Pigeon vs Coffee Custard
Pigeon (Farrow & Ball) and Coffee Custard (PPG) come from different manufacturers. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. The 17-point LRV gap — 51 for Pigeon vs 34 for Coffee Custard — means Pigeon will open up a space more effectively. ΔE 9.6 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Pigeon vs Coffee Custard in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Pigeon and Coffee Custard are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
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. Pigeon reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Coffee Custard.
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. Pigeon returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Pigeon returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Mudroom
In a hardworking space like a mudroom, the depth and warmth of a color reads differently than in a quieter room. The LRV gap is large enough that Pigeon will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Coffee Custard would.
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. Pigeon returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Pigeon reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Coffee Custard.
Color Details
Pigeon vs Coffee Custard Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Pigeon on one side and Coffee Custard 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 Pigeon comparisons
See how Pigeon stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 51, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 52 and 51, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
Agreeable Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 60 vs 51), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 7-point LRV gap (58 vs 51) makes Accessible Beige the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 51 vs 27, Pigeon is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reads slightly lighter (LRV 51 vs 43), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 4-point LRV gap (55 vs 51) makes Tranquil Dawn the marginally brighter of the two.
A 7-point LRV gap (51 vs 44) makes Pigeon the marginally brighter of the two.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 51), opening up a space where Pigeon encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 51, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 51, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 51 vs 12, Pigeon is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 51, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 51 vs 12, Pigeon is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (51 vs 45) makes Pigeon the marginally brighter of the two.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.