Purbeck Stone vs Software
Where Purbeck Stone belongs to Farrow & Ball's range, Software is a Sherwin-Williams color. Purbeck Stone reads as greige-grey, while Software reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Purbeck Stone (LRV 52) reflects noticeably more light than Software (LRV 23), a difference of 29 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Purbeck Stone runs warm while Software is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 23.7, 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 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Purbeck Stone vs Software in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Purbeck Stone and Software 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 Purbeck Stone will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Software would.
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 Software.
Color Details
Purbeck Stone vs Software Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Purbeck Stone on one side and Software 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.
