Chocolate brown vs French Gray

RAL Classic
·
Farrow & Ball

Chocolate brown (RAL Classic) and French Gray (Farrow & Ball) come from different manufacturers. The 37-point LRV gap — 43 for French Gray vs 7 for Chocolate brown — means French Gray will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 51.7 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives.

Chocolate brown vs French Gray Color Comparison

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.

ΔE 51.7Very different colors

Color Details

Chocolate brown
RAL Classic · RAL 8017
Hex#442F29
LRV6.6
BrandRAL Classic
NumberRAL 8017
Undertone
Temperature
Brightnessdark
View Chocolate brown
French Gray
Farrow & Ball · 18
Hex#b5b19a
LRV43.3
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number18
Undertone
Temperaturewarm
Brightnessmedium
View French Gray

Chocolate brown vs French Gray in Real Spaces

Seeing Chocolate brown and French Gray in actual rooms makes the difference concrete. Browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall. Showing 2 room types where both colors have photos.

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. French Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Chocolate brown
Chocolate brown RAL 8017 exterior house

@erakrovli2019

French Gray
Farrow and Ball French Gray house exterior review

@mylittledorsetcottageofdreams

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. French Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Chocolate brown.

Chocolate brown
RAL 8017 front door

@dverisamurai

French Gray
French Gray front door inspiration

@the_rutland_lady

More Chocolate brown comparisons

See how Chocolate brown stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Chocolate brown
White Dove

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Ammonite
Chocolate brown
Ammonite

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Iron Ore
Chocolate brown
Iron Ore

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Purbeck Stone
Chocolate brown
Purbeck Stone

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Evergreen Fog
Chocolate brown
Evergreen Fog

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Mizzle
Chocolate brown
Mizzle

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Agreeable Gray
Chocolate brown
Agreeable Gray

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Denim Drift
Chocolate brown
Denim Drift

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Tranquil Dawn
Chocolate brown
Tranquil Dawn

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Balboa Mist
Chocolate brown
Balboa Mist

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Vintage Vogue
Chocolate brown
Vintage Vogue

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Pale Green
Chocolate brown
Pale Green

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RAL Classic

Pine Needle
Chocolate brown
Pine Needle

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Cement grey
Chocolate brown
Cement grey

Cement grey reads lighter

RAL Classic

Black grey
Chocolate brown
Black grey

Two RAL Classic colors

RAL Classic

Humble Yellow
Chocolate brown
Humble Yellow

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Windmill Lane
Chocolate brown
Windmill Lane

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Senses
Chocolate brown
Senses

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Lamp Black
Chocolate brown
Lamp Black

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Washed Linen
Chocolate brown
Washed Linen

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Tea with Florence
Chocolate brown
Tea with Florence

Tea with Florence reads lighter

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Ocean Abyss
Chocolate brown
Ocean Abyss

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Classic Silver
Chocolate brown
Classic Silver

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RAL Classic vs Behr

Teton Blue
Chocolate brown
Teton Blue

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RAL 110-2
Chocolate brown
RAL 110-2

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RAL Classic vs RAL Effect

RAL 110-1
Chocolate brown
RAL 110-1

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RAL 180-1
Chocolate brown
RAL 180-1

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S 8000-N
Chocolate brown
S 8000-N

RAL Classic vs NCS

RAL Classic vs NCS

S 0500-N
Chocolate brown
S 0500-N

Light vs dark contrast

RAL Classic vs NCS

S 0502-Y
Chocolate brown
S 0502-Y

Light vs dark contrast

RAL Classic vs NCS