Steel vs Mid Lead Colour

Steel is a Cloverdale Paint color while Mid Lead Colour comes from Little Greene. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. With LRVs of 26 and 26, they'll behave almost identically in terms of how much light they reflect back into a room. With a ΔE of 2.9, the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side to reliably tell them apart. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Steel vs Mid Lead Colour in Real Spaces

1 real room side by side. Steel and Mid Lead Colour 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.

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.

SteelSteel CA194 by Cloverdale Paint — Bathroom

@visualization

Mid Lead ColourLittle Greene Mid Lead Colour 114 bathroom panelling

@rambling_rose_retreat

Color Details

Steel
Cloverdale Paint · CA194
Hex#868D8F
LRV26.1
BrandCloverdale Paint
NumberCA194
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessMedium
Mid Lead Colour
Little Greene · 114
Hex#8c8c8c
LRV26.2
BrandLittle Greene
Number114
UndertoneRed
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium

Steel vs Mid Lead Colour Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Steel on one side and Mid Lead Colour on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Steel comparisons

See how Steel stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Steel
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Steel
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Steel
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Steel reads noticeably lighter

Purbeck Stone
Steel
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
Steel
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter

Mizzle
Steel
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
Steel
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Steel
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Nearly identical in tone

Tranquil Dawn
Steel
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Balboa Mist
Steel
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Vintage Vogue
Steel
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Steel reads noticeably lighter

Pale Green
Steel
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads slightly lighter

Pine Needle
Steel
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Steel reads noticeably lighter

Cement grey
Steel
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Nearly identical in tone

Black grey
Steel
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Steel reads noticeably lighter

Piazza
Steel
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza is the lighter choice

Humble Yellow
Steel
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow is the lighter choice

Windmill Lane
Steel
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Windmill Lane reads slightly lighter

Senses
Steel
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Senses reads noticeably lighter

Lamp Black
Steel
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Steel reads noticeably lighter

Washed Linen
Steel
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen is the lighter choice

Tea with Florence
Steel
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Steel reads slightly lighter

Thames Fog
Steel
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Nearly identical in tone

Ocean Abyss
Steel
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Steel reads noticeably lighter

Classic Silver
Steel
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Classic Silver reads noticeably lighter

Teton Blue
Steel
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Teton Blue reads slightly lighter

RAL 110-2
Steel
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Steel
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Steel
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Steel
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Steel reads slightly lighter