Calamine → Valspar
The closest Valspar matches for Farrow & Ball Calamine (No.230), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Valspar Equivalent for Calamine
If you love Farrow & Ball Calamine but need a Valspar 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 Valspar, your local store does not carry Farrow & Ball, or you simply want to compare prices across brands before committing.
Calamine (No.230) is a medium pink with soft pink-gray undertones. A soft, sophisticated pink-gray. Named for the soothing lotion, it carries the same calming quality. More grown-up and restrained than a typical pink. To find a good Valspar match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 56) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Calamine and every Valspar 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 Valspar option is Autumn Fog (VR085D) with a Delta E of 4, which is a "good match" level match. Autumn Fog is the closest Valspar option. Similar character. You will want to test a sample before committing, as the difference may be noticeable in certain lighting.
Valspar Matches for Calamine
Autumn Fog is the closest Valspar option. Similar character.
| Calamine | Autumn Fog | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 56 | 53 |
| Hex | #CFC7C4 | #C9C1B3 |
| Undertone | Soft Pink-Gray | Warm Golden Beige |
| Family | Pink | Beige |
Undertone Comparison
Calamine has soft pink-gray undertones. A soft, sophisticated pink-gray. Named for the soothing lotion, it carries the same calming quality. More grown-up and restrained than a typical pink.
Autumn Fog has warm golden beige undertones. A warm, golden beige with autumnal undertones. Rich and earthy without being dark. The golden quality gives rooms a warm, inviting glow that feels particularly beautiful in fall and winter months.
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. Calamine's soft pink-gray quality may read differently than Autumn Fog's warm golden beige 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
Calamine in Your Room
The pink is very subtle. In most rooms reads as a warm gray with pink warmth. In cool north light, the pink shows more. Sophisticated and calming.
Autumn Fog in Your Room
The golden warmth shines in all lighting. In south-facing rooms, it glows beautifully. In north-facing rooms, the warmth is a welcome counterbalance to cool light. A cozy, year-round neutral.
LRV and Brightness
Calamine has an LRV of 56, while Autumn Fog has an LRV of 53. 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 Calamine
Farrow & Ball recommends Calamine for: bedroom, bathroom, nursery, living room, hallway. With an LRV of 56, 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.
Autumn Fog is recommended for: living room, dining room, bedroom, hallway, study. 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.
Calamine in Other Brands
Looking for Calamine equivalents in other brands besides Valspar? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Valspar match for Calamine (No.230) is Autumn Fog (VR085D) with a Delta E of 4, which rates as a "good match" match. Autumn Fog is the closest Valspar 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. Calamine is a Farrow & Ball color with soft pink-gray undertones and an LRV of 56. Autumn Fog is a Valspar color with warm golden beige undertones and an LRV of 53. With a Delta E of 4, 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 4, 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 Valspar equivalent. Price differences between brands can be significant on large projects. Availability matters if your nearest paint store or home center specializes in Valspar. Some painters have strong preferences for one brand's formula based on coverage, dry time, or workability. And if you are touching up existing Valspar 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.