Smoldering Red vs Pewter Green
Smoldering Red (Benjamin Moore) and Pewter Green (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Smoldering Red belongs to the pink-red family and Pewter Green to the green-grey family. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 12 vs 12 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. Where Smoldering Red leans red, Pewter Green reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 53.1 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Smoldering Red vs Pewter Green in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Smoldering Red and Pewter Green 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
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Smoldering Red brings more warmth to the space, while Pewter Green keeps things cooler and crisper.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Pewter Green reads more restrained here, while Smoldering Red adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Pewter Green reads more restrained here, while Smoldering Red adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Color Details
Smoldering Red vs Pewter Green Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Smoldering Red on one side and Pewter Green 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 Smoldering Red comparisons
See how Smoldering Red stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 69 vs 12, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 12), opening up a space where Smoldering Red encloses it.
Smoldering Red reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 6), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 12, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 12, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 12), opening up a space where Smoldering Red encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 12, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 12), opening up a space where Smoldering Red encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 12), opening up a space where Smoldering Red encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 12, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
A 7-point LRV gap (12 vs 4) makes Smoldering Red the marginally brighter of the two.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 12), opening up a space where Smoldering Red encloses it.
With LRVs of 13 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 12), opening up a space where Smoldering Red encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 12, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 10-point LRV gap (21 vs 12) makes Artichoke the marginally brighter of the two.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 12), opening up a space where Smoldering Red encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 12), opening up a space where Smoldering Red encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 12), opening up a space where Smoldering Red encloses it.
At LRV 51 vs 12, Pigeon is decisively the brighter choice.
Smoldering Red reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 8), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 12), opening up a space where Smoldering Red encloses it.
At LRV 41 vs 12, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 12 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 12), opening up a space where Smoldering Red encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 12, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (12 vs 7) makes Smoldering Red the marginally brighter of the two.