Charleston Gray vs Hardwick White

Charleston Gray and Hardwick White come from the same Farrow & Ball collection. Both sit in the greige-grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. The 13-point LRV gap — 44 for Hardwick White vs 30 for Charleston Gray — means Hardwick White will open up a space more effectively. Both share a warm character, which means they'll respond to light and surrounding materials in similar ways. A ΔE of 10.5 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Charleston Gray vs Hardwick White in Real Spaces

5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Charleston Gray and Hardwick White 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

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. Hardwick White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Charleston Gray.

Charleston GrayFarrow and Ball Charleston Gray 243 living room

@harts___house

Hardwick WhiteFarrow and Ball Hardwick White 5 living room

@pinnaclepaintanddecorators

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. Hardwick White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Charleston GrayFarrow and Ball Charleston Gray 243 bedroom

@miniundstil

Hardwick WhiteFarrow and Ball Hardwick White 5 bedroom

@arthurleeinteriors

Kitchen

Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Hardwick White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Charleston GrayFarrow and Ball Charleston Gray 243 kitchen

@devolkitchens

Hardwick WhiteFarrow and Ball Hardwick White 5 kitchen

@thelittlefixerupper

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. Hardwick White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Charleston GrayFarrow and Ball Charleston Gray 243 bathroom cabinets

@thesecretdraweryorkshire

Hardwick WhiteFarrow and Ball Hardwick White 5 bathroom

@zoeallaninteriors

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. Hardwick White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Charleston GrayFarrow and Ball Charleston Gray 243 kitchen cabinets

@hanghaus15

Hardwick WhiteFarrow and Ball Hardwick White 5 kitchen cabinets

@rozzimaygreenwood

Color Details

Charleston Gray
Farrow & Ball · 243
Hex#9f9389
LRV30.4
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number243
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium
Hardwick White
Farrow & Ball · 5
Hex#b5afa0
LRV43.7
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number5
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium

Charleston Gray vs Hardwick White Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Charleston Gray on one side and Hardwick White 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 Charleston Gray comparisons

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

White Dove
Charleston Gray
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Charleston Gray
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Charleston Gray
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Charleston Gray reads noticeably lighter

Purbeck Stone
Charleston Gray
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone reads noticeably lighter

Evergreen Fog
Charleston Gray
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Nearly identical in tone

Mizzle
Charleston Gray
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reads noticeably lighter

Agreeable Gray
Charleston Gray
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Accessible Beige
Charleston Gray
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

Accessible Beige is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Charleston Gray
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Charleston Gray reads slightly lighter

French Gray
Charleston Gray
French Gray
Farrow & Ball
French Gray
LRV 43

French Gray reads noticeably lighter

Naval
Charleston Gray
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Charleston Gray is the lighter choice

Tranquil Dawn
Charleston Gray
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn reads noticeably lighter

Bancha
Charleston Gray
Bancha
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

Charleston Gray reads noticeably lighter

Pure White
Charleston Gray
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Pure White
LRV 84

Pure White is the lighter choice

Artichoke
Charleston Gray
Artichoke
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

Charleston Gray reads slightly lighter

Balboa Mist
Charleston Gray
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Shoji White
Charleston Gray
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Shoji White
LRV 74

Shoji White is the lighter choice

Snowbound
Charleston Gray
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound is the lighter choice

Pewter Green
Charleston Gray
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Pewter Green
LRV 12

Charleston Gray reads noticeably lighter

Skimming Stone
Charleston Gray
Skimming Stone
Farrow & Ball
Skimming Stone
LRV 68

Skimming Stone is the lighter choice

Dix Blue
Charleston Gray
Dix Blue
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Dix Blue reads slightly lighter

Calamine
Charleston Gray
Calamine
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine is the lighter choice

Treron
Charleston Gray
Treron
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Charleston Gray reads slightly lighter

Vintage Vogue
Charleston Gray
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Charleston Gray reads noticeably lighter

Saybrook Sage
Charleston Gray
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Saybrook Sage
LRV 45

Saybrook Sage reads noticeably lighter

Pale Green
Charleston Gray
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Nearly identical in tone

Pine Needle
Charleston Gray
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Charleston Gray reads noticeably lighter

Cement grey
Charleston Gray
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Charleston Gray reads slightly lighter

Guilford Green
Charleston Gray
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Guilford Green
LRV 57

Guilford Green is the lighter choice

Just Walnut
Charleston Gray
Just Walnut
Dulux
Just Walnut
LRV 72

Just Walnut is the lighter choice