

@myfirstvictorianhome_247

Color Details

Babouche
Farrow & Ball · 223
Hex#e8c267
LRV56.7
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number223
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessLight
French Gray
Farrow & Ball · 18
Hex#b5b19a
LRV43.3
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number18
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium

Babouche vs French Gray Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Babouche 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 Babouche comparisons

See how Babouche stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Babouche
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Babouche
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite reads noticeably lighter

Iron Ore
Babouche
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Babouche is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
Babouche
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Babouche reads slightly lighter

Evergreen Fog
Babouche
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Babouche is the lighter choice

Mizzle
Babouche
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Babouche reads slightly lighter

Agreeable Gray
Babouche
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray reads slightly lighter

Denim Drift
Babouche
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Babouche is the lighter choice

Tranquil Dawn
Babouche
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Nearly identical in tone

Balboa Mist
Babouche
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist reads slightly lighter

Vintage Vogue
Babouche
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Babouche is the lighter choice

Pale Green
Babouche
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Babouche is the lighter choice

Pine Needle
Babouche
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Babouche is the lighter choice

Cement grey
Babouche
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Babouche is the lighter choice

Black grey
Babouche
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Babouche is the lighter choice

Piazza
Babouche
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza reads slightly lighter

Humble Yellow
Babouche
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Nearly identical in tone

Windmill Lane
Babouche
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Babouche is the lighter choice

Senses
Babouche
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Babouche reads noticeably lighter

Lamp Black
Babouche
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Babouche is the lighter choice

Washed Linen
Babouche
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Nearly identical in tone

Tea with Florence
Babouche
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Babouche is the lighter choice

Thames Fog
Babouche
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Babouche is the lighter choice

Ocean Abyss
Babouche
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Babouche is the lighter choice

Classic Silver
Babouche
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Babouche reads slightly lighter

Teton Blue
Babouche
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Babouche is the lighter choice

RAL 110-2
Babouche
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 reads noticeably lighter

RAL 110-1
Babouche
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 reads noticeably lighter

Paper
Babouche
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Babouche
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Babouche is the lighter choice