Calamine vs First Star
Calamine (Farrow & Ball) and First Star (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Calamine reads as pink-red, while First Star reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 68 vs 69 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. Where Calamine leans warm, First Star reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. ΔE 7.6 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Calamine vs First Star in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Calamine and First Star 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
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Calamine brings more warmth to the space, while First Star keeps things cooler and crisper.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. First Star reads more restrained here, while Calamine adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. First Star reads more restrained here, while Calamine adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. First Star reads more restrained here, while Calamine adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. First Star reads more restrained here, while Calamine adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Color Details
Calamine vs First Star Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Calamine on one side and First Star 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.
At LRV 83 vs 68, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
Calamine reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 60), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 10-point LRV gap (68 vs 58) makes Calamine the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 27, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
At LRV 68 vs 55, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 44, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 68), opening up a space where Calamine encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 68 vs 66), so neither reads brighter in a room.
A 7-point LRV gap (74 vs 68) makes Shoji White the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 12, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 68 vs 68), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 68 vs 12, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 45, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
Calamine reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 57), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Just Walnut reads slightly lighter (LRV 72 vs 68), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.