Smoky Quartz vs Skimming Stone
Smoky Quartz (Cloverdale Paint) and Skimming Stone (Farrow & Ball) come from different manufacturers. Smoky Quartz reads as grey, while Skimming Stone reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 30-point LRV gap — 68 for Skimming Stone vs 38 for Smoky Quartz — means Skimming Stone will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 18.9 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Smoky Quartz vs Skimming Stone in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Smoky Quartz and Skimming Stone 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. Skimming Stone reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Smoky Quartz.
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. Skimming Stone 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. Skimming Stone returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Skimming Stone returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Smoky Quartz vs Skimming Stone Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Smoky Quartz on one side and Skimming Stone 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 Smoky Quartz comparisons
See how Smoky Quartz stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 38), opening up a space where Smoky Quartz encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 38, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 38 vs 6, Smoky Quartz is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 38), opening up a space where Smoky Quartz encloses it.
Smoky Quartz reads slightly lighter (LRV 38 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 38, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 38), opening up a space where Smoky Quartz encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 38, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 11-point LRV gap (38 vs 27) makes Smoky Quartz the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 38), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Smoky Quartz reflects far more light (LRV 38 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 38, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 38 vs 13, Smoky Quartz 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 Smoky Quartz encloses it.
Smoky Quartz reflects far more light (LRV 38 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke 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 83 vs 38, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 38), opening up a space where Smoky Quartz encloses it.
At LRV 38 vs 12, Smoky Quartz is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 38 vs 8, Smoky Quartz is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reads slightly lighter (LRV 41 vs 38), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 38 vs 12, Smoky Quartz is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (45 vs 38) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.
Smoky Quartz reads slightly lighter (LRV 38 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Smoky Quartz reflects far more light (LRV 38 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.