Hardwick White vs Old Silk
Where Hardwick White belongs to Farrow & Ball's range, Old Silk is a PPG color. Hue-wise, Hardwick White belongs to the greige-grey family and Old Silk to the blue-grey family. Hardwick White (LRV 44) reflects noticeably more light than Old Silk (LRV 17), a difference of 27 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 26.8, 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 8 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Hardwick White vs Old Silk in Real Spaces
8 real rooms side by side. Seeing Hardwick White and Old Silk 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 LRV gap is large enough that Hardwick White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Old Silk would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Hardwick White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Old Silk.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Hardwick White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Old Silk.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. Hardwick White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Hardwick White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Old Silk.
Mudroom
Mudrooms are seen in passing, often under whatever light comes through the door — a context that favors colors with some depth. Hardwick White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Hardwick White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Old Silk.
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 Hardwick White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Old Silk would.
Color Details
Hardwick White vs Old Silk Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Hardwick White on one side and Old Silk 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 Hardwick White comparisons
See how Hardwick White stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
