Purbeck Stone vs Ionian
Where Purbeck Stone belongs to Farrow & Ball's range, Ionian is a Sherwin-Williams color. Purbeck Stone reads as greige-grey, while Ionian reads as blue — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Purbeck Stone (LRV 52) reflects noticeably more light than Ionian (LRV 20), a difference of 32 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Purbeck Stone runs warm while Ionian is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 39.6, 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 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Purbeck Stone vs Ionian in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Purbeck Stone and Ionian in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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. Purbeck Stone reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Ionian.
Color Details
Purbeck Stone vs Ionian Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Purbeck Stone on one side and Ionian 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 Purbeck Stone comparisons
See how Purbeck Stone stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
