Rock Garden → Farrow & Ball
The closest Farrow & Ball matches for Sherwin Williams Rock Garden (SW 6195), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Farrow & Ball Equivalent for Rock Garden
If you love Sherwin Williams Rock Garden 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 Sherwin Williams, or you simply want to compare prices across brands before committing.
Rock Garden (SW 6195) is a medium-dark green with muted forest green undertones. A muted forest green. Earthy and rich. To find a good Farrow & Ball match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 21) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Rock Garden 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 Rock Garden. Pigeon Alt (No.47) comes in with a Delta E of 2.5, which puts it in the "excellent match" range. Pigeon Alt is the closest Farrow & Ball option at LRV 18. Very close match with F&B's signature chalky depth.
Farrow & Ball Matches for Rock Garden
Pigeon Alt is the closest Farrow & Ball option at LRV 18. Very close match with F&B's signature chalky depth.
| Rock Garden | Pigeon Alt | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 21 | 18 |
| Hex | #8D978C | #848C82 |
| Undertone | Muted Forest Green | Smoky Green |
| Family | Green | Green |
Undertone Comparison
Rock Garden has muted forest green undertones. A muted forest green. Earthy and rich.
Pigeon Alt has smoky green undertones. A smoky, muted green. Darker than Pigeon, with more green saturation. The color of green wood smoke rising against a gray sky.
These two colors share the same undertone family, which is a good sign for a cross-brand swap. The undertone similarity means they will behave similarly as lighting changes throughout the day, and they should coordinate well with the same accent colors, trim, and furnishings.
How These Colors Behave in Different Lighting
Rock Garden in Your Room
Distinctly green. A rich, organic mid-dark green.
Pigeon Alt in Your Room
The smoky green is atmospheric. In bright rooms, the green is definite. In dim rooms, a moody dark gray-green.
LRV and Brightness
Rock Garden has an LRV of 21, while Pigeon Alt has an LRV of 18. 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 Rock Garden
Sherwin Williams recommends Rock Garden for: accent wall, kitchen, exterior, office, powder room. With an LRV of 21, this is a medium-dark color that absorbs more light than it reflects. It makes a bold statement and works beautifully on accent walls, front doors, exterior trim, and features where drama is the goal. In a full room, make sure you have good lighting and bright white trim for contrast.
Pigeon Alt is recommended for: accent wall, kitchen, exterior, office, bedroom. Both colors are recommended for similar applications, which confirms that this is a practical cross-brand match. You can use Pigeon Alt in the same rooms you planned for Rock Garden.
Rock Garden in Other Brands
Looking for Rock Garden equivalents in other brands besides Farrow & Ball? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Farrow & Ball match for Rock Garden (SW 6195) is Pigeon Alt (No.47) with a Delta E of 2.5, which rates as a "excellent match" match. Pigeon Alt is the closest Farrow & Ball option at LRV 18. 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. Rock Garden is a Sherwin Williams color with muted forest green undertones and an LRV of 21. Pigeon Alt is a Farrow & Ball color with smoky green undertones and an LRV of 18. With a Delta E of 2.5, 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 2.5, 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.