Warm Onyx vs Plum Brown
Where Warm Onyx belongs to Behr's range, Plum Brown is a Sherwin-Williams color. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (7 vs 6), so they'll read as similarly Dark in most lighting conditions. Warm Onyx runs red while Plum Brown is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. The ΔE 6.4 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Warm Onyx vs Plum Brown in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Warm Onyx and Plum Brown 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
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The temperature contrast between Plum Brown and Warm Onyx is what sets these apart most in this context.
Color Details
Warm Onyx vs Plum Brown Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Warm Onyx on one side and Plum Brown 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 Warm Onyx comparisons
See how Warm Onyx stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 7), opening up a space where Warm Onyx encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 7, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 7, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 7, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 7), opening up a space where Warm Onyx encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 7), opening up a space where Warm Onyx encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 7, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 7), opening up a space where Warm Onyx encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 7), opening up a space where Warm Onyx encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 7, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 7), opening up a space where Warm Onyx encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 7), opening up a space where Warm Onyx encloses it.
Pewter Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 7), opening up a space where Warm Onyx encloses it.
Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 7), opening up a space where Warm Onyx encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 7, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 7 vs 7), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 24 vs 7, Cement grey is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 7, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.