Barren Plain → Farrow & Ball
The closest Farrow & Ball matches for Benjamin Moore Barren Plain (2111-60), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Farrow & Ball Equivalent for Barren Plain
If you love Benjamin Moore Barren Plain 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 Benjamin Moore, or you simply want to compare prices across brands before committing.
Barren Plain (2111-60) is a medium gray with warm green-gray undertones. A light gray with subtle warm green undertones. Clean and contemporary. To find a good Farrow & Ball match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 55.32) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Barren Plain 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 good news: there is a strong Farrow & Ball match for Barren Plain. Cornforth White (No.228) comes in with a Delta E of 2, which puts it in the "excellent match" range. Cornforth White is the closest Farrow & Ball option at LRV 55. Very close match with F&B's signature chalky depth.
Farrow & Ball Matches for Barren Plain
Cornforth White is the closest Farrow & Ball option at LRV 55. Very close match with F&B's signature chalky depth.
| Barren Plain | Cornforth White | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 55.32 | 55 |
| Hex | #CDC9C1 | #CAC6C0 |
| Undertone | Warm Green-Gray | Cool Neutral Gray |
| Family | Gray | Gray |
Undertone Comparison
Barren Plain has warm green-gray undertones. A light gray with subtle warm green undertones. Clean and contemporary.
Cornforth White has cool neutral gray undertones. A mid-tone gray that sits right in the middle of warm and cool. One of the most neutral grays Farrow & Ball makes.
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. Barren Plain's warm green-gray quality may read differently than Cornforth White's cool neutral gray 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
Barren Plain in Your Room
The green is mild. In most rooms, reads as a clean, slightly warm light gray.
Cornforth White in Your Room
Remarkably balanced across lighting conditions. Doesn't pull pink, green, or blue the way many grays do. In bright light, it's a clean mid-gray. In dim light, it darkens gracefully.
LRV and Brightness
Barren Plain has an LRV of 55.32, while Cornforth White has an LRV of 55. 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 Barren Plain
Benjamin Moore recommends Barren Plain for: living room, bedroom, bathroom, hallway. With an LRV of 55.32, this is a medium color that is in the medium-light range, reflecting enough light to keep rooms feeling open while adding more color and depth than a white or off-white. It works well in living rooms, bedrooms, and hallways where you want warmth and character without darkness.
Cornforth White is recommended for: living room, bedroom, hallway, bathroom, office. Both colors are recommended for similar applications, which confirms that this is a practical cross-brand match. You can use Cornforth White in the same rooms you planned for Barren Plain.
Barren Plain in Other Brands
Looking for Barren Plain equivalents in other brands besides Farrow & Ball? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Farrow & Ball match for Barren Plain (2111-60) is Cornforth White (No.228) with a Delta E of 2, which rates as a "excellent match" match. Cornforth White is the closest Farrow & Ball option at LRV 55. Very close match with F&B's signature chalky depth. 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. Barren Plain is a Benjamin Moore color with warm green-gray undertones and an LRV of 55.32. Cornforth White is a Farrow & Ball color with cool neutral gray undertones and an LRV of 55. With a Delta E of 2, these are extremely close and most people will not spot the difference on a wall. 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 2, these colors are close enough to use in separate rooms of the same house without a jarring difference. However, avoid painting them on adjacent walls in the same room, as even subtle differences become apparent at a hard edge where two paints meet. For the smoothest result, use one brand consistently within each connected space and reserve the other brand for rooms that are visually separated.
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.