French Gray vs Nutmeg
Where French Gray belongs to Farrow & Ball's range, Nutmeg is a Jotun color. French Gray reads as beige-greige, while Nutmeg reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. French Gray (LRV 43) reflects noticeably more light than Nutmeg (LRV 31), a difference of 12 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean warm, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of 10.8, 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 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
French Gray vs Nutmeg in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing French Gray and Nutmeg 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 French Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Nutmeg 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. French Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Nutmeg.
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. French Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Nutmeg.
Color Details
French Gray vs Nutmeg Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see French Gray on one side and Nutmeg 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 French Gray comparisons
See how French Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
