Pigeon vs Active Green
Pigeon (Farrow & Ball) and Active Green (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Pigeon reads as grey, while Active Green reads as green — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 51 vs 49 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. Where Pigeon leans neutral, Active Green reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 37.1 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Pigeon vs Active Green in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Pigeon and Active Green 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
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. Active Green brings more warmth to the space, while Pigeon keeps things cooler and crisper.
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. Pigeon reads more restrained here, while Active Green adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
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. Pigeon reads more restrained here, while Active Green adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Mudroom
In a hardworking space like a mudroom, the depth and warmth of a color reads differently than in a quieter room. The temperature contrast between Active Green and Pigeon is what sets these apart most in this context.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Pigeon reads more restrained here, while Active Green adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Front Door
On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. Active Green brings more warmth to the space, while Pigeon keeps things cooler and crisper.
Color Details
Pigeon vs Active Green Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Pigeon on one side and Active Green 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 Pigeon comparisons
See how Pigeon stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 51, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 52 and 51, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
Agreeable Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 60 vs 51), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 7-point LRV gap (58 vs 51) makes Accessible Beige the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 51 vs 27, Pigeon is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reads slightly lighter (LRV 51 vs 43), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 4-point LRV gap (55 vs 51) makes Tranquil Dawn the marginally brighter of the two.
A 7-point LRV gap (51 vs 44) makes Pigeon the marginally brighter of the two.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 51), opening up a space where Pigeon encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 51, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 51, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 51 vs 12, Pigeon is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 51, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 51 vs 12, Pigeon is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (51 vs 45) makes Pigeon the marginally brighter of the two.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.