Charleston Gray vs Shoji White
Where Charleston Gray belongs to Farrow & Ball's range, Shoji White is a Sherwin-Williams color. Charleston Gray reads as greige-grey, while Shoji White reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Shoji White (LRV 74) reflects noticeably more light than Charleston Gray (LRV 30), a difference of 44 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. With a ΔE of 27.5, 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.
Charleston Gray vs Shoji White in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Charleston Gray and Shoji White 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 Shoji White will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Charleston Gray 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. Shoji White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Charleston Gray.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Shoji White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Charleston Gray.
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. Shoji White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Charleston Gray.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Shoji White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Charleston Gray.
Color Details
Charleston Gray vs Shoji White Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Charleston Gray on one side and Shoji White 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 Charleston Gray comparisons
See how Charleston Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
