Mortar vs Naval
Mortar (Cloverdale Paint) and Naval (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Mortar belongs to the grey family and Naval to the blue family. The 34-point LRV gap — 38 for Mortar vs 4 for Naval — means Mortar will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 45.6 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.
Mortar vs Naval in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Mortar and Naval 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. Mortar reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Naval.
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. Mortar 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. Mortar 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 Mortar will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Naval 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. Mortar returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Mortar vs Naval Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Mortar on one side and Naval 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 Mortar comparisons
See how Mortar stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 38, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 38), opening up a space where Mortar encloses it.
Mortar reads slightly lighter (LRV 38 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 38), opening up a space where Mortar encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 38, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 11-point LRV gap (38 vs 27) makes Mortar the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 38), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 55 vs 38, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (44 vs 38) makes Hardwick White the marginally brighter of the two.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 38), opening up a space where Mortar encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 38, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 38, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 38 vs 12, Mortar is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 38 vs 8, Mortar is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 38, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 38 vs 12, Mortar is decisively the brighter choice.
A 7-point LRV gap (45 vs 38) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.
Mortar reads slightly lighter (LRV 38 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Mortar reflects far more light (LRV 38 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.