Forest Shade vs Rock Garden
Forest Shade (Dulux) and Rock Garden (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. These are both green-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within green-grey to land. The 5-point LRV gap — 13 for Forest Shade vs 8 for Rock Garden — means Forest Shade will open up a space more effectively. Where Forest Shade leans neutral, Rock Garden reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. ΔE 8.0 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Forest Shade vs Rock Garden in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Forest Shade and Rock Garden 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
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. Forest Shade reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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. Forest Shade has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
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. Forest Shade has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Forest Shade vs Rock Garden Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Forest Shade on one side and Rock Garden 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 Forest Shade comparisons
See how Forest Shade stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 69 vs 13, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 13), opening up a space where Forest Shade encloses it.
Forest Shade reads slightly lighter (LRV 13 vs 6), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 13, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 13, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 13), opening up a space where Forest Shade encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 13, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 13), opening up a space where Forest Shade encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 13), opening up a space where Forest Shade encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 13, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
A 9-point LRV gap (13 vs 4) makes Forest Shade the marginally brighter of the two.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 13), opening up a space where Forest Shade encloses it.
With LRVs of 13 and 13, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 13), opening up a space where Forest Shade encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 13, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (21 vs 13) makes Artichoke the marginally brighter of the two.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 13), opening up a space where Forest Shade encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 13), opening up a space where Forest Shade encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 13), opening up a space where Forest Shade encloses it.
At LRV 51 vs 13, Pigeon is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 13 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Forest Shade reads slightly lighter (LRV 13 vs 8), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 13), opening up a space where Forest Shade encloses it.
At LRV 41 vs 13, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 13 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 13), opening up a space where Forest Shade encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 13, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.