China Clay - Dark vs Chelsea Mauve

Where China Clay - Dark belongs to Little Greene's range, Chelsea Mauve is a Sherwin-Williams color. Both sit in the beige-greige family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. China Clay - Dark (LRV 47) reflects noticeably more light than Chelsea Mauve (LRV 43), a difference of 4 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. China Clay - Dark runs red while Chelsea Mauve is decidedly warm, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. The ΔE 4.2 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

China Clay - Dark vs Chelsea Mauve in Real Spaces

3 real rooms side by side. China Clay - Dark and Chelsea Mauve 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

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 brightness difference is modest but present — China Clay - Dark gives the walls a little more lift.

Chelsea MauveChelsea Mauve living room interior

@pitcher_perfect_painting

Bedroom

The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. China Clay - Dark reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

China Clay - DarkLittle Greene China Clay - Dark 178 bedroom

@in.estelles.pocket

Chelsea MauveSW Chelsea Mauve bedroom color review

@theconnecticutfarmhouse

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. China Clay - Dark reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.

China Clay - DarkLittle Greene China Clay - Dark 178 bathroom

@jacksonsinteriors

Chelsea MauveSW Chelsea Mauve bathroom vanity color

@designcollectivewest

Color Details

China Clay - Dark
Little Greene · 178
Hex#cbb1a2
LRV46.8
BrandLittle Greene
Number178
UndertoneRed
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium
Chelsea Mauve
Sherwin-Williams · 0002
Hex#BEAC9F
LRV43.0
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number0002
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessMedium

China Clay - Dark vs Chelsea Mauve Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see China Clay - Dark on one side and Chelsea Mauve on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 China Clay - Dark comparisons

See how China Clay - Dark stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
China Clay - Dark
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
China Clay - Dark
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite reads noticeably lighter

Iron Ore
China Clay - Dark
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

China Clay - Dark is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
China Clay - Dark
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone reads slightly lighter

Evergreen Fog
China Clay - Dark
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

China Clay - Dark reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
China Clay - Dark
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reads slightly lighter

Agreeable Gray
China Clay - Dark
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray reads noticeably lighter

Denim Drift
China Clay - Dark
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

China Clay - Dark reads noticeably lighter

Tranquil Dawn
China Clay - Dark
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn reads slightly lighter

Balboa Mist
China Clay - Dark
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist reads noticeably lighter

Vintage Vogue
China Clay - Dark
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

China Clay - Dark is the lighter choice

Pale Green
China Clay - Dark
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

China Clay - Dark reads noticeably lighter

Pine Needle
China Clay - Dark
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

China Clay - Dark is the lighter choice

Cement grey
China Clay - Dark
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

China Clay - Dark reads noticeably lighter

Black grey
China Clay - Dark
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

China Clay - Dark is the lighter choice

Piazza
China Clay - Dark
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza reads noticeably lighter

Humble Yellow
China Clay - Dark
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow reads slightly lighter

Windmill Lane
China Clay - Dark
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

China Clay - Dark reads noticeably lighter

Senses
China Clay - Dark
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

China Clay - Dark reads slightly lighter

Lamp Black
China Clay - Dark
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

China Clay - Dark is the lighter choice

Washed Linen
China Clay - Dark
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen reads slightly lighter

Tea with Florence
China Clay - Dark
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

China Clay - Dark is the lighter choice

Thames Fog
China Clay - Dark
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

China Clay - Dark reads noticeably lighter

Ocean Abyss
China Clay - Dark
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

China Clay - Dark is the lighter choice

Classic Silver
China Clay - Dark
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Nearly identical in tone

Teton Blue
China Clay - Dark
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

China Clay - Dark reads noticeably lighter

RAL 110-2
China Clay - Dark
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 reads noticeably lighter

RAL 110-1
China Clay - Dark
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
China Clay - Dark
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
China Clay - Dark
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

China Clay - Dark is the lighter choice