Gray Owl vs Artichoke

Gray OwlBenjamin MoorevsArtichokeSherwin-WilliamsΔE 33.4Very different colors

Gray Owl is a Benjamin Moore color while Artichoke comes from Sherwin-Williams. Both sit in the grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. At LRV 65 vs 21, Gray Owl will read as the brighter of the two — a 43-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Gray Owl's yellow character against Artichoke's neutral — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 33.4, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Gray Owl vs Artichoke in Real Spaces

3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Gray Owl and Artichoke in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.

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. Gray Owl returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Gray OwlBenjamin Moore Gray Owl living room

@the_paintedladies2

ArtichokeWarm green accent wall Sherwin Williams Artichoke SW 6179

@jess.esmith

Bedroom

Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Gray Owl will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Artichoke would.

Gray OwlGray Owl Bedroom

@barbaramdesignco

ArtichokeSherwin Williams SW 6179 bedroom paint

@pagemontfarmhouse

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that Gray Owl will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Artichoke would.

Gray OwlBenjamin Moore Gray Owl bathroom paint review

@southernrhoda

ArtichokeSherwin Williams Artichoke bathroom paint

@thelauralarkins

Color Details

Gray Owl
Benjamin Moore · OC-52
Hex#D3D4CC
LRV64.5
BrandBenjamin Moore
NumberOC-52
UndertoneYellow
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessLight
Artichoke
Sherwin-Williams · 6179
Hex#7F8266
LRV21.4
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6179
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium

Gray Owl vs Artichoke Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Gray Owl on one side and Artichoke on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Gray Owl comparisons

See how Gray Owl stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

Gray Owl
White Dove
Gray Owl
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65

At LRV 83 vs 65, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.

Gray Owl
Ammonite
Gray Owl
Ammonite
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite reads slightly lighter (LRV 69 vs 65), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Gray Owl
Iron Ore
Gray Owl
Iron Ore
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65

At LRV 65 vs 6, Gray Owl is decisively the brighter choice.

Gray Owl
Purbeck Stone
Gray Owl
Purbeck Stone
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65

Gray Owl reflects far more light (LRV 65 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.

Gray Owl
Evergreen Fog
Gray Owl
Evergreen Fog
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65

Gray Owl reflects far more light (LRV 65 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.

Gray Owl
Mizzle
Gray Owl
Mizzle
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

At LRV 65 vs 52, Gray Owl is decisively the brighter choice.

Gray Owl
Agreeable Gray
Gray Owl
Agreeable Gray
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65

Gray Owl reads slightly lighter (LRV 65 vs 60), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Gray Owl
Accessible Beige
Gray Owl
Accessible Beige
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65

A 7-point LRV gap (65 vs 58) makes Gray Owl the marginally brighter of the two.

Gray Owl
Denim Drift
Gray Owl
Denim Drift
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65

At LRV 65 vs 27, Gray Owl is decisively the brighter choice.

Gray Owl
French Gray
Gray Owl
French Gray
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65

Gray Owl reflects far more light (LRV 65 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.

Gray Owl
Naval
Gray Owl
Naval
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Gray Owl reflects far more light (LRV 65 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.

Gray Owl
Tranquil Dawn
Gray Owl
Tranquil Dawn
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65

A 10-point LRV gap (65 vs 55) makes Gray Owl the marginally brighter of the two.

Gray Owl
Bancha
Gray Owl
Bancha
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

At LRV 65 vs 13, Gray Owl is decisively the brighter choice.

Gray Owl
Hardwick White
Gray Owl
Hardwick White
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65

At LRV 65 vs 44, Gray Owl is decisively the brighter choice.

Gray Owl
Pure White
Gray Owl
Pure White
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65

Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 65), opening up a space where Gray Owl encloses it.

Balboa Mist
Gray Owl
Balboa Mist
Gray Owl
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 66 vs 65), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Gray Owl
Shoji White
Gray Owl
Shoji White
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65

A 10-point LRV gap (74 vs 65) makes Shoji White the marginally brighter of the two.

Gray Owl
Snowbound
Gray Owl
Snowbound
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

At LRV 83 vs 65, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.

Gray Owl
Pewter Green
Gray Owl
Pewter Green
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65

At LRV 65 vs 12, Gray Owl is decisively the brighter choice.

Gray Owl
Skimming Stone
Gray Owl
Skimming Stone
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65

A 4-point LRV gap (68 vs 65) makes Skimming Stone the marginally brighter of the two.

Gray Owl
Dix Blue
Gray Owl
Dix Blue
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Gray Owl reflects far more light (LRV 65 vs 41), opening up a space where Dix Blue encloses it.

Gray Owl
Calamine
Gray Owl
Calamine
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 65), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Gray Owl
Treron
Gray Owl
Treron
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Gray Owl reflects far more light (LRV 65 vs 25), opening up a space where Treron encloses it.

Gray Owl
Vintage Vogue
Gray Owl
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65

At LRV 65 vs 12, Gray Owl is decisively the brighter choice.

Gray Owl
Saybrook Sage
Gray Owl
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65

At LRV 65 vs 45, Gray Owl is decisively the brighter choice.

Gray Owl
Pale Green
Gray Owl
Pale Green
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Gray Owl reflects far more light (LRV 65 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.

Gray Owl
Pine Needle
Gray Owl
Pine Needle
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65

Gray Owl reflects far more light (LRV 65 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.

Gray Owl
Cement grey
Gray Owl
Cement grey
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Gray Owl reflects far more light (LRV 65 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.

Gray Owl
Guilford Green
Gray Owl
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65

Gray Owl reads slightly lighter (LRV 65 vs 57), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Gray Owl
Just Walnut
Gray Owl
Just Walnut
Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
OC-52 · LRV 65

Just Walnut reads slightly lighter (LRV 72 vs 65), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.