Cromarty → Behr
The closest Behr matches for Farrow & Ball Cromarty (No.285), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Behr Equivalent for Cromarty
If you love Farrow & Ball Cromarty 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.
Cromarty (No.285) is a light green with soft green undertones. A light, fresh green-gray named for the Scottish firth. Clean and calming. To find a good Behr match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 60) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Cromarty 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 Cromarty. Ocean Air (MQ3-20) comes in with a Delta E of 2, which puts it in the "excellent match" range. Ocean Air is the closest Behr option. Very close match.
Behr Matches for Cromarty
Ocean Air is the closest Behr option. Very close match.
| Cromarty | Ocean Air | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 60 | 60 |
| Hex | #CDD5CD | #C7D3CA |
| Undertone | Soft Green | Soft Green-Blue |
| Family | Green | Green |
Undertone Comparison
Cromarty has soft green undertones. A light, fresh green-gray named for the Scottish firth. Clean and calming.
Ocean Air has soft green-blue undertones. A soft, calming green-blue gray. Captures that spa-like serenity without committing to a strong green or blue.
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. Cromarty's soft green quality may read differently than Ocean Air's soft green-blue 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
Cromarty in Your Room
The green is soft and pleasant. In cool rooms, it reads as a green-tinged gray. In warm rooms, more purely green.
Ocean Air in Your Room
Shifts between green and blue depending on light. In bright light, the green is more apparent. In cool or dim rooms, the blue comes forward. A beautiful chameleon.
LRV and Brightness
Cromarty has an LRV of 60, while Ocean Air has an LRV of 60. 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 Cromarty
Farrow & Ball recommends Cromarty for: bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, nursery, hallway. With an LRV of 60, this is a light 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.
Ocean Air is recommended for: bathroom, bedroom, nursery, laundry room, spa-like spaces. Both colors are recommended for similar applications, which confirms that this is a practical cross-brand match. You can use Ocean Air in the same rooms you planned for Cromarty.
Cromarty in Other Brands
Looking for Cromarty equivalents in other brands besides Behr? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Behr match for Cromarty (No.285) is Ocean Air (MQ3-20) with a Delta E of 2, which rates as a "excellent match" match. Ocean Air 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. Cromarty is a Farrow & Ball color with soft green undertones and an LRV of 60. Ocean Air is a Behr color with soft green-blue undertones and an LRV of 60. 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.