Matchstick vs Thames Fog
Where Matchstick belongs to Farrow & Ball's range, Thames Fog is a Valspar color. Matchstick reads as beige, while Thames Fog reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Matchstick (LRV 68) reflects noticeably more light than Thames Fog (LRV 27), a difference of 40 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 27.7, 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 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Matchstick vs Thames Fog in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Matchstick and Thames Fog 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 Thames Fog 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. Matchstick reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Thames Fog.
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. Matchstick returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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 Thames Fog.
Color Details
Matchstick vs Thames Fog Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Matchstick on one side and Thames Fog 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.
