Color spec
| Brand | Sherwin-Williams |
| Name | French Vanilla |
| SKU | SW 7118 |
| Hex | #F9E9D1 |
| RGB | 249, 233, 209 |
| HSL | 36°, 77%, 90% |
| LRV | 83 |
| Undertone | red-orange / warm |
| Family | White |
About Sherwin-Williams French Vanilla
French Vanilla is very light — LRV 83, close to white. It opens up small or dim rooms and keeps walls feeling airy. Its orange undertone is the part to watch: it gets picked up by whatever sits next to it, so test it against your trim, floor and the room's main light before committing. In north light it can read slightly cooler; a warm white trim alongside keeps it from going clinical.
French Vanilla shines on ceilings, trim and in small or low-light rooms where you need to stretch the light — and as a calm whole-home backdrop. As a white, it's a natural for trim, ceilings and cabinets, and a clean backdrop for art.
Closest matches at every US brand
13 brands · top 5 each5 closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all white from that brand.
Benjamin Moore
Diamond Vogel
Valspar
Kompozit
Behr
Farrow & Ball
PPG / Glidden
Dutch Boy
Dunn-Edwards
Clare
C2 Paint
Backdrop
Magnolia Home
Similar Sherwin-Williams colors
closest in the Sherwin-Williams deckThe nearest shades to French Vanilla within Sherwin-Williams's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #F9E9D1 in HSL space. Pair French Vanilla with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
Accessibility (WCAG contrast)
WCAG 2.1: AA = 4.5:1 normal text · AA Large = 3:1 large text · AAA = 7:1 normal text.
Sherwin-Williams French Vanilla Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching French Vanilla from a different paint counter? Below is the single closest color in each major US deck and how close it really is. Remember that any paint store can also custom-tint Sherwin-Williams SW 7118 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of French Vanilla
The closest Benjamin Moore equivalent of French Vanilla is Country White (898). At ΔE 0 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm red-orange undertone and runs slightly darker (LRV 80 vs 83). If Benjamin Moore is your counter, order Country White and you'll get the same color. See the full Country White swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of French Vanilla
The closest Diamond Vogel equivalent of French Vanilla is May Sun (0971). At ΔE 0.38 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm red-orange undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 83 vs 83). If Diamond Vogel is your counter, order May Sun and you'll get the same color. See the full May Sun swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of French Vanilla
The closest Kompozit equivalent of French Vanilla is May Sun (0971). At ΔE 0.77 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm red-orange undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 84 vs 83). If Kompozit is your counter, order May Sun and you'll get the same color. See the full May Sun swatch →
Behr Equivalent of French Vanilla
The closest Behr equivalent of French Vanilla is Almond Milk (OR-W05). At ΔE 0.78 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same warm red-orange undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 83 vs 83). If Behr is your counter, order Almond Milk and you'll get the same color. See the full Almond Milk swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of French Vanilla
Farrow & Ball's nearest match is Tallow (NO. 203), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.18). It runs slightly lighter (LRV 86 vs 83) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for French Vanilla without repainting risk. See the full Tallow swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of French Vanilla
Valspar's nearest match is Apricot Whisper (8007-11C), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.34). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 83 vs 83) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for French Vanilla without repainting risk. See the full Apricot Whisper swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of French Vanilla
Dutch Boy's nearest match is Light Hearted (110-1DB), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.59). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 82 vs 83) and carries a warm red-orange undertone, so it substitutes for French Vanilla without repainting risk. See the full Light Hearted swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of French Vanilla
At Dunn-Edwards, the closest color to French Vanilla is Oatmeal Cookie (DEC763) — very close at ΔE 2.31, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 78 vs 83) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Oatmeal Cookie swatch →
Clare Equivalent of French Vanilla
At Clare, the closest color to French Vanilla is Like Buttah (PNT100-LT-62) — very close at ΔE 2.59, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 80 vs 83) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Like Buttah swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of French Vanilla
At PPG / Glidden, the closest color to French Vanilla is Vanilla Wafer (PPG1204-2) — very close at ΔE 3.39, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 83 vs 83) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Vanilla Wafer swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of French Vanilla
C2 Paint has no exact twin of French Vanilla. The nearest is Buffed (C2-578) at ΔE 3.56 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 82 vs 83). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Buffed swatch →
Backdrop Equivalent of French Vanilla
Backdrop has no exact twin of French Vanilla. The nearest is Don't Eat the Yellow Snow (BD-DS) at ΔE 3.71 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 84 vs 83). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Don't Eat the Yellow Snow swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of French Vanilla
Magnolia Home doesn't make a true equivalent of French Vanilla — the nearest deck color, Pearly Cotton (JG-33), is clearly different (ΔE 5.34). For an exact match, any Magnolia Home retailer can custom-tint Sherwin-Williams SW 7118 instead. See the full Pearly Cotton swatch →