Skip to content

This Color is Behr’s Best Muted Tiffany Blue (and Nobody Else is Using it!)

    Behr Light French Gray is best described as an ultra-muted Tiffany Blue. It’s a sophisticated and soft wall color, if not all that gray or neutral. The best part? Everybody is sleeping on this shade!

    Behr Light French Gray in a dining room
    Photo Credit: @littlelattihouse

    Here’s the spoiler: The Sherwin Williams color “Light French Gray” is a totally different color from this one. This post is about the Behr color of the same name, but it is not the Behr version of SW Light French Gray. (We will compare both shortly!)

    Let’s take a look at Light French Gray in real homes, check out some coordinating colors, and of course, spot some dupes!

    What Color is Behr Light French Gray (720E-2)

    To be honest, Light French Gray would be more aptly named “Light French Blue.” It can occasionally look gray-blue, but I would say that it always looks pretty darn blue. It does have a touch of an aquatic blue-green feel.

    Behr Light French Gray paint swipe swatch on a color card

    LRV and RBG of Behr Light French Gray

    The LRV of Light French Gray is 61.

    What does that mean?

    The LRV of a color indicates on a scale of 0 – 100 how much light a color reflects (or doesn’t reflect). True black has an LRV of 0 and pure white has an LRV of 100.

    In the paint world, we are working in a range of about 3 – 93 because no paint color is purely black or completely white.

    Light French Gray plotted at 61 on an LRV chart from 0 (black) to 100 (pure white). Background photo of Louvre in Paris

    At 61, Light French Gray is in the LRV range of most “perfect” whole home colors. It’s light enough to be used everywhere, but dark enough to be a distinct wall color and not an off-white or something like that.

    The RGB of Light French Gray is Red 201, Green 207, Blue 204.

    Based on these numbers provided by Behr, the hex code for Light French Gray is #C9CFCC.

    What Are the Undertones of Light French Gray?

    You might be surprised after seeing it on the wall, that Light French Gray is actually a gray green paint color.

    Hex code chart and paint dot for Behr Light French Gray over a background of a french street

    It is not a very saturated color, so you will mostly see frosty blue tones, but there are green undertones in this color. It can sometimes look a tiny bit aqua or Tiffany blue.

    Is Light French Gray Warm or Cool?

    Light French Gray is most definitely a cool color, due to it’s blue-green undertones.

    Light French Gray Color Strip

    The actual Behr color strip that I could find features just three shades:

    • Reflecting Pool 720e-1
    • Light French Gray 720e-2
    • Rocky Mountain Sky 720e-3

    I wanted to give a more complete collection, so I went through and picked the closest possible lighter and darker colors myself:

    Behr Light French Gray color strip includes Frost, Reflecting Pool, Light French Gray, Rocky Mountain Sky, Flint Smoke, Nature Retreat, and Amphibian

    Lighter Version of Light French Gray

    One shade lighter than Light French Gray on the same Behr color strip, would be the shade Reflecting Pool. That one has an LRV of 73, so it would be classified as an off-white.

    For a true white with similar undertones to Light French Gray, the Behr color Frost is a great match.

    Darker Version of Light French Gray

    One shade darker than Light French Gray on the same color strip is the color Rocky Mountain Sky.

    Behr Light French Gray Color Palette

    Behr Light French Gray in a color palette with Silver Drop, Whisper White, Cyberspace, and Canyon Dusk

    Light French Gray Coordinating Colors

    Here are some ideas for other colors that you could pair with Light French Gray.

    Behr Silver Drop

    Silver Drop can actually have quite cool undertones on it’s own, but the true cool blue of Light French Gray will likely keep it looking more greigey. Silver Drop is a slightly more neutral gray for you to work into your color sheme.

    Paint dot of Behr Light French Gray beside a paint dot of Silver Drop

    I recently wrote a post for this color! You can read it here: Behr Silver Drop Will Keep You Guessing!

    Sherwin Williams Cyberspace

    I went off brand to pull up this coordinating color, but I just though that Cyberspace and Light French Gray would look soooo nice together.

    Paint dot of Behr Light French Gray beside a paint dot of Cyberspace

    Cyberspace is like a deep charcoal navy color.

    You can read more about it here: Sherwin Williams Cyberspace (The Moodiest Charcoal Blue!)

    Behr Whisper White

    Whisper White is a bright but still warm white. It’s a nice french white to coordinate with Light French Gray.

    Paint dot of Behr Light French Gray beside a paint dot of Whisper White

    If you like the look of this white, you will also like Benjamin Moore Simply White.

    Behr Canyon Dusk

    Canyon Dusk is a muted clay color that coordinates well with a host of other colors. It’s also pretty similar to the Sherwin Williams Color of the Year from 2023: Redend Point.

    Paint dot of Behr Light French Gray beside a paint dot of Canyon Dusk

    Complementary Color for Behr Light French Gray

    Officially, a complementary color is the color directly across the color wheel from any other color. Grays can be a little complicated because they don’t always look like their exact spot on the color wheel.

    Graphic of a color wheel with a hand drawn circle of gray in the middle, labelled "the gray zone."

    On paper, the complementary color for Light French Gray would be a color similar to Cyberspace.

    Based on how LFG looks in real life, a better complement visually would be something closer to Canyon Dusk. Either are a great choice!

    What Trim Colors Go With Behr Light French Gray?

    If you have existing wood trim in your home, this will emphasize more of the blue tones in Light French Gray.

    (Here are some colors that look amazing with wood trim!)

    White Paint that Goes with Light French Gray

    Here is how Light French Gray will look with a variety of white paint colors by Behr:

    Behr Light French Gray with various trim colors including Ultra Pure White, Vibrant White, Whisper White, and Swiss Coffee

    Ultra Pure White

    Ultra Pure White is the cleanest and brightest white that Behr offers. As such, it is a top choice for trim white.

    Vibrant White

    Vibrant White is a blue white, so it will bring out more of the gray-green tones in Light French Gray.

    Whisper White

    Whisper White we already looked at in the color palette, but it’s definitely a trim contender if you want a bright but warm white.

    Swiss Coffee

    Swiss Coffee would be a good choice if you are looking for more of a farmhouse color scheme. It’s a warm white that will emphasize the blue tones in Light French Gray, but it will also make it look a bit lighter, since Swiss Coffee is a darker white.

    Not sure if this is the Swiss Coffee you’ve heard so much about? I’m not surprised! Check out this post to clear things up: Swiss Coffee Paint Colors Explained (Are They All the Same?)

    Behr Light French Gray for Your Home’s Interior

    If you have been considering this color, then you KNOW how hard it is to find in real life. In fact, I stumbled upon this one quite by accident.

    Michelle (@littlelattihouse) used this color in her beautiful dining room. Not a day goes by when someone asks what color it is, but she only knew that the paint was from Behr and the color said “Light French.”

    Light French Gray looks like a soft baby blue in a dining room with white wainscoting on the lower part of the wall and honey oak floors
    Photo Credit: @littlelattihouse

    I did my own digging to figure out that Behr did in fact have their own “Light French Gray,” and that’s definitely what this color is. Enough about that though, let’s take a look!

    (A little update: Michelle renovated her dining room semi-recently and repainted it white, so you can actually be the only person using this color.)

    Unlike many MANY gray paint colors, I would say that Light French Gray is pretty predictable in how it appears on the wall. It’s much more colorful than you might have thought from the swatch, but it’s generally consistent.

    Light French Gray in a dining room in a french country inspired home
    Photo Credit: @littlelattihouse

    You can see that it’s looking pretty much the same from day to day in Michelle’s space.

    This is about the darkest you can expect it to look:

    Behr Light French Gray on dining room walls with farmhouse style decor and pink flowers on the table
    Photo Credit: @littlelattihouse
    Light French Gray in a corner of a dining room with a framed painting on the wall and the white living room in view through a doorway
    Photo Credit: @littlelattihouse

    Here is Light French Gray looking its most gray:

    Light French Gray looks more gray on the upper portion of dining room walls with white wainscoting on the lower half. A large table with white tablecloth and white chairs sit on a coordinating tiffany blue patterned rug
    Photo Credit: @littlelattihouse

    Finally, this is the lightest that Light French Gray will look:

    Behr Light French Gray looking silvery blue on dining room walls behind an elaborate table full of flowers and summer decor
    Photo Credit: @littlelattihouse

    That decor though!!

    Light French Gray walls with sun streaming in
    Photo Credit: @littlelattihouse

    Behr Light French Gray on Kitchen Cabinets

    Because this color is just so hard to find, I have had to do some scrounging to give you at least an idea of how Light French Gray will look on cabinets.

    Here is a home with powder blue cabinets that look very similar to Light French Gray:

    Soft blue cabinets similar to how Behr Light French Gray would look in a kitchen with creamy white walls
    Photo Credit: @jogalbraithathome

    These beautiful cabinets are in Jo’s house (@jogalbraithathome).

    The actual color on these cabinets is a manufacturer’s shade that Jo says is similar to Sherwin Williams Silver Lake. Now Silver Lake is an actual blue paint color, but I selected pictures carefully where the color looks more like Light French Gray.

    Light blue island cabinets and pantry similar to how Behr Light French Gray would look in a kitchen with creamy white walls
    Photo Credit: @jogalbraithathome

    Here is a picture where they look a bit darker and more blue, but it’s still quite similar to the darker photos I showed you of Light French Gray.

    Baby blue cabinets similar to how Behr Light French Gray would look in a kitchen with creamy white walls

    Behr Light French Gray on an Exterior

    Finally let’s visualize how an exterior would look in Behr Light French Gray.

    Here I have two homes that are not the biggest or best, but look very similar in color to how LFG will look outside.

    A soft gray blue on the siding of an older tiny house
    Photo credit: @peanutbuttertoast

    Pretty much any color will look lighter outside, so you should expect Light French Gray to appear softer than it does inside.

    Both of these homes are very light gray blues similar to Light French Gray:

    Behr Light French Gray lookalike on siding with white trim and a black door.

    Light French Gray vs Sherwin Williams Light French Gray (SW 0055)

    Before we hop into dupes, let’s quickly take a look at colors that are commonly compared to Behr Light French Gray. The first one is (of course) Sherwin Williams Light French Gray!

    Behr Light French Gray on half of a wall vs Sherwin Williams Light French Gray on the other half

    You can see that the Sherwin Williams color is significantly more gray and a little bit warmer. It almost looks purple in comparison.

    The Sherwin Williams version can appear slightly blue, but never at all green or Tiffany Blue. It can also have an almost taupey undertone.

    Light French Gray vs Sherwin Williams Sea Salt (SW 6204)

    The Sherwin Williams color Sea Salt gives off fresh coastal vibes, much like Behr’s Light French Gray. So what is the difference?

    Behr Light French Gray vs Sherwin Williams Sea Salt, each on half of a wall

    You can see that Sea Salt is much more green than Light French Gray. The LRV is in the same range so the colors appear more similar on paper than they actually are. In terms of tone they are very different.

    For more on Sea Salt, check out my post: Sherwin Williams Sea Salt (Complete Guide and Color Matches!)

    Dupes for Behr Light French Gray from Other Brands

    Let’s take a look at some color alternatives from other brands!

    Behr Light French gray with color dupes Misty, Bay Waves, Northern Sky, and Pebble Beach, over a background of french row houses on a blue sky day

    Benjamin Moore Light French Gray Equivalent

    The closest color match that Benjamin Moore offers for Behr Light French Gray is Pebble Beach.

    Benjamin Moore Pebble Beach (1597)

    Pebble Beach is just a little more blue than Light French Gray.

    Behr Light French Gray on half of a wall with dupe Benjamin Moore Pebble Beach on the other half

    You can see that it looks more silver than Tiffany blue, but it is still quite a good match.

    Valspar (Lowe’s) Equivalent to Light French Gray

    As is sometimes the case, I actually found two Valspar alternatives to Behr Light French Gray that are great for different reasons. They are Northern Sky and Bay Waves.

    Valspar Northern Sky (5001-3B)

    Northern Sky is just slightly more saturated than Light French Gray. Basically, it will look more “colorful” on the wall. If you love the Tiffany Blue undertones of Light French Gray, look to Northern Sky.

    Behr Light French Gray on half of a wall with dupe Valspar Northern Sky on the other half

    Valspar Bay Waves (4008-1A)

    Bay Waves is a little less saturated than Light French Gray, and therefore leans more towards a silvery gray. It’s also a bit lighter.

    Behr Light French Gray on half of a wall with dupe Valspar Bay Waves on the other half

    Bay Waves is a slightly more subdued alternative than Northern Sky, but what it lacks in color it makes up for in versatility.

    Light French Gray Sherwin Williams Equivalent

    The closest thing to Behr’s version of Light French Gray in Sherwin Williams is their color Misty.

    Sherwin Williams Misty (SW 6232)

    Misty is not quite as close a color match as I thought I would find. Sherwin Williams has a great range of gray-blue-green colors, but none was exactly right for Behr Light French Gray. All of the other possible matches that I looked at were too bright and not as subtle and gray.

    Behr Light French Gray on half of a wall with dupe Sherwin Williams Misty on the other half

    Misty is still a pretty good dupe. It’s a bit lighter and leans more blue than Light French Gray. 

    Behr Light French Gray background color with a graphic of the Eiffel Tower. Swatches over top of dupes from other brands include Pebble Beach, Northern Sky, Bay Waves, and Misty

    Light French Gray Pros & Cons

    Thank you so much for sticking it out to the end! That actually really helps my site.

    Here’s a quick recap of the pros and cons:

    Pros

    • Right in the most popular LRV range for whole-home colors
    • Looks beautiful with creamy whites
    • Very classic but not a traditional gray
    • A peaceful and calming color for bathrooms and bedrooms
    • Surprisingly nice as an unexpected cabinet color

    Cons

    • Not really a gray (If that’s what you’re looking for)
    • Very cool toned (Not necessarily a con)
    • Could make warmer whites look more yellow

    Not hitting the spot? I’ve got sooo many more! :

    Swatch of Behr Platinum over a living room in the same color with a powder blue chair
    Sherwin Williams Upward color strip includes Upward, Windy Blue, Aleutian, Daphne, Bracing Blue, Distance, and Indigo Batik over a background of neutral decor
    Color palette for Benjamin Moore Blue Heather features that color alongside Soot, Smoke Embers, Simply White, Dove Wing, Van Deusen Blue, October Sky, Paper White, and Ashland Slate, all on paint lids scattered over a blue and white marbled background.