Joa's White vs Stiffkey Blue paint color comparison

Joa's White vs Stiffkey Blue

Joa's WhiteFarrow & BallvsStiffkey BlueFarrow & BallΔE 51.4 — Very different colors

Joa's White and Stiffkey Blue come from the same Farrow & Ball collection. Joa's White reads as beige-white, while Stiffkey Blue reads as blue — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 54-point LRV gap — 64 for Joa's White vs 10 for Stiffkey Blue — means Joa's White will open up a space more effectively. Where Joa's White leans warm, Stiffkey Blue reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 51.4 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Joa's White vs Stiffkey Blue in Real Spaces

6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Joa's White and Stiffkey Blue 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. Joa's White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Stiffkey Blue.

Joa's WhiteJoa's White scandinavian living room

@quatorzemai

Stiffkey BlueFarrow and Ball Stiffkey Blue 281 living room fireplace

@barnesandmoss

Bedroom

Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Joa's White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Joa's WhiteJoa's White master bedroom color

@catyloveshome

Stiffkey BlueFarrow and Ball Stiffkey Blue 281 bedroom

@riverapartment

Kitchen

Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Joa's White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Joa's WhiteFarrow and Ball Joa's White kitchen paint

@ckuemmecke

Stiffkey BlueFarrow and Ball Stiffkey Blue 281 kitchen

@jonospink

Dining Room

Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The LRV gap is large enough that Joa's White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Stiffkey Blue would.

Joa's WhiteFarrow and Ball Joa's White 226 dining room

@addecor04

Stiffkey BlueFarrow and Ball Stiffkey Blue 281 dining room

@de_drye_kaasen

Bathroom

Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Joa's White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Joa's WhiteJoa's White stylish bathroom color

@thegrade2barn

Stiffkey BlueFarrow and Ball Stiffkey Blue 281 bathroom

@stowflat

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. Joa's White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Joa's WhiteFarrow and Ball Joa's White 226 kitchen cabinets

@charlottewilliamsdesign

Stiffkey BlueFarrow and Ball Stiffkey Blue 281 kitchen cabinets

@themiddleterrace

Color Details

Joa's White
Farrow & Ball · 226
LRV63.6
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number226
Undertone—
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessLight
Stiffkey Blue
Farrow & Ball · 281
LRV10.0
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number281
Undertone—
TemperatureCool
BrightnessDark

Joa's White vs Stiffkey Blue Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Joa's White on one side and Stiffkey Blue on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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.