Old White vs String
Old White and String come from the same Farrow & Ball collection. Hue-wise, Old White belongs to the beige-greige family and String to the beige family. The 7-point LRV gap — 62 for String vs 55 for Old White — means String will open up a space more effectively. Both share a warm character, which means they'll respond to light and surrounding materials in similar ways. ΔE 6.2 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Old White vs String in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Old White and String 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.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. String has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. String has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. String has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Old White vs String Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Old White on one side and String 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 Old White comparisons
See how Old White stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 55), opening up a space where Old White encloses it.
A 3-point LRV gap (55 vs 52) makes Old White the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 55 vs 30, Old White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (60 vs 55) makes Agreeable Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
With LRVs of 58 and 55, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Old White reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
A 12-point LRV gap (55 vs 43) makes Old White the marginally brighter of the two.
With LRVs of 55 and 55, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Old White reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 44), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 55, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reads slightly lighter (LRV 66 vs 55), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 55), opening up a space where Old White encloses it.
Old White reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Old White reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 55), opening up a space where Old White encloses it.
Old White reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Old White reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 45), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 55 vs 31, Old White is decisively the brighter choice.