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Q&A / Brands / Is there a cheaper alternative to Paint & Paper Library Ston…
Brands · answered by Fini

Is there a cheaper alternative to Paint & Paper Library Stone V?

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Quick answer

The closest cheaper match to Paint & Paper Library Stone V is Dulux Salisbury Stones 3 at ΔE 2.7 — very close and a fraction of the price. Crown Light Fern and COAT Ode to Toad are next in line.

Stone V is a lovely soft greenish stone, but you're paying premium money for it. If budget's the driver, you've got a few honest options.

The nearest match is Dulux Salisbury Stones 3 at ΔE 2.7 (LRV 50.6). Under ΔE 2.5 is the threshold for "very close" and this sits just the other side of it — so it's a near-miss rather than a dead ringer, but in a real room on a real wall you'd struggle to tell them apart. Dulux is widely stocked and considerably cheaper per litre, so it's the sensible swap if cost is the main reason you're asking.

Next is Crown Light Fern at ΔE 3.3 (LRV 43.2). It reads a touch deeper and greener than Stone V because the LRV is lower — about seven points darker — so it'll feel a bit more saturated, especially in a north-facing room. Worth a tester if you actually want a little more punch.

Then COAT Ode to Toad at ΔE 3.4 (LRV 42.3), similar story — slightly deeper and greener again. COAT isn't dirt cheap, but it's water-based, low-VOC and genuinely lovely to roll, so it's the one to look at if you want a nicer paint to work with rather than just the lowest price.

The honest caveat: none of these is under ΔE 2.5, so none is a perfect colourimetric clone. The differences are small but real, and they'll shift with your light and your sheen level. Don't buy a full tin off a number.

Get sample pots of all three, paint A4 patches, and live with them for a couple of days against your existing trim and flooring. Salisbury Stones 3 is your money-saver; the other two if you fancy something marginally deeper. That's the way to land it without regret.

Colours from the answer

LRV 46.7
Paint & Paper Library
Stone V
LRV 50.6
Dulux
Salisbury Stones 3
LRV 43.2
Crown
Light Fern
LRV 42.3
COAT
Ode to Toad

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