Old White vs Hicks' Blue
Old White (Farrow & Ball) and Hicks' Blue (Little Greene) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Old White belongs to the beige-greige family and Hicks' Blue to the blue family. Old White has an LRV of 55. Where Old White leans warm, Hicks' Blue reads blue — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 49.3 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.
Old White vs Hicks' Blue in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Old White and Hicks' 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. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Front Door
On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Color Details
Old White vs Hicks' Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Old White on one side and Hicks' Blue 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 Old White comparisons
See how Old White stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 55), opening up a space where Old White encloses it.
A 3-point LRV gap (55 vs 52) makes Old White the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 55 vs 30, Old White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (60 vs 55) makes Agreeable Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
With LRVs of 58 and 55, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Old White reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
A 12-point LRV gap (55 vs 43) makes Old White the marginally brighter of the two.
With LRVs of 55 and 55, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Old White reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 44), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 55, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reads slightly lighter (LRV 66 vs 55), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 55), opening up a space where Old White encloses it.
Old White reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Old White reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 55), opening up a space where Old White encloses it.
Old White reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Old White reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 45), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 55 vs 31, Old White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 55 vs 7, Old White is decisively the brighter choice.