French Gray
Farrow & Ball
No. 18
French Gray is the classic example of a Farrow & Ball name that undersells the color: it reads as a soft, muted green far more than a gray. It has a long history on garden woodwork, shutters, and orangeries, and indoors it brings the same gentle, botanical quality to kitchens and boot rooms. Stone whites and natural materials are its easiest partners.
Some brands don't share official hex codes. The digital values shown here are careful approximations. Always confirm with a physical sample.
Close matches
Sherwin-Williams: Clary Sage SW 6178 (#ACAD97) · Svelte Sage SW 6164 (#B2AC96) · Willow Tree SW 7741 (#AAAD9C)
Benjamin Moore: Kid Gloves CSP-175 (#B2AB99) · Herbal Escape 1487 (#AEAA9A) · Finnie Gray CW-55 (#B4AC99)
Similar Farrow & Ball colors: Ash Grey No. W9 (#BAB7A1) · Vitty Green No. G3 (#ADAB9D) · Blue Gray No. 91 (#AEB2A4)
Common questions
What is the hex code for French Gray?
The hex code for Farrow & Ball French Gray No. 18 is #B0AF9B. In RGB that is 176, 175, 155. Use these values to reproduce French Gray in SketchUp, Canva, Photoshop, Figma, or rendering software for client presentations and mood boards. Farrow & Ball does not publish official hex codes, so this value is a close third-party approximation.
What is the Sherwin-Williams equivalent of French Gray?
The closest Sherwin-Williams match for French Gray is Clary Sage SW 6178 (#ACAD97). No cross-brand match is exact, because each brand mixes its own pigment formulas. Always confirm with a physical sample before specifying a substitute.
Is French Gray warm or cool?
French Gray is closer to balanced than its name suggests, a green-gray with a warm, earthy base rather than a cold one. Its LRV is approximately 42, a comfortable mid value. In bright light the green is unmistakable; in shade it settles back toward gray. Clients expecting a true gray should be warned. Those wanting a soft green that behaves like a neutral will be happy.
Why does French Gray look different on screen than on the wall?
Screens emit light while paint reflects it, so a hex code cannot capture how lighting, sheen, and surrounding colors shift paint in a real room. Treat #B0AF9B as accurate for digital design work, and use physical samples for final approval. Farrow & Ball does not publish official hex codes, so this value is a close third-party approximation.
What LRV does French Gray have?
French Gray has a Light Reflectance Value of approximately 42, meaning it reflects about 42% of visible light. That mid-range depth reads as a true color on the wall without going dark.
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