White Mist vs Retreat
Where White Mist belongs to Dulux's range, Retreat is a Sherwin-Williams color. Hue-wise, White Mist belongs to the greige-white family and Retreat to the grey family. White Mist (LRV 82) reflects noticeably more light than Retreat (LRV 21), a difference of 61 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. White Mist runs warm while Retreat is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 39.3, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
White Mist vs Retreat in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing White Mist and Retreat 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
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 LRV gap is large enough that White Mist will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Retreat would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. White Mist reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Retreat.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. White Mist reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Retreat.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. White Mist returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. White Mist reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Retreat.
Color Details
White Mist vs Retreat Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see White Mist on one side and Retreat 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 White Mist comparisons
See how White Mist stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
