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Brands · answered by Fini

Is there a cheaper alternative to Farrow & Ball Pavilion Gray?

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Quick answer

Crown Light Grey is the closest cheaper match to Pavilion Gray at ΔE 0.6 — that's an imperceptible difference, and it shares the same LRV of 52.6. Dulux Slow Living is also a strong dupe at ΔE 2.1.

Yes, and the standout here is Crown Light Grey. At ΔE 0.6 it's an imperceptible difference from Pavilion Gray — you genuinely would not be able to tell them apart on a wall. It even lands on the same LRV of 52.6, so it reflects light in exactly the same way and will read the same in your room. If you want the Pavilion Gray look without the F&B price tag, this is the one to get colour-matched.

Dulux Slow Living is the other serious contender at ΔE 2.1, which is still very close — under 2.5 is the threshold where most people stop noticing in normal light. It also shares that 52.6 LRV, so the brightness is bang on. The slight ΔE difference might show up as the faintest shift in undertone in a side-by-side test, but on its own in a real room you'd never clock it.

COAT Sunday Soul is a touch further off at ΔE 3 and slightly lighter at LRV 55.3. It's a lovely paint — low-VOC, washable, quick delivery — but it's drifting enough from the original that I'd call it "in the same family" rather than a true dupe. If you specifically want Pavilion Gray, go Crown or Dulux.

The "but what about the finish?" question always comes up here. F&B's estate emulsion has a particular chalky depth that the cheaper brands won't perfectly replicate even with a spot-on colour match — Pavilion Gray's appeal is partly its surface quality. Crown and Dulux trade emulsions are more wipeable and harder-wearing, which is arguably better for hallways, kids' rooms and high-traffic areas.

Practical advice: order a sample pot of Crown Light Grey, paint two coats on a bit of lining paper, and view it taped to the wall morning and evening. Pavilion Gray is a green-grey that shifts with the light, so you want to see the match behaving the same way before you commit a whole room.

Colours from the answer

LRV 53
Farrow & Ball
Pavilion Gray
LRV 52.6
Dulux
Slow Living
LRV 52.6
Crown
Light Grey
LRV 55.3
COAT
Sunday Soul

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