Denim Drift vs Steely Gray
Where Denim Drift belongs to Dulux's range, Steely Gray is a Sherwin-Williams color. These are both blue-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue-grey to land. Steely Gray (LRV 30) reflects noticeably more light than Denim Drift (LRV 27), a difference of 3 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Denim Drift runs cool while Steely Gray is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. The ΔE 6.2 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Denim Drift vs Steely Gray in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Denim Drift and Steely Gray 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
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 brightness difference is modest but present — Steely Gray gives the walls a little more lift.
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. Steely Gray reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Denim Drift vs Steely Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Denim Drift on one side and Steely Gray 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 Denim Drift comparisons
See how Denim Drift stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
