Downtown Gray vs Hibernate
Downtown Gray is a Behr color while Hibernate comes from Sherwin-Williams. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. With LRVs of 40 and 38, they'll behave almost identically in terms of how much light they reflect back into a room. The tonal difference — Downtown Gray's yellow and red character against Hibernate's neutral — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. With a ΔE of 1.8, the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side to reliably tell them apart. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Downtown Gray vs Hibernate in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Downtown Gray and Hibernate are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
Living Room
Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
House
At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.
Color Details
Downtown Gray vs Hibernate Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Downtown Gray on one side and Hibernate on the other.
Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.
More Downtown Gray comparisons
See how Downtown Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 69 vs 40, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 40), opening up a space where Downtown Gray encloses it.
Downtown Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
A 12-point LRV gap (52 vs 40) makes Purbeck Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
A 10-point LRV gap (40 vs 30) makes Downtown Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
Mizzle reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 40), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 60 vs 40, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 40), opening up a space where Downtown Gray encloses it.
Downtown Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 43 vs 40), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 40 vs 4, Downtown Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 40), opening up a space where Downtown Gray encloses it.
Downtown Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Hardwick White reads slightly lighter (LRV 44 vs 40), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 40, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 40 vs 21, Downtown Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 40), opening up a space where Downtown Gray encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 40), opening up a space where Downtown Gray encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 40), opening up a space where Downtown Gray encloses it.
A 10-point LRV gap (51 vs 40) makes Pigeon the marginally brighter of the two.
Downtown Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Downtown Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 40), opening up a space where Downtown Gray encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 41 vs 40), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Downtown Gray reflects far more light (LRV 40 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reads slightly lighter (LRV 45 vs 40), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 9-point LRV gap (40 vs 31) makes Downtown Gray the marginally brighter of the two.