Elephant's Breath vs Selvedge paint color comparison

Elephant's Breath vs Selvedge

Elephant's BreathFarrow & BallvsSelvedgeFarrow & BallΔE 25.7 — Very different colors

Both are Farrow & Ball colors. Elephant's Breath reads as beige-greige, while Selvedge reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 54 vs 25, Elephant's Breath will read as the brighter of the two — a 28-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Elephant's Breath's warm character against Selvedge's cool — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 25.7, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Elephant's Breath vs Selvedge in Real Spaces

4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Elephant's Breath and Selvedge 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. Elephant's Breath returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

SelvedgeFarrow and Ball Selvedge living room paint review

@farmhouseatgardengate

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 Elephant's Breath will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Selvedge would.

Elephant's BreathElephant's Breath bedroom inspiration

@welcome_to_no.1

SelvedgeFarrow and Ball Selvedge bedroom inspiration

@pollyashman_design

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 Elephant's Breath will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Selvedge would.

Elephant's BreathElephant's Breath greige bathroom with terazzo

@meganaceinteriors

SelvedgeSelvedge bathroom review

@og_ross_the_painter

Kitchen Cabinets

On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The LRV gap is large enough that Elephant's Breath will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Selvedge would.

Elephant's BreathElephant's Breath kitchen cabinets color review

@1930s_home_and_2_doods

SelvedgeFarrow and Ball Selvedge 306 kitchen cabinets

@mayhill_bespoke_kitchens

Color Details

Elephant's Breath
Farrow & Ball · 229
LRV53.6
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number229
Undertone—
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium
Selvedge
Farrow & Ball · 306
LRV25.4
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number306
Undertone—
TemperatureCool
BrightnessMedium

Elephant's Breath vs Selvedge Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Elephant's Breath on one side and Selvedge 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.