Anise vs French Gray
Where Anise belongs to Cloverdale Paint's range, French Gray is a Farrow & Ball color. Anise reads as greige-grey, while French Gray reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. French Gray (LRV 43) reflects noticeably more light than Anise (LRV 32), a difference of 11 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. The ΔE 8.6 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Anise vs French Gray in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Anise and French Gray 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 LRV gap is large enough that French Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Anise 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. French Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Anise.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. French Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. French Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Anise.
Color Details
Anise vs French Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Anise on one side and French Gray 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 Anise comparisons
See how Anise stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 32), opening up a space where Anise encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 32, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 32 vs 30), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 60 vs 32, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 32), opening up a space where Anise encloses it.
Anise reads slightly lighter (LRV 32 vs 27), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 32), opening up a space where Anise encloses it.
Hardwick White reads slightly lighter (LRV 44 vs 32), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 32, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 32), opening up a space where Anise encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 32), opening up a space where Anise encloses it.
Anise reflects far more light (LRV 32 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Anise reflects far more light (LRV 32 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 32), opening up a space where Anise encloses it.
Anise reflects far more light (LRV 32 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 32), opening up a space where Anise encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 32 vs 31), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 32 vs 7, Anise is decisively the brighter choice.