Charleston Gray vs Naval
Where Charleston Gray belongs to Farrow & Ball's range, Naval is a Sherwin-Williams color. Hue-wise, Charleston Gray belongs to the greige-grey family and Naval to the blue family. Charleston Gray (LRV 30) reflects noticeably more light than Naval (LRV 4), a difference of 26 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Charleston Gray runs warm while Naval is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 40.9, 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 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Charleston Gray vs Naval in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Charleston Gray and Naval 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 Charleston Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Naval would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Charleston Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Naval.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Charleston Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Naval.
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. Charleston Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Naval.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Charleston Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Naval.
Color Details
Charleston Gray vs Naval Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Charleston Gray on one side and Naval 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 Charleston Gray comparisons
See how Charleston Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
