Cornforth White → Sherwin Williams
The closest Sherwin Williams matches for Farrow & Ball Cornforth White (No.228), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Sherwin Williams Equivalent for Cornforth White
If you love Farrow & Ball Cornforth White but need a Sherwin Williams 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 Sherwin Williams, your local store does not carry Farrow & Ball, or you simply want to compare prices across brands before committing.
Cornforth White (No.228) is a medium gray with 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. To find a good Sherwin Williams match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 55) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Cornforth White and every Sherwin Williams 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 Sherwin Williams option is Repose Gray (SW 7015) with a Delta E of 3.8, which is a "good match" level match. Repose Gray is the closest SW match. Both are balanced mid-tone grays with minimal undertone. You will want to test a sample before committing, as the difference may be noticeable in certain lighting.
Sherwin Williams Matches for Cornforth White
Repose Gray is the closest SW match. Both are balanced mid-tone grays with minimal undertone.
| Cornforth White | Repose Gray | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 55 | 58 |
| Hex | #CAC6C0 | #CCC7C1 |
| Undertone | Cool Neutral Gray | Warm Purple-Gray |
| Family | Gray | Gray |
Undertone Comparison
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.
Repose Gray has warm purple-gray undertones. A warm light gray with subtle purple-taupe undertones. Reads as a true gray in most conditions but avoids feeling cold or stark.
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. Cornforth White's cool neutral gray quality may read differently than Repose Gray's warm purple-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
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.
Repose Gray in Your Room
The purple undertone is most visible in bright, cool light. In warm or dim light, it reads as a clean warm gray. Pairs well with both warm and cool accents.
LRV and Brightness
Cornforth White has an LRV of 55, while Repose Gray has an LRV of 58. 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 Cornforth White
Farrow & Ball recommends Cornforth White for: living room, bedroom, hallway, bathroom, office. With an LRV of 55, 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.
Repose Gray is recommended for: living room, bedroom, hallway, bathroom, whole house. Both colors are recommended for similar applications, which confirms that this is a practical cross-brand match. You can use Repose Gray in the same rooms you planned for Cornforth White.
Cornforth White in Other Brands
Looking for Cornforth White equivalents in other brands besides Sherwin Williams? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Sherwin Williams match for Cornforth White (No.228) is Repose Gray (SW 7015) with a Delta E of 3.8, which rates as a "good match" match. Repose Gray is the closest SW match. Both are balanced mid-tone grays with minimal undertone. 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. Cornforth White is a Farrow & Ball color with cool neutral gray undertones and an LRV of 55. Repose Gray is a Sherwin Williams color with warm purple-gray undertones and an LRV of 58. 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 Sherwin Williams equivalent. Price differences between brands can be significant on large projects. Availability matters if your nearest paint store or home center specializes in Sherwin Williams. Some painters have strong preferences for one brand's formula based on coverage, dry time, or workability. And if you are touching up existing Sherwin Williams 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.