French Gray vs Refresh
French Gray (Farrow & Ball) and Refresh (Jotun) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, French Gray belongs to the beige-greige family and Refresh to the green-grey family. The 17-point LRV gap — 60 for Refresh vs 43 for French Gray — means Refresh will open up a space more effectively. Where French Gray leans warm, Refresh reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 12.6 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
French Gray vs Refresh in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing French Gray and Refresh 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. Refresh reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than French Gray.
Dining Room
Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The LRV gap is large enough that Refresh will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than French Gray would.
Color Details
French Gray vs Refresh Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see French Gray on one side and Refresh 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.
