Matchstick vs Black grey
Where Matchstick belongs to Farrow & Ball's range, Black grey is a RAL Classic color. Matchstick reads as beige, while Black grey reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Matchstick (LRV 68) reflects noticeably more light than Black grey (LRV 6), a difference of 61 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 67.2, 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 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Matchstick vs Black grey in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Matchstick and Black grey 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 Matchstick will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Black grey would.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Matchstick reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Black grey.
Color Details
Matchstick vs Black grey Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Matchstick on one side and Black grey 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 Matchstick comparisons
See how Matchstick stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
