Calamine vs Downy
Calamine is a Farrow & Ball color while Downy comes from Sherwin-Williams. Hue-wise, Calamine belongs to the pink-red family and Downy to the beige family. At LRV 81 vs 68, Downy will read as the brighter of the two — a 14-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 9.0, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Calamine vs Downy in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Calamine and Downy are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
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. Downy returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen
Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The LRV gap is large enough that Downy will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Calamine would.
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 Downy will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Calamine would.
Color Details
Calamine vs Downy Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Calamine on one side and Downy 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 Calamine comparisons
See how Calamine stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
