French Gray vs Cadet
French Gray (Farrow & Ball) and Cadet (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, French Gray belongs to the beige-greige family and Cadet to the blue-grey family. The 12-point LRV gap — 43 for French Gray vs 31 for Cadet — means French Gray will open up a space more effectively. Where French Gray leans warm, Cadet reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 17.5 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
French Gray vs Cadet in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing French Gray and Cadet 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
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. French Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Cadet.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. French Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
French Gray vs Cadet Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see French Gray on one side and Cadet 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.
