French Gray vs Light blue

French GrayFarrow & BallvsLight blueRAL ClassicΔE 49.8Very different colors

French Gray is a Farrow & Ball color while Light blue comes from RAL Classic. French Gray reads as beige-greige, while Light blue reads as blue — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 43 vs 23, French Gray will read as the brighter of the two — a 20-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. At ΔE 49.8, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

French Gray vs Light blue in Real Spaces

3 real rooms side by side. Seeing French Gray and Light blue in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.

House

At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The LRV gap is large enough that French Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Light blue would.

French GrayFarrow and Ball French Gray house exterior review

@mylittledorsetcottageofdreams

Light blueRAL Classic 5012 exterior color

@colour.coats_ne

Front Door

Front doors are seen in isolation against the rest of the facade, which makes them a high-stakes surface where even subtle differences matter. French Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

French GrayFrench Gray front door inspiration

@the_rutland_lady

Light blueRAL Classic 5012 front door paint

@entrekrosno

Kitchen Cabinets

On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The LRV gap is large enough that French Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Light blue would.

French GrayFrench Gray kitchen cabinets photo

@myfirstvictorianhome_247

Light blueRAL Classic 5012 kitchen cabinets picture

@atelie.mebelye

Color Details

French Gray
Farrow & Ball · 18
Hex#b5b19a
LRV43.3
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number18
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium
Light blue
RAL Classic · RAL 5012
Hex#0089B6
LRV23.2
BrandRAL Classic
NumberRAL 5012
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessDark

French Gray vs Light blue Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see French Gray on one side and Light blue 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 French Gray comparisons

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

White Dove
French Gray
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
French Gray
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

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

French Gray is the lighter choice

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

Purbeck Stone reads slightly lighter

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

French Gray reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
French Gray
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reads slightly lighter

Agreeable Gray
French Gray
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray reads noticeably lighter

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

Accessible Beige reads noticeably lighter

Denim Drift
French Gray
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

French Gray reads noticeably lighter

Naval
French Gray
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

French Gray is the lighter choice

Tranquil Dawn
French Gray
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn reads slightly lighter

Bancha
French Gray
Bancha
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

French Gray is the lighter choice

Hardwick White
French Gray
Hardwick White
Farrow & Ball
Hardwick White
LRV 44

Nearly identical in tone

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

Pure White is the lighter choice

Artichoke
French Gray
Artichoke
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

French Gray reads noticeably lighter

Balboa Mist
French Gray
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist reads noticeably lighter

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

Shoji White is the lighter choice

Snowbound
French Gray
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound is the lighter choice

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

French Gray is the lighter choice

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

Skimming Stone reads noticeably lighter

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

Nearly identical in tone

Calamine
French Gray
Calamine
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine reads noticeably lighter

Treron
French Gray
Treron
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

French Gray reads noticeably lighter

Vintage Vogue
French Gray
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

French Gray is the lighter choice

Saybrook Sage
French Gray
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Saybrook Sage
LRV 45

Nearly identical in tone

Pale Green
French Gray
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

French Gray reads noticeably lighter

Pine Needle
French Gray
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

French Gray is the lighter choice

Cement grey
French Gray
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

French Gray reads noticeably lighter

Guilford Green
French Gray
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Guilford Green
LRV 57

Guilford Green reads noticeably lighter

Just Walnut
French Gray
Just Walnut
Dulux
Just Walnut
LRV 72

Just Walnut is the lighter choice