French Gray vs RAL 140-M
Where French Gray belongs to Farrow & Ball's range, RAL 140-M is a RAL Effect color. Both sit in the beige-greige family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. French Gray (LRV 43) reflects noticeably more light than RAL 140-M (LRV 35), a difference of 8 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 10.0, 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 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
French Gray vs RAL 140-M in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing French Gray and RAL 140-M in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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 RAL 140-M.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. French Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than RAL 140-M.
Color Details
French Gray vs RAL 140-M Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see French Gray on one side and RAL 140-M 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.
