Dolphin Dream vs Before the Storm
Dolphin Dream (Cloverdale Paint) and Before the Storm (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Both sit in the grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 17 vs 18 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. ΔE 3.3 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Dolphin Dream vs Before the Storm in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Dolphin Dream and Before the Storm 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
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. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Color Details
Dolphin Dream vs Before the Storm Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Dolphin Dream on one side and Before the Storm 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 Dolphin Dream comparisons
See how Dolphin Dream stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 17), opening up a space where Dolphin Dream encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 17, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
Dolphin Dream reads slightly lighter (LRV 17 vs 6), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 17, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 17, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 17), opening up a space where Dolphin Dream encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 17, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 17), opening up a space where Dolphin Dream encloses it.
Denim Drift reads slightly lighter (LRV 27 vs 17), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 43 vs 17, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 17 vs 4, Dolphin Dream is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 17), opening up a space where Dolphin Dream encloses it.
Dolphin Dream reads slightly lighter (LRV 17 vs 13), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 17), opening up a space where Dolphin Dream encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 17, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (21 vs 17) makes Artichoke the marginally brighter of the two.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 17), opening up a space where Dolphin Dream encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 17), opening up a space where Dolphin Dream encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 17), opening up a space where Dolphin Dream encloses it.
Dolphin Dream reads slightly lighter (LRV 17 vs 12), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 17), opening up a space where Dolphin Dream encloses it.
At LRV 41 vs 17, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 17, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (25 vs 17) makes Treron the marginally brighter of the two.
Dolphin Dream reads slightly lighter (LRV 17 vs 12), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 17), opening up a space where Dolphin Dream encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 17, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.
A 10-point LRV gap (17 vs 7) makes Dolphin Dream the marginally brighter of the two.
A 7-point LRV gap (24 vs 17) makes Cement grey the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 57 vs 17, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.