Faded Indigo vs Shade-Grown
Faded Indigo (Dulux) and Shade-Grown (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Faded Indigo belongs to the blue-grey family and Shade-Grown to the grey family. The 9-point LRV gap — 17 for Faded Indigo vs 8 for Shade-Grown — means Faded Indigo will open up a space more effectively. Where Faded Indigo leans cool, Shade-Grown reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 18.4 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.
Faded Indigo vs Shade-Grown in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Faded Indigo and Shade-Grown 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. Faded Indigo reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Shade-Grown.
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. Faded Indigo 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. Faded Indigo 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. Faded Indigo returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Faded Indigo returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Faded Indigo vs Shade-Grown Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Faded Indigo on one side and Shade-Grown 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 Faded Indigo comparisons
See how Faded Indigo stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
