Cromarty vs S 1502-Y
Cromarty (Farrow & Ball) and S 1502-Y (NCS) come from different manufacturers. These are both greige-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within greige-grey to land. The 4-point LRV gap — 64 for S 1502-Y vs 60 for Cromarty — means S 1502-Y will open up a space more effectively. Both share a warm character, which means they'll respond to light and surrounding materials in similar ways. A ΔE of 1.9 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Cromarty vs S 1502-Y in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Cromarty and S 1502-Y 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. S 1502-Y reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Dining Room
Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The brightness difference is modest but present — S 1502-Y gives the walls a little more lift.
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. S 1502-Y has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Cromarty vs S 1502-Y Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Cromarty on one side and S 1502-Y 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 Cromarty comparisons
See how Cromarty stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 60), opening up a space where Cromarty encloses it.
A 8-point LRV gap (60 vs 52) makes Cromarty the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 60 vs 30, Cromarty is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 60 vs 60), so neither reads brighter in a room.
With LRVs of 60 and 58, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Cromarty reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 43, Cromarty is decisively the brighter choice.
Cromarty reads slightly lighter (LRV 60 vs 55), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Cromarty reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 60, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reads slightly lighter (LRV 66 vs 60), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 60), opening up a space where Cromarty encloses it.
Cromarty reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 60), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Cromarty reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Cromarty reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 31, Cromarty is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 7, Cromarty is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 24, Cromarty is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 60 vs 57), so neither reads brighter in a room.