French Gray vs Alexandrite
Where French Gray belongs to Farrow & Ball's range, Alexandrite is a Sherwin-Williams color. French Gray reads as beige-greige, while Alexandrite reads as green — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. French Gray (LRV 43) reflects noticeably more light than Alexandrite (LRV 22), a difference of 21 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. French Gray runs warm while Alexandrite is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 27.3, 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 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
French Gray vs Alexandrite in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing French Gray and Alexandrite in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. French Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Alexandrite.
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 Alexandrite.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The LRV gap is large enough that French Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Alexandrite would.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. French Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Alexandrite.
Color Details
French Gray vs Alexandrite Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see French Gray on one side and Alexandrite 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.
