Skimming Stone vs Thunderbird
Where Skimming Stone belongs to Farrow & Ball's range, Thunderbird is a PPG color. Skimming Stone reads as beige-greige, while Thunderbird reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Skimming Stone (LRV 68) reflects noticeably more light than Thunderbird (LRV 21), a difference of 47 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 33.7, 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.
Skimming Stone vs Thunderbird in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Skimming Stone and Thunderbird 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 Skimming Stone will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Thunderbird 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. Skimming Stone reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Thunderbird.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Skimming Stone reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Thunderbird.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. Skimming Stone reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Thunderbird.
Color Details
Skimming Stone vs Thunderbird Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Skimming Stone on one side and Thunderbird 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 Skimming Stone comparisons
See how Skimming Stone stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 68), opening up a space where Skimming Stone encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 69 vs 68), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
At LRV 68 vs 52, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 30, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 52), opening up a space where Mizzle encloses it.
A 8-point LRV gap (68 vs 60) makes Skimming Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
Skimming Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 58), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 68 vs 43, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 4, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 55), opening up a space where Tranquil Dawn encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 68, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 21, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 68 and 66, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Shoji White reads slightly lighter (LRV 74 vs 68), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 68), opening up a space where Skimming Stone encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
At LRV 68 vs 41, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 68 vs 68), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 68 vs 25, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 68 vs 31, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 7, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 24, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 11-point LRV gap (68 vs 57) makes Skimming Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
A 4-point LRV gap (72 vs 68) makes Just Walnut the marginally brighter of the two.