French Gray vs RAL 180-1
Where French Gray belongs to Farrow & Ball's range, RAL 180-1 is a RAL Effect color. French Gray reads as beige-greige, while RAL 180-1 reads as blue — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. RAL 180-1 (LRV 49) reflects noticeably more light than French Gray (LRV 43), a difference of 5 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 19.3, 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 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
French Gray vs RAL 180-1 in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing French Gray and RAL 180-1 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 brightness difference is modest but present — RAL 180-1 gives the walls a little more lift.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. RAL 180-1 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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. RAL 180-1 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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. RAL 180-1 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. RAL 180-1 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
French Gray vs RAL 180-1 Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see French Gray on one side and RAL 180-1 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.
