Smoky Tone vs Passageway
Where Smoky Tone belongs to Cloverdale Paint's range, Passageway is a Valspar color. Smoky Tone reads as grey, while Passageway reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Smoky Tone (LRV 36) reflects noticeably more light than Passageway (LRV 14), a difference of 22 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 23.4, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Smoky Tone vs Passageway in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Smoky Tone and Passageway 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
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The LRV gap is large enough that Smoky Tone will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Passageway would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Smoky Tone reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Passageway.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. Smoky Tone reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Passageway.
Color Details
Smoky Tone vs Passageway Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Smoky Tone on one side and Passageway 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 Tone comparisons
See how Smoky Tone stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
