Au Gratin vs Snowbound
Au Gratin (Cloverdale Paint) and Snowbound (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Au Gratin belongs to the beige family and Snowbound to the beige-greige family. The 35-point LRV gap — 83 for Snowbound vs 48 for Au Gratin — means Snowbound will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 63.6 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Au Gratin vs Snowbound in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Au Gratin and Snowbound 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. Snowbound reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Au Gratin.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Snowbound returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Snowbound returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Dining Room
Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The LRV gap is large enough that Snowbound will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Au Gratin would.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Snowbound returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Au Gratin vs Snowbound Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Au Gratin on one side and Snowbound 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 Au Gratin comparisons
See how Au Gratin stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 48), opening up a space where Au Gratin encloses it.
A 4-point LRV gap (52 vs 48) makes Purbeck Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 48 vs 30, Au Gratin is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 48, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reads slightly lighter (LRV 58 vs 48), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Au Gratin reflects far more light (LRV 48 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
A 5-point LRV gap (48 vs 43) makes Au Gratin the marginally brighter of the two.
Tranquil Dawn reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 48), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Au Gratin reads slightly lighter (LRV 48 vs 44), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 48, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 48), opening up a space where Au Gratin encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 48), opening up a space where Au Gratin encloses it.
Au Gratin reflects far more light (LRV 48 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Au Gratin reflects far more light (LRV 48 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 48), opening up a space where Au Gratin encloses it.
Au Gratin reflects far more light (LRV 48 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
With LRVs of 48 and 45, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 48 vs 31, Au Gratin is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 48 vs 7, Au Gratin is decisively the brighter choice.