Ruby Fountain 2 vs Carmine
Where Ruby Fountain 2 belongs to Dulux's range, Carmine is a Sherwin-Williams color. These are both pink-reds, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within pink-red to land. Ruby Fountain 2 (LRV 10) reflects noticeably more light than Carmine (LRV 5), a difference of 5 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean warm, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. The ΔE 8.7 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.
Ruby Fountain 2 vs Carmine in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Ruby Fountain 2 and Carmine 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.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Ruby Fountain 2 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The brightness difference is modest but present — Ruby Fountain 2 gives the walls a little more lift.
Color Details
Ruby Fountain 2 vs Carmine Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Ruby Fountain 2 on one side and Carmine 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 Ruby Fountain 2 comparisons
See how Ruby Fountain 2 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 10), opening up a space where Ruby Fountain 2 encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 10, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (10 vs 6) makes Ruby Fountain 2 the marginally brighter of the two.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 10), opening up a space where Ruby Fountain 2 encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 10), opening up a space where Ruby Fountain 2 encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 10, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 10), opening up a space where Ruby Fountain 2 encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 10, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 10, Denim Drift is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 10), opening up a space where Ruby Fountain 2 encloses it.
Ruby Fountain 2 reads slightly lighter (LRV 10 vs 4), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 55 vs 10, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 3-point LRV gap (13 vs 10) makes Bancha the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 44 vs 10, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 10), opening up a space where Ruby Fountain 2 encloses it.
Artichoke reads slightly lighter (LRV 21 vs 10), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 10, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 10, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 10, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 10), opening up a space where Ruby Fountain 2 encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 12 vs 10), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 10 vs 8), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 68 vs 10, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 10), opening up a space where Ruby Fountain 2 encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 12 vs 10), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 45 vs 10, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 10), opening up a space where Ruby Fountain 2 encloses it.