French Gray vs RAL 430-M
French Gray is a Farrow & Ball color while RAL 430-M comes from RAL Effect. French Gray reads as beige-greige, while RAL 430-M reads as pink-red — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 43 vs 14, French Gray will read as the brighter of the two — a 30-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. At ΔE 49.7, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. 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 430-M in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing French Gray and RAL 430-M 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
Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. French Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Bedroom
Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The LRV gap is large enough that French Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than RAL 430-M would.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that French Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than RAL 430-M would.
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 RAL 430-M would.
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 RAL 430-M would.
Color Details
French Gray vs RAL 430-M Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see French Gray on one side and RAL 430-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.
