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Not to be obvious, but Light French Gray is of course a gray! However, despite its name, it is not a light gray. This gray has a wonderful balance of cool tones – making it one of the closer true grays. Light French Gray is a great choice if you are looking for a versatile gray color with a little bit of depth.
If I were to describe it, I would say it’s a gray that looks like wet cement.
What is the LRV of Light French Gray?
As a reminder, Light Reflective Value (LRV) is an indicator of the amount of light that is reflected by a color when it is illuminated by a light source. A higher value (closer to 100) means that a color will reflect more light back at you whilst a lower value (closer to 0) means that a color will absorb more light, appearing darker to the eye. Pure white has an LRV of 100, while pure black is 0.
Light French Gray has a light reflectance value of 53. The name is therefore a little bit of a misrepresentation as it’s really not as light as the name suggests! There’s definitely a little bit of depth and character to this shade making it quite unique.
Is Light French Gray Warm or Cool?
Due to the purple undertones (purple being a mix of blue undertones which are cool toned and red undertones which are warm toned), Light French Gray can lean cool in north-facing rooms, or lean slightly warmer (but never warm) in southern exposure. I would consider this shade to have cool undertones. It will never fall in the category of warm grays.
What Are The Undertones of SW Light French Gray?
All gray colors have an undertone – this one being purple. It’s just a slight purple undertone – but it sure is there. You really see the undertone pop if you compare it to SW Mindful Gray or SW Repose Gray, both of which have a warmer and subtle green undertone.
What Colors Does Light French Gray Look Good With?
Light French Gray looks beautiful against cool blue tones and can also look really nice paired with a feature wall in a darker, moodier gray such as Sherwin Williams Serious Gray.
Light French Gray does not look great with considerably warmer tones like tans or taupes. The cooler blues and greens work much better.
What Trim Color Goes with Light French Gray?
Due to the purple undertone, Light French Grey pairs well with a cool toned white trim – so think Sherwin Williams Extra White or a more neutral white, like Pure White that works with almost every color!
I used to have the combo of Light French Gray and Extra White in my laundry room several years and it was the best duo, albeit too dark for our small space. If your lighting situations will allow, try the combination in a bathroom or laundry area.
What Cabinet Color Goes with Light French Gray?
Similarly to trim, a cooler toned white color palette is a solid option. Consider something like Sherwin Williams Extra White or a more balanced white like Sherwin Williams Pure White for your kitchen cabinets. They are both a great option.
Light French Gray itself also makes a nice cabinet color when paired with white or lighter gray walls.
Is Light French Gray a Good Choice as an Exterior Paint Color?
It is absolutely a great exterior paint choice! It’s not just for interior walls. Especially if you have lots of sunlight that hits the front of your home, this is a color to consider. You might just want to steer clear if you have a home with no natural sunlight against the exterior or a house with lots of bricking with conflicting undertones.
Light French Gray vs Repose Gray
Light French Gray has an LRV of 53, while Repose Gray is just a smidge lighter with an LRV of 58 – meaning they are both just on the cusp of mid-tones. Repose Gray has a warmer tone while Light French Gray has a cooler tone. Repose’s added warmth also helps to make it feel softer and warmer than LFG.
There is not one shade better than the other – it is simply about your own individual taste. Light French Gray may suit a well lit room a little better, since it has more depth of color and won’t wash out. If you have a room which tends to be on the darker side, you may prefer Repose Gray as it’ll appear a little warmer to the eye.
Sherwin Williams Light French Gray versus Behr Light French Gray
Do not confuse these two colors! Even though they are both shades of gray, they are completely different. SW Light French Gray looks more like wet cement in terms of its color, while Behr’s Light French Gray is a blue-gray color, that in cooler light, is very blue (see photo above).
Don’t Forget…
Don’t forget – no matter what you’ve read or photos you’ve seen online, it’s really important to sample paint colors in your home before committing!
Samplize provides real paint samples that are easy to move around your home, and cheaper than buying a gazillion paint pots! It’s the only way I buy paint samples.
Final Thoughts
Light French Gray is a great color for a variety of spaces. It is not as light as it’s title would suggest however it is a stunning cool toned gray which compliments other cool toned colors such as blues and crisp whites. This is a cool color shade which definitely looks best in a room with lots of natural light (like a living room or kitchen) and looks all kinds of amazing with a feature wall in a darker, moodier shade of cool toned gray.
What color and brand are the floors in this picture? Thank you
Do you mean in the first photo? I don’t know, sorry.
I am wondering how this color would look at half strength since i love the cool undertones but am leary about it looking like wet cement
I painted our living room and dining room this exact color from Sherwin Williams and it is stunning with white woodwork. This Gray remains true, the sunlight and shadows still give a true gray tone that is exactly what we wanted.
In the right light it’s a great color!