French Gray vs Threshold Taupe
Where French Gray belongs to Farrow & Ball's range, Threshold Taupe is a Sherwin-Williams color. These are both beige-greiges, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within beige-greige to land. French Gray (LRV 43) reflects noticeably more light than Threshold Taupe (LRV 34), a difference of 10 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean warm, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. The ΔE 9.8 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
French Gray vs Threshold Taupe in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. French Gray and Threshold Taupe are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
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 LRV gap is large enough that French Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Threshold Taupe would.
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 Threshold Taupe.
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 Threshold Taupe.
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 Threshold Taupe 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 Threshold Taupe.
Color Details
French Gray vs Threshold Taupe Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see French Gray on one side and Threshold Taupe 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.
