Battleship Gray → Farrow & Ball
The closest Farrow & Ball matches for Behr Battleship Gray (PPU18-04), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Farrow & Ball Equivalent for Battleship Gray
If you love Behr Battleship Gray but need a Farrow & Ball alternative, you are not alone. This is one of the most common cross-brand paint matching searches, whether you are working with a painter who prefers Farrow & Ball, your local store does not carry Behr, or you simply want to compare prices across brands before committing.
Battleship Gray (PPU18-04) is a dark gray with cool dark gray undertones. A cool, dark gray with minimal undertone. Named for the steel hulls of warships. Strong, serious, and commanding. Darker than Cathedral Gray, cooler than Anonymous. To find a good Farrow & Ball match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 16) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Battleship Gray and every Farrow & Ball color using the CIE2000 Delta E formula, which measures how different two colors look to the human eye. A Delta E under 2 means most people cannot tell the colors apart. Between 2 and 4, you might notice a difference in certain lighting. Above 5, the difference is clearly visible side by side.
The results are decent but not perfect. The closest Farrow & Ball option is London Stone (No.6) with a Delta E of 3.7, which is a "good match" level match. London Stone is the closest F&B option. Similar character. You will want to test a sample before committing, as the difference may be noticeable in certain lighting.
Farrow & Ball Matches for Battleship Gray
London Stone is the closest F&B option. Similar character.
| Battleship Gray | London Stone | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 16 | 17 |
| Hex | #868381 | #8B8378 |
| Undertone | Cool Dark Gray | Warm London Stone |
| Family | Gray | Taupe |
Undertone Comparison
Battleship Gray has cool dark gray undertones. A cool, dark gray with minimal undertone. Named for the steel hulls of warships. Strong, serious, and commanding. Darker than Cathedral Gray, cooler than Anonymous.
London Stone has warm london stone undertones. A warm, earthy taupe named for the ancient stone of London. Rich and grounding, darker than Mouse's Back. The color of centuries-old masonry.
The undertone difference is worth paying attention to. While they are close in overall appearance, the different undertones mean they may diverge in certain lighting. Battleship Gray's cool dark gray quality may read differently than London Stone's warm london stone character, especially in rooms with strong directional light or colored accents that could pull out one undertone more than the other. Test a sample in your specific room before committing.
How These Colors Behave in Different Lighting
Battleship Gray in Your Room
Stays neutral and clean even at this dark depth. In bright light, reads as a solid cool gray. In dim rooms, approaches a sophisticated dark neutral. Does not pull warm or cool strongly.
London Stone in Your Room
Warm and grounding at a substantial depth. In bright rooms, the earthy warmth shows. In dim rooms, cozy and atmospheric.
LRV and Brightness
Battleship Gray has an LRV of 16, while London Stone has an LRV of 17. These two colors reflect a very similar amount of light, so you should not notice a significant difference in room brightness when switching between them. The room will feel approximately the same in terms of light and space, which makes this a smoother transition.
Best Rooms for Battleship Gray
Behr recommends Battleship Gray for: accent wall, exterior, front door, cabinets, office. With an LRV of 16, this is a dark color that absorbs more light than it reflects. It makes a bold statement and works beautifully on accent walls, front doors, exterior trim, and features where drama is the goal. In a full room, make sure you have good lighting and bright white trim for contrast.
London Stone is recommended for: living room, dining room, accent wall, study, office. The recommended applications differ slightly between brands, but the color's properties should work in the same rooms regardless of which brand you choose. Trust the LRV and undertone data more than the specific room suggestions, and always test in your actual space.
Battleship Gray in Other Brands
Looking for Battleship Gray equivalents in other brands besides Farrow & Ball? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Farrow & Ball match for Battleship Gray (PPU18-04) is London Stone (No.6) with a Delta E of 3.7, which rates as a "good match" match. London Stone is the closest F&B option. Similar character. Delta E measures perceptual color distance on a scale where under 2 means nearly identical, 2 to 4 means close with subtle differences, and over 5 means clearly noticeable.
No, they are not identical. Battleship Gray is a Behr color with cool dark gray undertones and an LRV of 16. London Stone is a Farrow & Ball color with warm london stone undertones and an LRV of 17. With a Delta E of 3.7, the difference is subtle and mainly visible in direct side-by-side comparison. Paint formulations differ between brands, so even colors with similar values can look slightly different due to pigment concentration, binders, and finish.
With a Delta E of 3.7, the difference is enough that they should not be used on adjacent walls in the same room. You can use them in separate rooms of the same house, but be aware that walking from one room to the other may reveal the difference, especially if the rooms have similar lighting. For the most consistent look, pick one brand for all connected living spaces and reserve the other brand for visually separate rooms like bathrooms or bedrooms behind closed doors.
There are several practical reasons to look for a Farrow & Ball equivalent. Price differences between brands can be significant on large projects. Availability matters if your nearest paint store or home center specializes in Farrow & Ball. Some painters have strong preferences for one brand's formula based on coverage, dry time, or workability. And if you are touching up existing Farrow & Ball work, matching within the same brand gives you the best consistency for seamless results.
Match calculations use Delta E (CIE2000) computed from Lab color space conversion. Color data sourced from manufacturer specifications. Last reviewed: March 22, 2026.