Charleston Gray → Behr
The closest Behr matches for Farrow & Ball Charleston Gray (No.243), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Behr Equivalent for Charleston Gray
If you love Farrow & Ball Charleston Gray but need a Behr 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 Behr, your local store does not carry Farrow & Ball, or you simply want to compare prices across brands before committing.
Charleston Gray (No.243) is a medium-dark gray with warm greige undertones. A warm greige named for the Bloomsbury artists' home in Sussex. More gray than Joa's White, warmer than Plummett. Artistic and cultivated. To find a good Behr match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 32) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Charleston Gray and every Behr 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 Behr match for Charleston Gray. Tin Foil (PPU18-06) comes in with a Delta E of 2, which puts it in the "excellent match" range. Tin Foil is the closest Behr option. Very close match.
Behr Matches for Charleston Gray
Tin Foil is the closest Behr option. Very close match.
| Charleston Gray | Tin Foil | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 32 | 32 |
| Hex | #AFABA2 | #AAA8A4 |
| Undertone | Warm Greige | Cool Gray |
| Family | Gray | Gray |
Undertone Comparison
Charleston Gray has warm greige undertones. A warm greige named for the Bloomsbury artists' home in Sussex. More gray than Joa's White, warmer than Plummett. Artistic and cultivated.
Tin Foil has cool gray undertones. A cool, clean mid-tone gray. Named for its metallic, silvery quality. Neutral and modern.
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. Charleston Gray's warm greige quality may read differently than Tin Foil's cool 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
Charleston Gray in Your Room
Warm and balanced. In bright rooms, a warm mid-tone greige. In dim rooms, cozy and grounding.
Tin Foil in Your Room
Neutral and clean. In bright rooms, a cool silver-gray. In dim rooms, a clean, balanced gray.
LRV and Brightness
Charleston Gray has an LRV of 32, while Tin Foil has an LRV of 32. 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 Charleston Gray
Farrow & Ball recommends Charleston Gray for: living room, dining room, bedroom, hallway, office. With an LRV of 32, this is a medium-dark color that is in the medium range, adding real depth and presence to a room. It works best in rooms with good natural light or as an accent wall color. In smaller or darker rooms, pair it with bright white trim to keep the space from feeling closed in.
Tin Foil is recommended for: bathroom, bedroom, office, hallway, living room. 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.
Charleston Gray in Other Brands
Looking for Charleston Gray equivalents in other brands besides Behr? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Behr match for Charleston Gray (No.243) is Tin Foil (PPU18-06) with a Delta E of 2, which rates as a "excellent match" match. Tin Foil is the closest Behr option. Very close match. 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. Charleston Gray is a Farrow & Ball color with warm greige undertones and an LRV of 32. Tin Foil is a Behr color with cool gray undertones and an LRV of 32. 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 Behr equivalent. Price differences between brands can be significant on large projects. Availability matters if your nearest paint store or home center specializes in Behr. Some painters have strong preferences for one brand's formula based on coverage, dry time, or workability. And if you are touching up existing Behr 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.