Polar Bear → Farrow & Ball
The closest Farrow & Ball matches for Behr Polar Bear (PPU18-07-2), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Farrow & Ball Equivalent for Polar Bear
If you love Behr Polar Bear 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.
Polar Bear (PPU18-07-2) is a very light white with warm bright white undertones. A bright white with the slightest warm cream undertone. Behr's most popular warm bright white. Slightly warmer than Dove, slightly brighter than Painter's White. To find a good Farrow & Ball match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 87) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Polar Bear 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 Wevet (No.273) with a Delta E of 3.8, which is a "good match" level match. Wevet has similar soft, warm white quality with just a hint of warmth. You will want to test a sample before committing, as the difference may be noticeable in certain lighting.
Farrow & Ball Matches for Polar Bear
Wevet has similar soft, warm white quality with just a hint of warmth.
| Polar Bear | Wevet | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 87 | 84 |
| Hex | #F1EFE8 | #ECEAE5 |
| Undertone | Warm Bright White | Cool Clean White |
| Family | White | White |
Undertone Comparison
Polar Bear has warm bright white undertones. A bright white with the slightest warm cream undertone. Behr's most popular warm bright white. Slightly warmer than Dove, slightly brighter than Painter's White.
Wevet has cool clean white undertones. A cool, clean white. Less warm than Wimborne White. F&B's answer to a true neutral white.
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. Polar Bear's warm bright white quality may read differently than Wevet's cool clean white 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
Polar Bear in Your Room
Clean and bright with barely-there warmth. In most rooms, reads as a bright white. The cream is only visible next to a true cool white.
Wevet in Your Room
Clean and bright. The most neutral white in the F&B range.
LRV and Brightness
Polar Bear has an LRV of 87, while Wevet has an LRV of 84. 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 Polar Bear
Behr recommends Polar Bear for: trim, ceilings, cabinets, whole house, bathroom. With an LRV of 87, this is a very light color that reflects a lot of light and works well in any room, including smaller spaces where you want to maintain a bright, open feel. It is light enough for whole-house use without making rooms feel washed out or sterile.
Wevet is recommended for: trim, ceilings, cabinets, modern interiors, bathroom. Both colors are recommended for similar applications, which confirms that this is a practical cross-brand match. You can use Wevet in the same rooms you planned for Polar Bear.
Polar Bear in Other Brands
Looking for Polar Bear equivalents in other brands besides Farrow & Ball? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Farrow & Ball match for Polar Bear (PPU18-07-2) is Wevet (No.273) with a Delta E of 3.8, which rates as a "good match" match. Wevet has similar soft, warm white quality with just a hint of warmth. 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. Polar Bear is a Behr color with warm bright white undertones and an LRV of 87. Wevet is a Farrow & Ball color with cool clean white undertones and an LRV of 84. With a Delta E of 3.8, 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 3.8, 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.