Rectory Red vs Cerise
Rectory Red (Farrow & Ball) and Cerise (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. These are both pink-reds, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within pink-red to land. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 11 vs 10 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. Where Rectory Red leans warm, Cerise reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. ΔE 9.3 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Rectory Red vs Cerise in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Rectory Red and Cerise 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.
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. Cerise reads more restrained here, while Rectory Red adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Color Details
Rectory Red vs Cerise Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Rectory Red on one side and Cerise 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 Rectory Red comparisons
See how Rectory Red stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 11), opening up a space where Rectory Red encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 11, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (11 vs 6) makes Rectory Red the marginally brighter of the two.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 11), opening up a space where Rectory Red encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 11), opening up a space where Rectory Red encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 11, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 11), opening up a space where Rectory Red encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 11, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 11, Denim Drift is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 11), opening up a space where Rectory Red encloses it.
Rectory Red reads slightly lighter (LRV 11 vs 4), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 55 vs 11, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 13 vs 11), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 44 vs 11, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 11), opening up a space where Rectory Red encloses it.
Artichoke reads slightly lighter (LRV 21 vs 11), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 11, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 11, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 11, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 11), opening up a space where Rectory Red encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 12 vs 11), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 11 vs 8), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 68 vs 11, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 11), opening up a space where Rectory Red encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 12 vs 11), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 45 vs 11, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 11), opening up a space where Rectory Red encloses it.